tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508012706747421602024-02-19T03:06:36.244-05:00Best4everfamilyLife in our familyUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-46936684599858585962010-10-16T22:51:00.000-04:002010-10-16T22:51:17.111-04:00New Blog<div align="center">Some how, I've ruined this blog.</div><div align="center">I'm not sure which button I pushed, but I've lost my</div><div align="center">background, music, and all sorts of other fun things. </div><div align="center">While trying to fix this blog, I pressed a button and made a new</div><div align="center">blog. So, here's the new blog's address:</div><div align="center"><a href="http://www.best4everfamily2.blogspot.com/">www.best4everfamily2.blogspot.com</a></div><div align="center">Enjoy the new blog. It has music, and a background,</div><div align="center">and a cool shelf that shows the books I've been reading.</div><div align="center">Oh yeah, and pictures of the four best kids in the whole wide world.</div><div align="center"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-51271663934131337982010-09-09T14:22:00.000-04:002010-09-09T14:54:11.498-04:00Another First<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGJu5lpbcirzSxCYSzXzEkN-QEyRIA7igaKJIqVR5LxFgR_ZN5xhR5sEu-mF_s_WCjXtURR5fc_qJxAiMobnSGhrW0bpR8r4vp0MTIwpBD1zkx4MOsvdj5qgt_Q_JK61EOI4FPpYtUSY/s1600/DSC01151.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514984251390768658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGJu5lpbcirzSxCYSzXzEkN-QEyRIA7igaKJIqVR5LxFgR_ZN5xhR5sEu-mF_s_WCjXtURR5fc_qJxAiMobnSGhrW0bpR8r4vp0MTIwpBD1zkx4MOsvdj5qgt_Q_JK61EOI4FPpYtUSY/s400/DSC01151.JPG" /></a>We go to the State Fair every summer.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryMn0W7OqBj50jeFyBxVNihg5dQ5qzDhFq4CjWBb3pP7baZX8zQp8CJtYPv4ebnnDRdgd0BbJUjmZNRUaU4XV5t8WGPmJv2YRUy1l_WcCsyiGfN8Uag-We5YtH8oMMFUkzv4aip85nrU/s1600/DSC01161.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514984245050622738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgryMn0W7OqBj50jeFyBxVNihg5dQ5qzDhFq4CjWBb3pP7baZX8zQp8CJtYPv4ebnnDRdgd0BbJUjmZNRUaU4XV5t8WGPmJv2YRUy1l_WcCsyiGfN8Uag-We5YtH8oMMFUkzv4aip85nrU/s400/DSC01161.JPG" /></a> We went before we had kids, and when<br />the kids came along they joined us at the fair.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzFhkNLpdBJWJgNJ59M_RGEhQVmUmmhzmmj4hdBhXSeZZzWhrne2KYlznSZSX3bf99x6P-iicRjtDH1UKBF8Ptb0mWhXqadZhx5PQWimRT8l6-3gA6vWVD1n0PD3N4D3eXp2nRD0l6y0/s1600/DSC01178.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514984223272736386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzFhkNLpdBJWJgNJ59M_RGEhQVmUmmhzmmj4hdBhXSeZZzWhrne2KYlznSZSX3bf99x6P-iicRjtDH1UKBF8Ptb0mWhXqadZhx5PQWimRT8l6-3gA6vWVD1n0PD3N4D3eXp2nRD0l6y0/s400/DSC01178.JPG" /></a> My parents went together, with my brother and me if</div><div>we were home from college, then with Jon and me.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlzITOJq7rfY9SYEoZAvEM3QujxwgCXGj8AAv1ZR7HYb8US3LRDtKLFaW-wp5hCvFudnMsEAK38XSqvcLUp1tGQBQZzfBYjRC5AeDV3BfY6mp_Tm0bXyQxgZ7RjkLDQ9ZgDjYVYTmhfw/s1600/DSC01802.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514984207739171938" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlzITOJq7rfY9SYEoZAvEM3QujxwgCXGj8AAv1ZR7HYb8US3LRDtKLFaW-wp5hCvFudnMsEAK38XSqvcLUp1tGQBQZzfBYjRC5AeDV3BfY6mp_Tm0bXyQxgZ7RjkLDQ9ZgDjYVYTmhfw/s400/DSC01802.JPG" /></a> Mom and Dad really enjoyed bringing their grand kids</div><div>to the fair.</div><div>They loved all of the excitement the</div><div>kids had over EVERYTHING.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQkN2gf5LEALGwWxR_iq453ODpX0LoXWx5j4JYikN2aLvOXD1SjtscC6OaYMU5C6TuDXw1fponsKLfuT-xvzpAUaCg_v6vJPf1heErkhZsh84h4jDMHZ7POlmVl-EUDu_o3m0AjUpMz8/s1600/DSC01816.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514984199399423922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJQkN2gf5LEALGwWxR_iq453ODpX0LoXWx5j4JYikN2aLvOXD1SjtscC6OaYMU5C6TuDXw1fponsKLfuT-xvzpAUaCg_v6vJPf1heErkhZsh84h4jDMHZ7POlmVl-EUDu_o3m0AjUpMz8/s400/DSC01816.JPG" /></a> They loved sharing the fair with the kids.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcNTqE_0_j0irRZC-t0Bh6QyvnvGUZw6lEjZpotqbUL7f1X5om4EikOIxNymhh9MiyVhRrPaRv7k5uhiKHqO4t2b5KnsALB7qTIUS6xOOr941b0e_o7gXn4ju1qSqu0Q2ynf9iU474bA/s1600/DSC01828.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514983019489476274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilcNTqE_0_j0irRZC-t0Bh6QyvnvGUZw6lEjZpotqbUL7f1X5om4EikOIxNymhh9MiyVhRrPaRv7k5uhiKHqO4t2b5KnsALB7qTIUS6xOOr941b0e_o7gXn4ju1qSqu0Q2ynf9iU474bA/s400/DSC01828.JPG" /></a> Every summer we look forward to the trip to the fair.</div><div>Not this summer.</div><div>It's not that we didn't look forward to it, it's</div><div>just that it was the first time we've gone without</div><div>my Mom.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ISPqyBzbDgI-hXOS6-vijszCOgoEkU1px_0ee75PkKzrpTpFXguHqXCpG7tpSgZGbITUdGw8-EaoxXNFzthBgeVOYq8icP7iNCkkeBIDZ9k0uz16wIwfzzymzCPCkxqmQEBmRst9nXo/s1600/DSC03049.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514983011668042930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ISPqyBzbDgI-hXOS6-vijszCOgoEkU1px_0ee75PkKzrpTpFXguHqXCpG7tpSgZGbITUdGw8-EaoxXNFzthBgeVOYq8icP7iNCkkeBIDZ9k0uz16wIwfzzymzCPCkxqmQEBmRst9nXo/s400/DSC03049.JPG" /></a> Last year, Mom was getting chemo. She worked her chemo</div><div>schedule around the fair.</div><div>She really wanted to go.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6b10HRFd7S7K6UnBknf97Yl0vlKhC31SYKK9Qx3lDoxU1Z00_CYeu4U27Y0QHerYtL8IryqVivQc8Gi-iZEVmqV2MeruMJNOL-pobvnVT1hOHDsLv-F3S1CybfjrLEYoYDltt6JNGEg/s1600/DSC03056.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514983009674054994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY6b10HRFd7S7K6UnBknf97Yl0vlKhC31SYKK9Qx3lDoxU1Z00_CYeu4U27Y0QHerYtL8IryqVivQc8Gi-iZEVmqV2MeruMJNOL-pobvnVT1hOHDsLv-F3S1CybfjrLEYoYDltt6JNGEg/s400/DSC03056.JPG" /></a> She warned us that she might get tired, so not to plan</div><div> on staying as long as we usually did.</div><div>She staid all day.</div><div>We didn't' leave until that evening.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvMfDcTCJRRQBH16mXGt5eGDBhzVLYBr1IjVYxKD_5HCpbkmy8E9kwFASdtJaC5zdER60SEiwX17tyqhYcpSOzQJq4IYSEy4nJiLUumwXh6EBYdM3FypCjti-e65H7rI2pjyA3NaEe1M/s1600/DSC03052.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514982999552022050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipvMfDcTCJRRQBH16mXGt5eGDBhzVLYBr1IjVYxKD_5HCpbkmy8E9kwFASdtJaC5zdER60SEiwX17tyqhYcpSOzQJq4IYSEy4nJiLUumwXh6EBYdM3FypCjti-e65H7rI2pjyA3NaEe1M/s400/DSC03052.JPG" /></a> We enjoyed all of our favorite things together.</div><div>We ate lots of fair food, enjoyed all of the exhibits,</div><div>and had fun watching the kids as they rode on</div><div>the rides and saw the dog show.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pmpNQis_IiyEVPpo3v_Ed0l46oq9ypjPMxZig5dC8-KLjloEdgpMPJdTBZ-SXZCXkU8e1KWoPbbOK2KNa6A6-_H4lABDW9-SsJ8dMe-3eJOMq8MCHNfKTNVUji4obgx6rl4TLCLaw64/s1600/DSC03051.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514982994313839042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_pmpNQis_IiyEVPpo3v_Ed0l46oq9ypjPMxZig5dC8-KLjloEdgpMPJdTBZ-SXZCXkU8e1KWoPbbOK2KNa6A6-_H4lABDW9-SsJ8dMe-3eJOMq8MCHNfKTNVUji4obgx6rl4TLCLaw64/s400/DSC03051.JPG" /></a> We packed in as much fun as we could. We</div><div>all knew that it might be our last trip to the fair, </div><div>together. The last time that we would share</div><div>the fair food and our "stomach room".</div><div>Despite my Mom's health, she never complained. She laughed, smiled,</div><div>and enjoyed every minute of that day.<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-psN-cGkscxVlCBH8O7bpmMYDb3Nxa6Mx1yHybj0QyedkVKvhu-ckVIr61wjlVVmoFTDzF6LQG-EY9suoUSCU9dtVQpeLz2Pb9bBJuOk9rLOLEtDgUi8kCJnj-PAmsEHhNSipFr5Fj8M/s1600/state+fair+2010+045.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514982274693620706" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-psN-cGkscxVlCBH8O7bpmMYDb3Nxa6Mx1yHybj0QyedkVKvhu-ckVIr61wjlVVmoFTDzF6LQG-EY9suoUSCU9dtVQpeLz2Pb9bBJuOk9rLOLEtDgUi8kCJnj-PAmsEHhNSipFr5Fj8M/s400/state+fair+2010+045.JPG" /></a> This year, we went back to the State Fair for</div><div>the first time without Mom.</div><div>This year, we had the boys. I wished so much that Mom was</div><div>with us enjoying the time with the two younger boys.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALeTO4jt-sGj0zsVRcsN-G1XUcSBLOS0XEOu53diI_ZgC0VVvxDx1LUo6rhlNuLydoFTf0tdaJ5IoHl1jZTv61EluMwJ_GZ8ApESBAyBMH-gSbjspvhtr2yQ-R_PzbPVkq-1uKf3uee8/s1600/state+fair+2010+038.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514982265741057618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjALeTO4jt-sGj0zsVRcsN-G1XUcSBLOS0XEOu53diI_ZgC0VVvxDx1LUo6rhlNuLydoFTf0tdaJ5IoHl1jZTv61EluMwJ_GZ8ApESBAyBMH-gSbjspvhtr2yQ-R_PzbPVkq-1uKf3uee8/s400/state+fair+2010+038.JPG" /></a>I wished that Mom was there to watch the two older kids</div><div>take their first big kid roller coaster ride with Dad.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_OcocstOEsyXupaS1zPOBlAYfyvNtjgPSeDIUYIcW0iPC_vbQZXCpK47sICBTRITtZ6008Yrq2fJb0JSDMHjpRsjruFuEr-3Yk98BGjCEeLjhkzUmiTx1bgXbvSns0Xa3OxB1CrtFi8/s1600/state+fair+2010+056.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514982257097358722" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_OcocstOEsyXupaS1zPOBlAYfyvNtjgPSeDIUYIcW0iPC_vbQZXCpK47sICBTRITtZ6008Yrq2fJb0JSDMHjpRsjruFuEr-3Yk98BGjCEeLjhkzUmiTx1bgXbvSns0Xa3OxB1CrtFi8/s400/state+fair+2010+056.JPG" /></a> I wished for just one more chance to share fair food,</div><div>see the butter sculpture together, look for</div><div>"Sham Wow". I wished she were there to laugh</div><div>as The Big K. talked about his candy, Doodles rolled her eyes</div><div>at everything, and Baby J. declared is ice cream "Nummy".</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1M7JtT7Yi0fhJjRLeGzZ8oGNEdwuob1D0_3duhsndgdL9k_c9sgnzOQYvL_LBxTyqqoywnZqGdUNLKid1gB6AfFn_TNPYNnVSuePyxzVFQjPtGwhQULAMwZYHKW9JoP81omrZYTPpTg/s1600/state+fair+2010+057.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514982247676942562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK1M7JtT7Yi0fhJjRLeGzZ8oGNEdwuob1D0_3duhsndgdL9k_c9sgnzOQYvL_LBxTyqqoywnZqGdUNLKid1gB6AfFn_TNPYNnVSuePyxzVFQjPtGwhQULAMwZYHKW9JoP81omrZYTPpTg/s400/state+fair+2010+057.JPG" /></a> I wished she could have seen Dad fall asleep on the</div><div>bench. She always said that he could sleep anywhere.</div><div>I missed her the whole day. I wished for her the whole day.</div><div>Everything reminded me of the times that we went to the fair with her.</div><div>The first year is supposed to be the hardest. Next year, it might be easier, </div><div>but this year I missed her.</div></div></div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-26467903273362738992010-09-08T10:42:00.000-04:002010-09-08T11:07:39.350-04:00Celebration Combination<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2kitiZlTYRu7dL6g1W1TyC0wFpxeV5D1SEBhqNxoqS2a42viuPMu04_seL0sLIlNLNgMrCnxU4YExiAFT0o-kwmoLSDkNVvqx6N257ECiR7DIf5oFOOLFEF6rOCcMf39kNHM4juj_I8/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+074.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514555775790827890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh2kitiZlTYRu7dL6g1W1TyC0wFpxeV5D1SEBhqNxoqS2a42viuPMu04_seL0sLIlNLNgMrCnxU4YExiAFT0o-kwmoLSDkNVvqx6N257ECiR7DIf5oFOOLFEF6rOCcMf39kNHM4juj_I8/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+074.JPG" /></a>Our older two children are one year</div><div align="center">one week apart.</div><div align="center">This year, because they share so many of the </div><div align="center">same friends, </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTlQM74ovcowgJNHlrNF59tL6EJg-psjD7OZECORJK_O8Vu4NQB3w34c3iPGW5d1DkDOmvzSZupSRAb5mT9WFXUwHKFK8UNVZV-WtDGyTalcT0pSpnDSR0fddBBnbabcWgbDroT8Nndg/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+078.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514555764516383842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTTlQM74ovcowgJNHlrNF59tL6EJg-psjD7OZECORJK_O8Vu4NQB3w34c3iPGW5d1DkDOmvzSZupSRAb5mT9WFXUwHKFK8UNVZV-WtDGyTalcT0pSpnDSR0fddBBnbabcWgbDroT8Nndg/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+078.JPG" /></a> we decided to have a big combination birthday</div><div align="center">party.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1qsrNoQko461o7ytc32U6WjlNtLNmaMriLmQ3lyWCVS9ugRkj7ZN-81qom5CKmelGCnyNMRsRS9VBshKvzoYGQQAyauYdgUohXpMClk9YVQoWM7YuSYyOihafghAa1PrrLslowGFX4w/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514555755660133762" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1qsrNoQko461o7ytc32U6WjlNtLNmaMriLmQ3lyWCVS9ugRkj7ZN-81qom5CKmelGCnyNMRsRS9VBshKvzoYGQQAyauYdgUohXpMClk9YVQoWM7YuSYyOihafghAa1PrrLslowGFX4w/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+080.JPG" /></a> We rented a pavilion at a local park,<br />made lots of cupcakes,<br />barbecued LOTS<br />of food,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-R3FBpZlI6S1lxjU0PQFDX_VygHh3-yvQ-Z2ns-kE05yF9iJThUfjKWw_T6pEsDw84TlVQubtxn9iIbc-PhqAwCiXOfpGpmHY2lYYTg32ErgKyCMMlkGHuBbymWVzLrf5yelC484gXzw/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+081.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514554760151799714" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-R3FBpZlI6S1lxjU0PQFDX_VygHh3-yvQ-Z2ns-kE05yF9iJThUfjKWw_T6pEsDw84TlVQubtxn9iIbc-PhqAwCiXOfpGpmHY2lYYTg32ErgKyCMMlkGHuBbymWVzLrf5yelC484gXzw/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+081.JPG" /></a> invited lots of friends,<br />and enjoyed lots of fun.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEDAXiza5Gd8De0MTnTBbr5bMeu2FeslFvcVNC_0lKeWJpw-Ud9k6c4gHEEb_UQ6Gqk8PCMtl-956xBK2J6yyyVczQj0Bke_tPREzmH9YaOIP2TMGYwBSDnwSAMo7DkAr-t1QKV9JCyY/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+084.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514554757982688690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZEDAXiza5Gd8De0MTnTBbr5bMeu2FeslFvcVNC_0lKeWJpw-Ud9k6c4gHEEb_UQ6Gqk8PCMtl-956xBK2J6yyyVczQj0Bke_tPREzmH9YaOIP2TMGYwBSDnwSAMo7DkAr-t1QKV9JCyY/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+084.JPG" /></a> Our menu was full of kid favorite foods.</div><div>I tried my hand at pina colada cupcakes.</div><div>We also had pink lemonade, s'mores,</div><div>and chocolate with white chocolate</div><div>and cream cheese frosting cupcakes.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IjOjJG8eHeHh1HUyNSUZ6BFnxKp5pJxvkmH1T28DI9i9m7izFrtMq3IV8ueEkdm1jRJdrsDFX-azsRgD2dcWuikQZ8SCOJp26GmHsV_mr_Qtd1XsPc1VWbArSbI_x0gKlleto0Bb4Bc/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+094.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514554743671300866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0IjOjJG8eHeHh1HUyNSUZ6BFnxKp5pJxvkmH1T28DI9i9m7izFrtMq3IV8ueEkdm1jRJdrsDFX-azsRgD2dcWuikQZ8SCOJp26GmHsV_mr_Qtd1XsPc1VWbArSbI_x0gKlleto0Bb4Bc/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+094.JPG" /></a> The weather was beautiful,</div><div>the company was enjoyable.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEVknOwktD6_JyQyGB-lkIsMVB_gJI0dMtI_uBkXnPuA7VTq95G0wuACWHWnRshx6cn7cRpOJ7koHtE-iHx8oO_BOLrVFcYi8rIgoH8UqrURp_NJKBHMlneQNONCteqrt07Nm3AVic7U/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+097.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514554734507542418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEVknOwktD6_JyQyGB-lkIsMVB_gJI0dMtI_uBkXnPuA7VTq95G0wuACWHWnRshx6cn7cRpOJ7koHtE-iHx8oO_BOLrVFcYi8rIgoH8UqrURp_NJKBHMlneQNONCteqrt07Nm3AVic7U/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+097.JPG" /></a> Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves</div><div>as we celebrated another year in</div><div>our children's lives.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-ptpEzEP6jBvM16LG0BbV7BYJ68dGqXDD6f2Yi3McHsUwZAg2_it8TEFSyLUrBOL4zBzUc6kueRKW5Da7ZWEzlBRn7cYYuxmcKRBRaT2NvKzpbMYr28AwcCNbN1O8ow-xL7HoznVJZ4/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+099.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514554726668460818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii-ptpEzEP6jBvM16LG0BbV7BYJ68dGqXDD6f2Yi3McHsUwZAg2_it8TEFSyLUrBOL4zBzUc6kueRKW5Da7ZWEzlBRn7cYYuxmcKRBRaT2NvKzpbMYr28AwcCNbN1O8ow-xL7HoznVJZ4/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+099.JPG" /></a> At the end of the evening, we had full bellies,</div><div>full hearts, and a car load of craft</div><div>things to donate to Hospice.</div><div>Thank you everyone who came to help us celebrate </div><div>our children and their lives.</div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-34972467745482926442010-09-04T13:14:00.000-04:002010-09-04T15:48:41.043-04:00My Oldest Son Turns Nine!<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHOX0rQP_efp6NC5dEOTFyXDNQL9snb9gBZfoAPuafEXs3lLGchrCFRADsz4ucnx66VBh6ixb12U92JScJJNT8K1jwSdJ7Jxy2AWovQ01gkrqwAzOqULfjhfNxg34P9nxCiTrzfYJNdo/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+071.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513110863240882626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHOX0rQP_efp6NC5dEOTFyXDNQL9snb9gBZfoAPuafEXs3lLGchrCFRADsz4ucnx66VBh6ixb12U92JScJJNT8K1jwSdJ7Jxy2AWovQ01gkrqwAzOqULfjhfNxg34P9nxCiTrzfYJNdo/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+071.JPG" /></a>We first met when he was four. By then,</div><div align="center">he'd been through more than most adults.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gYsyQg1i4oqVRVkJUo0OPtOHSpy3KmtoPW6Sb_uqKJ_2BYCcp_xHVi9Qp4KpRMqqgH38zBgo0_1Idv46Mz0KjIZaR-Q21sUQsFvqeDmTYoMA1jvy9fQwtQD6Pl2252vJRVTdpmMo46s/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+065.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513110856404864930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3gYsyQg1i4oqVRVkJUo0OPtOHSpy3KmtoPW6Sb_uqKJ_2BYCcp_xHVi9Qp4KpRMqqgH38zBgo0_1Idv46Mz0KjIZaR-Q21sUQsFvqeDmTYoMA1jvy9fQwtQD6Pl2252vJRVTdpmMo46s/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+065.JPG" /></a>His sister had so many behavior problems, that<br />the Big K. was often over looked.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92HOCXMVtG15F2FxKPHcal-TKFSc9sKOgF-OFczwUKatU45KwLHyeu8oqhNGmypcOe00nt6JNYVdyQznajw6fdGrd-L9iKvTh-i8dN3YcCVWijLkZ7pexzGPN78PgqIPGj-xmWPfJ4bE/s1600/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513110845098061154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj92HOCXMVtG15F2FxKPHcal-TKFSc9sKOgF-OFczwUKatU45KwLHyeu8oqhNGmypcOe00nt6JNYVdyQznajw6fdGrd-L9iKvTh-i8dN3YcCVWijLkZ7pexzGPN78PgqIPGj-xmWPfJ4bE/s400/K+and+D%27s+party,+up+north,+church+house+017.JPG" /></a> On our second visit to see the kids, we got to spend the</div><div>day at K.'s school. He was in Preschool. He was</div><div>so excited about our visit that he was</div><div>taken out of the classroom, because he became so disruptive.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhuPYH-vP3-Yvqm3ewjpbNggHt5NRHwSCMX30AEMnQSKnnTC7BX7km9dtHP9qp5tRkJd1woE5Zk26NVbWfuerT_MkCEiibFRQ8N62w_XfejyLQBtqo8OXYwPH1K-AROl15xXHfStPSm0/s1600/DSC00602.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513109857747124658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhuPYH-vP3-Yvqm3ewjpbNggHt5NRHwSCMX30AEMnQSKnnTC7BX7km9dtHP9qp5tRkJd1woE5Zk26NVbWfuerT_MkCEiibFRQ8N62w_XfejyLQBtqo8OXYwPH1K-AROl15xXHfStPSm0/s400/DSC00602.JPG" /></a> His teacher was a wonderfully kind woman who told</div><div>us that all he really needed was a mother. Once he had a mother,</div><div>she was sure his behaviors and problems would even out.</div><div>That afternoon, he looked up at me and said,</div><div>"Please don't leave me Jennie. I don't want you to go."</div><div>We stayed all afternoon.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmODGgxVQtoJFDB1OETdvaO8KyuoNOlpB4IPufBiiACvbUYOPOuKAsdP-28SXeWVAIQWWgL7geoPV0JmnQFbbpg8bDMiHTCrgV41j2gFMLps-tPYjkeFCkg6q9XEboXs27VdfC3P1NCSM/s1600/Christmas+2007+034.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513109851964195042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmODGgxVQtoJFDB1OETdvaO8KyuoNOlpB4IPufBiiACvbUYOPOuKAsdP-28SXeWVAIQWWgL7geoPV0JmnQFbbpg8bDMiHTCrgV41j2gFMLps-tPYjkeFCkg6q9XEboXs27VdfC3P1NCSM/s400/Christmas+2007+034.jpg" /></a> It took K. the longest time to call me Mom, but once he did</div><div>that's all he's ever called me.</div><div>It took him the longest time to</div><div>really trust us. He's trying.</div><div>He still struggles with believing</div><div>that we'll take care of him.</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIhyxPva3-ETeQcESfvTbj0Cn1L3vUJ9vCBKDa1g_UZJ2qciRcPgxJN989Wk0XDuofOt-0SG17oT4Tsy8vTCTJ0PJSehZNXsNfl8ylw7CJOTeZQFYdOaj4gxRtz0f9E5pneS70XIpv6Q/s1600/DSC01518.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513109842148084178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZIhyxPva3-ETeQcESfvTbj0Cn1L3vUJ9vCBKDa1g_UZJ2qciRcPgxJN989Wk0XDuofOt-0SG17oT4Tsy8vTCTJ0PJSehZNXsNfl8ylw7CJOTeZQFYdOaj4gxRtz0f9E5pneS70XIpv6Q/s400/DSC01518.JPG" /></a> My oldest son is loving, kind, and brave.</div><div>He is genuinely happy for others.</div><div>He loves animals with a passion.</div><div>He loves his younger brothers with his whole heart.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLoXz9g0_lzeT-CSYON4XaO1blITuVH4eSNHVWBRvPBFRhYJSQFh2t8eYANxLwaWgAefH9U5_c2ghum2FSdeO8FbEQKLnsMUn_8LKMuOgHV6KHoteDmxnOWAFcLcyOyhe77xwpCsmC4U/s1600/DSC00809.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513109839854886994" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihLoXz9g0_lzeT-CSYON4XaO1blITuVH4eSNHVWBRvPBFRhYJSQFh2t8eYANxLwaWgAefH9U5_c2ghum2FSdeO8FbEQKLnsMUn_8LKMuOgHV6KHoteDmxnOWAFcLcyOyhe77xwpCsmC4U/s400/DSC00809.JPG" /></a> He loves to read, and is always excited to tell me the latest</div><div>adventures of the Hardy Boys.</div><div>He loves his Dad and all things boy.</div><div>He is always up for an adventure, and it is many</div><div>a day that I hear him directing the play of our other children.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HZCfZ_OmTkJyMCBcM0UsphHypqkdGRmcRj2VYVCru-FmdKr-scnU9RdOLqJm_mzz9r69FalzZTCoNJN2kXtdckSTqW7lO_N9JsvYNKonwa2RbfQpEEnUsvWCCCJFTu2d_syR6K_iDxM/s1600/DSC00795.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513109834533885298" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6HZCfZ_OmTkJyMCBcM0UsphHypqkdGRmcRj2VYVCru-FmdKr-scnU9RdOLqJm_mzz9r69FalzZTCoNJN2kXtdckSTqW7lO_N9JsvYNKonwa2RbfQpEEnUsvWCCCJFTu2d_syR6K_iDxM/s400/DSC00795.JPG" /></a>K. is strong willed and intelligent. He wakes up with a smile</div><div>and goes to bed with a smile. He cares about</div><div>others. He tries to do right and loves to tell me when his </div><div>siblings are doing wrong. </div><div>He is often my greatest struggle as a parent.</div><div>He remains my greatest joy.</div><div>I love him with my whole heart. I wonder what type</div><div>of man he will grow in to. I wonder what God has planned for him.</div><div>I am thankful each and every day that God saw fit to make me his</div><div>mother.</div><div>Happy Birthday my Big K. I'm so happy </div><div>that you are my son. </div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-51782309833159189252010-08-25T13:26:00.000-04:002010-08-25T13:46:07.584-04:00My Birthday Girl<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK90rSbwRwCreH1XocHO0AnzRqpx5HyxzBW8cbeQAlL6cectv0rTBKZn6MkXFZyiKAnDh7A2Y1uKnkT7CorLen4MxvpiJjPpgglikLF0MfBj6_fcBVQ52RRSR8U78NvwwOFhn0yt1uSY/s1600/DSC00552.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509402912423212610" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKK90rSbwRwCreH1XocHO0AnzRqpx5HyxzBW8cbeQAlL6cectv0rTBKZn6MkXFZyiKAnDh7A2Y1uKnkT7CorLen4MxvpiJjPpgglikLF0MfBj6_fcBVQ52RRSR8U78NvwwOFhn0yt1uSY/s400/DSC00552.JPG" /></a>I met her for the first time when she was five.</div><div align="center">I remember what she was wearing, how she was</div><div align="center">acting, and what we did. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4AP8d7GyUyJoAnraMSI88CD2SuPRDrVlUdcN5zXCntXJppt2p5PDV98kVO8IImp73axyv1VWB6npV1XtDT5kzMV5Ivk8wQMKiThuqmMwUIXRsSyvzaqhOL7D5zinhm8NkWKK3mrsKl8/s1600/DSC00542.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509402318695823922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha4AP8d7GyUyJoAnraMSI88CD2SuPRDrVlUdcN5zXCntXJppt2p5PDV98kVO8IImp73axyv1VWB6npV1XtDT5kzMV5Ivk8wQMKiThuqmMwUIXRsSyvzaqhOL7D5zinhm8NkWKK3mrsKl8/s400/DSC00542.JPG" /></a> I remember the night that the case worker called to tell </div><div align="center">us about her. She was considered "difficult",</div><div align="center">a "challenge", "behavioral".</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR42ndfqupL_YcKXzY-sAAyFKSejQSwoktc6uONT4KNx6OWy9fUBoMrNJfXIdJJ6GFjCqFgUswwfw5sPIFz3IluXfk3Oe5kay0E3pKElbzRuRgkbkWaxU9pc8BAQHMxGDwKCqnPz3hLKI/s1600/DSC01147.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509402310275659234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR42ndfqupL_YcKXzY-sAAyFKSejQSwoktc6uONT4KNx6OWy9fUBoMrNJfXIdJJ6GFjCqFgUswwfw5sPIFz3IluXfk3Oe5kay0E3pKElbzRuRgkbkWaxU9pc8BAQHMxGDwKCqnPz3hLKI/s400/DSC01147.JPG" /></a> Words used to describe a child that had been hurt,</div><div align="center">betrayed, lied to by adults.</div><div align="center">Words to describe someone afraid to love.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd4V7QWVmUCt0vOh-FUcDCjfshoeS6tqa3yUDQoc8FVeSNGk-OvP7Lm52nvZ6RrlWVqsmHzDa0D-Kp_nxgdSIYpsRUlvg6Tr2fHI87ooAy05-Cc_R9aQObJb0x-0BHEvSXLh3eCIODc0/s1600/DSC01126.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509402303401891170" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUd4V7QWVmUCt0vOh-FUcDCjfshoeS6tqa3yUDQoc8FVeSNGk-OvP7Lm52nvZ6RrlWVqsmHzDa0D-Kp_nxgdSIYpsRUlvg6Tr2fHI87ooAy05-Cc_R9aQObJb0x-0BHEvSXLh3eCIODc0/s400/DSC01126.JPG" /></a> I don't know how it feels to hold a baby you've just given</div><div align="center">birth to. I do know how it feels to look into the eyes of a child</div><div align="center">who has lost hope but dares to hope you'll become a family.</div><div align="center">The moment I met her, I loved her. I wanted to get</div><div align="center">to know her, care for her, protect her.</div><div align="center">I wanted to be her mother.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vVXUcADmArsrO4gZ1LX7h_H7JvE8Pu5SONnDadV-QIYB7yxAb4JNOLIMR259U0529gZSs_e7gFyzz_C-M16-SqPs8Iqu-UsXl_Xag804DAhsay1HrAnv0IxhyXxhPNPypBVs_YSWV7o/s1600/DSC01763.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509401097351286098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vVXUcADmArsrO4gZ1LX7h_H7JvE8Pu5SONnDadV-QIYB7yxAb4JNOLIMR259U0529gZSs_e7gFyzz_C-M16-SqPs8Iqu-UsXl_Xag804DAhsay1HrAnv0IxhyXxhPNPypBVs_YSWV7o/s400/DSC01763.JPG" /></a> For four years, I have had the privilege of watching</div><div align="center">my daughter grow. I have seen her grow from a </div><div align="center">hurt, angry, aggressive child into a kind,</div><div align="center">compassionate, loving young lady.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1MYXxjqSL01aTikDisFeKXmDF9hauktDnoI3ZwoOskd0aEpU0G-1zR1QlrVZflSFyG0Ps6vd3z23qCu9_6l5uWQDFhCBiVoxitkB2tpNOe1gFyL-aAq6koTXBcU7QSz8MMapjwdZPl0/s1600/DSC00686.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509401091791199922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1MYXxjqSL01aTikDisFeKXmDF9hauktDnoI3ZwoOskd0aEpU0G-1zR1QlrVZflSFyG0Ps6vd3z23qCu9_6l5uWQDFhCBiVoxitkB2tpNOe1gFyL-aAq6koTXBcU7QSz8MMapjwdZPl0/s400/DSC00686.JPG" /></a> I've held her as she's cried for a family that couldn't</div><div align="center">care for her. I've shared the story of how</div><div align="center">we came to care for her.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuQNuhrvSOdZQmnODvStc4P7dlH_M-bR94J-SC7YZBFyipDwWnL1myYYjrVmYvUn0LTwfJO53Bpi-jlJO60UoSBDNc-6fWTGOrGRDhKzfq0zZ06tqcXi5FpuNwfuUuqioLUKY2QAaJY8/s1600/Doodle's+birthday+cake+013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509401084812129058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuQNuhrvSOdZQmnODvStc4P7dlH_M-bR94J-SC7YZBFyipDwWnL1myYYjrVmYvUn0LTwfJO53Bpi-jlJO60UoSBDNc-6fWTGOrGRDhKzfq0zZ06tqcXi5FpuNwfuUuqioLUKY2QAaJY8/s400/Doodle's+birthday+cake+013.JPG" /></a> I love her more each and every day. I love her more than</div><div align="center">I love my own life.</div><div align="center">I would do anything for her.</div><div align="center">I look forward to watching her grow into the beautiful</div><div align="center">woman of God that she is becoming.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJW8U-zfviyuE3uEqqRGjdr9tSPWgGsBb7zfwJR6qsQjgXBbvC6TMSabrD20c-OrLLVuL4BCObpUVNpHske4yviDaAjyt6yMQHGtGbBFA0_vtAKeupoGi2UxeyiYO0PCtJCTJr-ToEpS8/s1600/Doodle's+birthday+cake+015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509401076740355218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJW8U-zfviyuE3uEqqRGjdr9tSPWgGsBb7zfwJR6qsQjgXBbvC6TMSabrD20c-OrLLVuL4BCObpUVNpHske4yviDaAjyt6yMQHGtGbBFA0_vtAKeupoGi2UxeyiYO0PCtJCTJr-ToEpS8/s400/Doodle's+birthday+cake+015.JPG" /></a> I am thankful that out of all the women in this world,</div><div align="center">God chose me to be her Mom. What a gift.</div><div align="center">What a responsibility. What a blessing.</div><div align="center">Being her Mom is a job that I love,</div><div align="center">cherish, and enjoy.</div><div align="center">Happy Birthday sweet Doodle Bug. You </div><div align="center">have brought me so much joy.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-82511986238332970242010-08-24T18:40:00.000-04:002010-08-24T18:50:32.467-04:00Hats For Sale<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNy69T3PDSPMfBF1RJ_6qXDvHPWCkbRon71wMiJld7GI8MJ-OCJUN_ONzZYSKsz-ekPHiNaD3xp90zaZs0NMyDuC7x7rLoJdwq3kVbPqsBBnfSpyUwNm_b3uWDBdhLUhBoTOdi6ZiJOfk/s1600/pack+of+boys+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509111105217762210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNy69T3PDSPMfBF1RJ_6qXDvHPWCkbRon71wMiJld7GI8MJ-OCJUN_ONzZYSKsz-ekPHiNaD3xp90zaZs0NMyDuC7x7rLoJdwq3kVbPqsBBnfSpyUwNm_b3uWDBdhLUhBoTOdi6ZiJOfk/s400/pack+of+boys+001.JPG" /></a> So, I've been on a bit of a knitting jag lately.</div><div align="center">I love to knit, and I've started knitting hats for the kids</div><div align="center">this winter.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPil_0J-dvHaVcaP0xOfjT8JRz71MGRRLcCyymKySgwjOV5WEONPTyZBP95kPBJDgOcEXf3c0l0RJR52a66Zp0qEN1aOdtq2q_pC83QYpXchyvLDxzBGpIaGADu3xGdJ-XfRYttvUR90/s1600/pack+of+boys+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509111102467821682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOPil_0J-dvHaVcaP0xOfjT8JRz71MGRRLcCyymKySgwjOV5WEONPTyZBP95kPBJDgOcEXf3c0l0RJR52a66Zp0qEN1aOdtq2q_pC83QYpXchyvLDxzBGpIaGADu3xGdJ-XfRYttvUR90/s400/pack+of+boys+002.JPG" /></a> I found a great pattern that called for hand died wool.</div><div align="center">I had to dye the wool with Kool-Aide.<br />The colors didn't turn out quite as bright as I wanted, so</div><div align="center">I started experimenting.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKzugC2kyedlNiYr6DNcYBOzLWQzjjzYkyhUK2LnOCa5IcsUf6Qa3-2uJXMH5TgtinrrkfxYyf_fjHnEvG65049oxCc3S4QRjnC1lm5QRNC0vdGetjVMSzica8BXu86YmWjp-nI-lmls/s1600/Doodle's+birthday+cake+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509111091063558002" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKzugC2kyedlNiYr6DNcYBOzLWQzjjzYkyhUK2LnOCa5IcsUf6Qa3-2uJXMH5TgtinrrkfxYyf_fjHnEvG65049oxCc3S4QRjnC1lm5QRNC0vdGetjVMSzica8BXu86YmWjp-nI-lmls/s400/Doodle's+birthday+cake+001.JPG" /></a> I ended up with lots of hats in lots</div><div align="center">of colors.</div><div align="center">I've finally found some yarn</div><div align="center">and colors that I like.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPkre0D7rEgU9qKEFZRK8E01_dsBxIwGN4QWYnFkTe7FyDKooQsT7PxnLzeSfFwRERNXir59gea11KxgWOojAm3-O1y2FRcjJXoH__kjj95fdLgLvGHbA9t1VCXg0UJx8r9j_PiMRBHE/s1600/Doodle's+birthday+cake+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509111087775075746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPkre0D7rEgU9qKEFZRK8E01_dsBxIwGN4QWYnFkTe7FyDKooQsT7PxnLzeSfFwRERNXir59gea11KxgWOojAm3-O1y2FRcjJXoH__kjj95fdLgLvGHbA9t1VCXg0UJx8r9j_PiMRBHE/s400/Doodle's+birthday+cake+002.JPG" /></a> Unfortunately, I now have LOTS of knit hats.</div><div align="center">They're very cute, but I feel a bit</div><div align="center">like the hate peddler in the children's book.</div><div align="center">You know, the one with all the hats on his head.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsRQv5ikhRrh0w7NTaxfpJX6i7RLsYlGC_Wcke5EaXmYNcSO1ky53hLq1zl3fOMSXXmgcYoALa2SkfD6UrY0_mCsdTvjKmm4jxnLnGhNCgUIWpfHomZU7Y5xwlkMxcWMKFl4BY9SJN-Q/s1600/Doodle's+birthday+cake+009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5509111078749650306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqsRQv5ikhRrh0w7NTaxfpJX6i7RLsYlGC_Wcke5EaXmYNcSO1ky53hLq1zl3fOMSXXmgcYoALa2SkfD6UrY0_mCsdTvjKmm4jxnLnGhNCgUIWpfHomZU7Y5xwlkMxcWMKFl4BY9SJN-Q/s400/Doodle's+birthday+cake+009.JPG" /></a> He falls asleep, and the monkeys start to take his hats.</div><div align="center">I may start walking through the house chanting,</div><div align="center">"Hats for Sale".</div><div align="center">I think my own sweet little monkeys will enjoy these hats</div><div align="center">as much as the monkeys in the book did.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-49214795460439967022010-08-23T13:46:00.000-04:002010-08-23T14:06:53.265-04:00Eleven Years Ago<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpBZJJtRnu6R0IFN0_T23hCfidzgJg-Nvjcuv50-88SdD4PiKHCGtoVIQurYC4se-JJimM7dAY4XXpC6BacjYL0C3Xcok9Ao5RM1y6l54ZWX1gwXgy6Zi0BrnmefNsLVGA_lKm1LwAbA/s1600/pack+of+boys+036.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508665393807972530" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpBZJJtRnu6R0IFN0_T23hCfidzgJg-Nvjcuv50-88SdD4PiKHCGtoVIQurYC4se-JJimM7dAY4XXpC6BacjYL0C3Xcok9Ao5RM1y6l54ZWX1gwXgy6Zi0BrnmefNsLVGA_lKm1LwAbA/s400/pack+of+boys+036.JPG" /></a>We first met at the county fair. </div><div align="center">We were introduced by mutual friends.</div><div align="center">Not on purpose, we all sort of ran into each other.</div><div align="center">God knew what He was doing. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0H2VXJhOdKtssJq7IVyggFpHDBIoo1bzOQGTMqy2vo6wnABtxe_zDRTppjDeOITNVH-Fb05S6ZWidet5MVZQ3jjn__FOftsCPcGJgHXZlxWmqXmMbwO5UWpu8Sj3uiNCcdcX24LGE9Ns/s1600/pack+of+boys+037.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508665389038276034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0H2VXJhOdKtssJq7IVyggFpHDBIoo1bzOQGTMqy2vo6wnABtxe_zDRTppjDeOITNVH-Fb05S6ZWidet5MVZQ3jjn__FOftsCPcGJgHXZlxWmqXmMbwO5UWpu8Sj3uiNCcdcX24LGE9Ns/s400/pack+of+boys+037.JPG" /></a> Eleven years ago,the night we met, I never would have imagined</div><div align="center">my life like this.</div><div align="center">I had recently divorced a man that I met at </div><div align="center">Bible college. It was a hard and horrible time in my life.</div><div align="center">I never thought I would divorce, I never</div><div align="center">thought I would date or even marry again.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AGSpKRj3ixhN60d42Nniaotnh_OU2c8A1dNk41D4TONKzBZbM-Ap9JUP_QQA81NWg04AKk9NpG8driV2jGVnm4fZTsFinQzI1V03X6DrNAQ9Zem5tsC0xniZ4BpqGFOGrr7CYBvGHXc/s1600/pack+of+boys+034.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508665382460086258" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9AGSpKRj3ixhN60d42Nniaotnh_OU2c8A1dNk41D4TONKzBZbM-Ap9JUP_QQA81NWg04AKk9NpG8driV2jGVnm4fZTsFinQzI1V03X6DrNAQ9Zem5tsC0xniZ4BpqGFOGrr7CYBvGHXc/s400/pack+of+boys+034.JPG" /></a> Then I met Jon. He's everything that I'm not.</div><div align="center">He's shy, he's careful, he thinks things through.</div><div align="center">I'm chatty, impulsive, spontaneous.</div><div align="center">We hit it off right away.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJwIJqkj2WAXFEgYsvXJW92irdyr4zQEjjc2XC0rV9X9u4a9ez-kyJQaWy433Rffi8oZDdwFjYoWn51l4-7B10D7L79y1xygKsU_1kog0LEZT3ZALTam-3wctbhj4IZJ8bDNqq_PcLPc/s1600/pack+of+boys+028.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508664658725519810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJwIJqkj2WAXFEgYsvXJW92irdyr4zQEjjc2XC0rV9X9u4a9ez-kyJQaWy433Rffi8oZDdwFjYoWn51l4-7B10D7L79y1xygKsU_1kog0LEZT3ZALTam-3wctbhj4IZJ8bDNqq_PcLPc/s400/pack+of+boys+028.JPG" /></a> We became fast friends. Before we knew it, we were dating.</div><div align="center">Two years later, we were married.</div><div align="center">Jon is my best friend. I love him more today than I did yesterday.</div><div align="center">I respect him as a husband, father, man.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuMoPn78T0PfBqHq_vC5wFWT2b5utKrDNUfZp2bJAwQdSTjB59vJOCuwQkjso1mN4-KAX6o8trYKQdY3YhM6J5jJg0CqR4dCMB_I6d9dIsrw9wvOeg5uQbhH95jEoq5_j2qhSmGilAOY/s1600/pack+of+boys+026.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508664657860227314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNuMoPn78T0PfBqHq_vC5wFWT2b5utKrDNUfZp2bJAwQdSTjB59vJOCuwQkjso1mN4-KAX6o8trYKQdY3YhM6J5jJg0CqR4dCMB_I6d9dIsrw9wvOeg5uQbhH95jEoq5_j2qhSmGilAOY/s400/pack+of+boys+026.JPG" /></a> I am amazed that we met at a fair. I am amazed that</div><div align="center">the man the Lord picked out for me was not</div><div align="center">from Bible college, he was not</div><div align="center">from my church. He was at the fair.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu88skYT9srtH8KtHpCpqWPhyphenhyphenjoLpifDO5AjuDz57tYUemcVdmThABVNgz21lmgg_DKhL1WCLdvIAyiWtnO2IscVJYx1S6p5ZGDvoIvIM20dKFJ9f10PWTu53WzdZr5fOMNy5vtvD7jHQ/s1600/pack+of+boys+015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508664648477497458" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu88skYT9srtH8KtHpCpqWPhyphenhyphenjoLpifDO5AjuDz57tYUemcVdmThABVNgz21lmgg_DKhL1WCLdvIAyiWtnO2IscVJYx1S6p5ZGDvoIvIM20dKFJ9f10PWTu53WzdZr5fOMNy5vtvD7jHQ/s400/pack+of+boys+015.JPG" /></a>Eleven years ago we met. We talked about</div><div align="center">running, we shared fry dough.</div><div align="center">I thought he was awfully cute.</div><div align="center">He just rolls his eyes when I share that information.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKOU6xXrd5Pqu09geVF4m5OX7_QqmTQONgkEygSWqGiBQVFI2LJbsgQrSpSLsaQwvSD0-g3XPAYtDpveJgd8U6vsoQK2qXaSercn6aV_OZ1ilg2Mytq8moVLETIQ54lnZrprcWyvlgtI/s1600/pack+of+boys+011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508664642474743138" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFKOU6xXrd5Pqu09geVF4m5OX7_QqmTQONgkEygSWqGiBQVFI2LJbsgQrSpSLsaQwvSD0-g3XPAYtDpveJgd8U6vsoQK2qXaSercn6aV_OZ1ilg2Mytq8moVLETIQ54lnZrprcWyvlgtI/s400/pack+of+boys+011.JPG" /></a>Every year we visit the fair where we met.</div><div align="center">We force our children to hear about that night.</div><div align="center">We make googly eyes at one another (well, I make the</div><div align="center">eyes. Jon endures them). </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQetn9p_SR-O1egxnee6iQmttb-34UoJhilUa1jUpDAayrf3WMZ9FGfTsQRHM35traoF1qmDj_oJqY-UB-pdDBFDQhGpgJaF8DVU2Mqfm3YC21xtDKKIvjGXeTDKHWEouFIoCzF_K53Hc/s1600/pack+of+boys+007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508664634143855042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQetn9p_SR-O1egxnee6iQmttb-34UoJhilUa1jUpDAayrf3WMZ9FGfTsQRHM35traoF1qmDj_oJqY-UB-pdDBFDQhGpgJaF8DVU2Mqfm3YC21xtDKKIvjGXeTDKHWEouFIoCzF_K53Hc/s400/pack+of+boys+007.JPG" /></a> I can't imagine what my life would have been like without Jon.<br />I know that God brought us together for a purpose. <br />As I look into the eyes of our four children, I am thankful that<br />I went to the fair that night and happened to run into some friends.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-22175321011529626952010-08-20T09:50:00.000-04:002010-08-20T10:12:09.386-04:00Family<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V-0WcHYVrM1a5IFMuQrCnHh3Ke6yWwVmrwNaEdfc6w8-Kp1cTl-3Utv19GB58oNSgLDxobI0RYNxQD6t3fMvOzI3GlM1y_Y1ZzxLwyIUIMreGeoccHF7uF2W5v9IHT4ypwJriydzZHs/s1600/jean+and+tom%27s+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507490791294020354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5V-0WcHYVrM1a5IFMuQrCnHh3Ke6yWwVmrwNaEdfc6w8-Kp1cTl-3Utv19GB58oNSgLDxobI0RYNxQD6t3fMvOzI3GlM1y_Y1ZzxLwyIUIMreGeoccHF7uF2W5v9IHT4ypwJriydzZHs/s400/jean+and+tom%27s+002.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">I have affectionately called them "Grandma</div><div align="center">and Grandpa" since I was in college. They aren't</div><div align="center">old enough to be my grandparents.</div><div align="center">Less than an hour after my Mom died, Grandma Jean called.</div><div align="center">She didn't know Mom had died.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyK8TNA4kh-4PV1UmxCTF_UzcfpdD0kwT0t2bbLhhJbcqL5vYfr2U3Qz_YPgJjPqEpV79kZJcSINps_kqQBF9DQfuKO43TpX_KNFu1lQBQT1zRJZASfQ_X_LQeN7_F5KJAqxsIgz9Fvzs/s1600/jean+and+tom%27s+005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507490484441800098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyK8TNA4kh-4PV1UmxCTF_UzcfpdD0kwT0t2bbLhhJbcqL5vYfr2U3Qz_YPgJjPqEpV79kZJcSINps_kqQBF9DQfuKO43TpX_KNFu1lQBQT1zRJZASfQ_X_LQeN7_F5KJAqxsIgz9Fvzs/s400/jean+and+tom%27s+005.JPG" /></a> She and Grandpa did what family does.</div><div align="center">They came to us. I don't remember a lot</div><div align="center">about the day Mom passed, just the pain and the shock.</div><div align="center">I do remember Grandma Jean and Grandpa Tom.</div><div align="center">I know that God sent them to be with us,</div><div align="center">to hold us, cry with us, support us.</div><div align="center">I know that God brought them to us, because</div><div align="center">He knew what we needed.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQzggNn3fYlUqx45kQJmExfBuTSkUGEPWCcHqbCl0n2ObLl2skCV7SuKl8quFYS_KfBwFnENSK__S26i9Y7bYj92KSj4BR3YCaljgn7xh-djt4SyFyzZFowhD_49eoT_2Low1xhBMexg/s1600/jean+and+tom%27s+007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507490476989278098" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtQzggNn3fYlUqx45kQJmExfBuTSkUGEPWCcHqbCl0n2ObLl2skCV7SuKl8quFYS_KfBwFnENSK__S26i9Y7bYj92KSj4BR3YCaljgn7xh-djt4SyFyzZFowhD_49eoT_2Low1xhBMexg/s400/jean+and+tom%27s+007.JPG" /></a> I have enjoyed spending time with them again.</div><div align="center">I have enjoyed introducing my children and </div><div align="center">husband to them.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJIy-uknTmJ03YmzL-o-c5utB_MM5sikTdsdp_Hdeo7OmSmiTEhzpI7YeFFynqIoV8im1sm9z1mmOhD3D9UAxU4khrRRH-sqB_qO_MItIOUiN8twjURtZ_izS20yiliIezdH1BneU-_M/s1600/jean+and+tom%27s+008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507490472449885410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCJIy-uknTmJ03YmzL-o-c5utB_MM5sikTdsdp_Hdeo7OmSmiTEhzpI7YeFFynqIoV8im1sm9z1mmOhD3D9UAxU4khrRRH-sqB_qO_MItIOUiN8twjURtZ_izS20yiliIezdH1BneU-_M/s400/jean+and+tom%27s+008.JPG" /></a> My Mom was very important to Grandma Jean, and</div><div align="center">Jean was important to my Mom. I have loved</div><div align="center">being able to see my kids with</div><div align="center">people who love and miss my Mom.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeKgxp4ZR5GpzttBKdSiPaVCoCesBWYUCsye-06d_DIzZSfKnEvXegLvugjPgNU52sHXGLv1b3gCYodba3bSMUgv8oPgTz2u-ZvIGUxSPe5ejPobMOhbCttZu3AEkFNOO6Dp5hGmrFLU/s1600/jean+and+tom%27s+013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507490463536670978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFeKgxp4ZR5GpzttBKdSiPaVCoCesBWYUCsye-06d_DIzZSfKnEvXegLvugjPgNU52sHXGLv1b3gCYodba3bSMUgv8oPgTz2u-ZvIGUxSPe5ejPobMOhbCttZu3AEkFNOO6Dp5hGmrFLU/s400/jean+and+tom%27s+013.JPG" /></a>Last night, we enjoyed a very fun evening at Jean and Tom's</div><div align="center">house. Grandpa Tom took all of the kids out on the</div><div align="center">four wheeler. They LOVED those rides.</div><div align="center">At breakfast, they were still talking about going</div><div align="center">up the hills, seeing deer, eating wild blackberries,</div><div align="center">and driving really, really fast. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeYLDl_KnTwAuVJXd_yez0tqkwkgCaSv6MB19x8vy68qOuFGVgdsprK86egZyxWg1dPLS6LM3_eqdDMxnvfm2HJVRJ9Qd83tzijgyyNwC4k-wsyH5aaIOVBcBI_fo83hsB9g1aS5P7CY/s1600/jean+and+tom%27s+011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507490456606630338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGeYLDl_KnTwAuVJXd_yez0tqkwkgCaSv6MB19x8vy68qOuFGVgdsprK86egZyxWg1dPLS6LM3_eqdDMxnvfm2HJVRJ9Qd83tzijgyyNwC4k-wsyH5aaIOVBcBI_fo83hsB9g1aS5P7CY/s400/jean+and+tom%27s+011.JPG" /></a>Although it had been so many years since I had seen Grandma</div><div align="center">and Grandpa, they have embraced me, my children, our</div><div align="center">family just like they always do, with love, acceptance,</div><div align="center">and joy. They have supported me through this season of grief.</div><div align="center">They have loved without conditions. I am truly blessed to have</div><div align="center">such wonderful people as part of my family</div><div align="center">Thank you Grandma and Grandpa. I love you. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-38220054703951693432010-08-19T16:40:00.000-04:002010-08-19T16:45:47.148-04:00Wild Pack Of Boys<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjht-PYZTEjhkTQJ3NmEnXmpsaLQdsK0D32cZw08Ie3V5nSeVg2xgbVubUFVtVzo6LmWt0EP51OA3krTDgbqraTfv49sEHh-XMVqLZfBKBFJeh0InLRMKb1sG7G8AB4gGAEhWqnhKl-7VU/s1600/pack+of+boys+003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507224325945315042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjht-PYZTEjhkTQJ3NmEnXmpsaLQdsK0D32cZw08Ie3V5nSeVg2xgbVubUFVtVzo6LmWt0EP51OA3krTDgbqraTfv49sEHh-XMVqLZfBKBFJeh0InLRMKb1sG7G8AB4gGAEhWqnhKl-7VU/s400/pack+of+boys+003.JPG" /></a> My pack of boys who decided to wear</div><div align="center">only underwear. This picture doesn't</div><div align="center">show it, but they were also covered in magic</div><div align="center">marker. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl487KircKTvWbVyPTtbkvd-wbbbuUWryO-FnlgQiFPDQ6DuTcM0QDcLQyrUVk53ukvlgSKRgcG2ewmacOhEoj_VEyxiNpi21Y25XPjh5ctmMqsMsX9BEb6a4fM993O-r-SexLXp9il8k/s1600/pack+of+boys+006.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5507224316627273218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl487KircKTvWbVyPTtbkvd-wbbbuUWryO-FnlgQiFPDQ6DuTcM0QDcLQyrUVk53ukvlgSKRgcG2ewmacOhEoj_VEyxiNpi21Y25XPjh5ctmMqsMsX9BEb6a4fM993O-r-SexLXp9il8k/s400/pack+of+boys+006.JPG" /></a> Their sweet big sister, who was wearing clothes, and</div><div align="center">working hard to civilize this wild pack of boys.</div><div align="center">Love my kids.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-61304513472160731212010-08-06T13:06:00.000-04:002010-08-06T13:26:17.974-04:00Rememberance<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnsdvBhXNsccjLPLGU3iVCKkmvZtn2uTbeqt4_xSPF2AMyqRvuBimvQLQJiJp4qbzhamgy9sneMRcgNVlrW21QsW-bhfR668v1lQt0Yo8r-lJuf5bskedCbwNSZJfpgBleYP0r1QcjBA/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502346365407806690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnsdvBhXNsccjLPLGU3iVCKkmvZtn2uTbeqt4_xSPF2AMyqRvuBimvQLQJiJp4qbzhamgy9sneMRcgNVlrW21QsW-bhfR668v1lQt0Yo8r-lJuf5bskedCbwNSZJfpgBleYP0r1QcjBA/s400/butterfly+release+2010+009.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">Thirty-nine weeks after she died, we</div><div align="center">went to the Hospice that cared for my Mom</div><div align="center">for the last week of her life.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNoHSaQ62qPnZlMkdndpJGYOVVGp6uvpwViaiMBL-AfCJPXs_FHG_S6wS-KY73yD1_JtFm2SsVHvKMrzcb_wbaIc9yBkhK2UrgfGr8b8ynLoZrkTB_7Osg5i75RM_pCwJQuB0b1nB9y0/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+041.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502346349191215202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNoHSaQ62qPnZlMkdndpJGYOVVGp6uvpwViaiMBL-AfCJPXs_FHG_S6wS-KY73yD1_JtFm2SsVHvKMrzcb_wbaIc9yBkhK2UrgfGr8b8ynLoZrkTB_7Osg5i75RM_pCwJQuB0b1nB9y0/s400/butterfly+release+2010+041.JPG" /></a>We went to release butterflies, to</div><div align="center">think of her, to remember her,</div><div align="center">to help the Hospice that helped her. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh5nrVctmqudPzCywHjd4DZKazdAizNcCffXDHTiH1y6yustjMgvlDRXEno4y0WauUnMiuKAXJuYYhFL-zp7Sa3ZAhNRE6172IhQjMvRHUdu4lqRSmvmfbDDFMc0FMKyth3bKzW6grcE/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502346346206139602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIh5nrVctmqudPzCywHjd4DZKazdAizNcCffXDHTiH1y6yustjMgvlDRXEno4y0WauUnMiuKAXJuYYhFL-zp7Sa3ZAhNRE6172IhQjMvRHUdu4lqRSmvmfbDDFMc0FMKyth3bKzW6grcE/s400/butterfly+release+2010+043.JPG" /></a> It was a beautiful time.</div><div align="center">An amazing thing to see all of the butterflies,<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z7kMlmdENAQIqpkC8VR_wBSfYA0lZW1i_kKAOLzQGAJxtOTZdNJZUMdL18Oz0V1hloYfC9ILrjJ1TypveQZTStKayumkMg_lekeatGSw_CvMILeuJJsT3dzk9pP-35S6ua-kZHW5cyk/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+045.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502346336551701442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3z7kMlmdENAQIqpkC8VR_wBSfYA0lZW1i_kKAOLzQGAJxtOTZdNJZUMdL18Oz0V1hloYfC9ILrjJ1TypveQZTStKayumkMg_lekeatGSw_CvMILeuJJsT3dzk9pP-35S6ua-kZHW5cyk/s400/butterfly+release+2010+045.JPG" /></a> to see all of the other people who have lost</div><div align="center">loved ones. To see all of the people</div><div align="center">and families that Hospice has touched.<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4Kk6jkKDrWnJtuWFxn52tX2RTIdF5T-s4jvQEyn4L9SynfwTg53kF3fq29DgB0KgQhNtBsXfMQ0LtDaV07jgnB5ug-Ps302IRcXi3gywEEK9Yygef9tRJEO5jW_bgaTyZ3WocGvsWD4/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+012.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502346333959556290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho4Kk6jkKDrWnJtuWFxn52tX2RTIdF5T-s4jvQEyn4L9SynfwTg53kF3fq29DgB0KgQhNtBsXfMQ0LtDaV07jgnB5ug-Ps302IRcXi3gywEEK9Yygef9tRJEO5jW_bgaTyZ3WocGvsWD4/s400/butterfly+release+2010+012.JPG" /></a>During the ceremony, there was a group reading</div><div align="center">that talked about living life, because in</div><div align="center">living your life, your loved one lives on.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_Y_pDCagEbwTUsV2vshpZ6uIXRtObtXB7jQEUvJgElzVzbNfeEl2DnwQJWb5SaxaIkQz1ZAQ48Mtsnzv5-0S8cSAZzuv4ovpS35UYrdYzDNkQcZyvVCOdPAS15F9BoZJ_wK4G5hYAcc/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+005.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502345208205660562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK_Y_pDCagEbwTUsV2vshpZ6uIXRtObtXB7jQEUvJgElzVzbNfeEl2DnwQJWb5SaxaIkQz1ZAQ48Mtsnzv5-0S8cSAZzuv4ovpS35UYrdYzDNkQcZyvVCOdPAS15F9BoZJ_wK4G5hYAcc/s400/butterfly+release+2010+005.JPG" /></a> My Mom's memory lives on in each of us.<br />It lives on through the stories we tell.<br />It lives on through the laughter we share.<br /><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LiF1NldSTbJPD4GTyPOFswN6FUSUGROJk-ttimnNs55NdUnCtPzS_h7nr47BMN5aAE-lZUN5yV6HxV2KeownKUeg2Q2D09n6gXzEX0LzsS2hhmdrHyP9Zh2T-Yf5aJIJqepp0FDisII/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502345201539074802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5LiF1NldSTbJPD4GTyPOFswN6FUSUGROJk-ttimnNs55NdUnCtPzS_h7nr47BMN5aAE-lZUN5yV6HxV2KeownKUeg2Q2D09n6gXzEX0LzsS2hhmdrHyP9Zh2T-Yf5aJIJqepp0FDisII/s400/butterfly+release+2010+010.JPG" /></a>Her memory lives on in each and every moment</div><div align="center">that we spend together.</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7vOfqwxtZR5ysN_QRPzf3h8-7p4RfxDN6I0zwB2ZUtzdcnHfibouU7R6Oj4iSnkish2z61hotsiv0hJPeozXbehtfG8Ztyrv5mRuOJ_rH_pR3l1r2UK4J-tXFuDRiPcJ740CR_5_YXw/s1600/butterfly+release+2010+022.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502345189289159746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7vOfqwxtZR5ysN_QRPzf3h8-7p4RfxDN6I0zwB2ZUtzdcnHfibouU7R6Oj4iSnkish2z61hotsiv0hJPeozXbehtfG8Ztyrv5mRuOJ_rH_pR3l1r2UK4J-tXFuDRiPcJ740CR_5_YXw/s400/butterfly+release+2010+022.JPG" /></a> "A butterfly counts not months but moments, and has<br />time enough."<br />-Rabindranath Tagore<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-92205046222703609392010-08-04T12:48:00.000-04:002010-08-04T13:05:05.860-04:00Summer Time Fun<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERea2TjuCP-uAeR9aBnyGQG6gZKmtFMseccEr1mVXEyigLmyRvQSjxbRYM7eISnHr6xccRn4bUYIfEqAM4yLnokd4zUg0bMgMFn1vY0jvvA_dU5t4t52mmcMo8xyGl-x7nAe5mJvWGhU/s1600/summer+fun+010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501600378426703890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERea2TjuCP-uAeR9aBnyGQG6gZKmtFMseccEr1mVXEyigLmyRvQSjxbRYM7eISnHr6xccRn4bUYIfEqAM4yLnokd4zUg0bMgMFn1vY0jvvA_dU5t4t52mmcMo8xyGl-x7nAe5mJvWGhU/s400/summer+fun+010.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">We have all been enjoying a lot</div><div align="center">of summer fun.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIbjwSFmZPkv5JeWwTitB_9tHUOXT2Xa_dzTjWVHU0VskQngqJ7E6IoaJuVdi-5KonHlY1Ll4OT_5KvIs0PcADn5yAw_NUH3Vq3NyLzsztgjlkjSJSov2o-BlyemyYxwiAoKi-QVpvuM/s1600/summer+fun+011.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501600370029001234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIbjwSFmZPkv5JeWwTitB_9tHUOXT2Xa_dzTjWVHU0VskQngqJ7E6IoaJuVdi-5KonHlY1Ll4OT_5KvIs0PcADn5yAw_NUH3Vq3NyLzsztgjlkjSJSov2o-BlyemyYxwiAoKi-QVpvuM/s400/summer+fun+011.JPG" /></a> We've spent time swimming,</div><div align="center">relaxing,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHjr8tmMNs_XXKLLzY5i8bWfjb7U5vwai9e4px3MVhREz-5xrx3LWR023NPQRLB1L9S0udSGLYCrUQDlKbMohmwFgTUtiaMUzx0LkLcvwqjXnL6k-3IbFjncvVJLjn2bFj1cPbmBK85I/s1600/summer+fun+017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501600367743719314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPHjr8tmMNs_XXKLLzY5i8bWfjb7U5vwai9e4px3MVhREz-5xrx3LWR023NPQRLB1L9S0udSGLYCrUQDlKbMohmwFgTUtiaMUzx0LkLcvwqjXnL6k-3IbFjncvVJLjn2bFj1cPbmBK85I/s400/summer+fun+017.JPG" /></a> and enjoying our summer vacation.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK073k6phcZOXeH5f8IUTeVfohEiU6-DB9Bc3WOFqyvDLbRSeZyDrNSNWt_V40A7mM-CzSrpWCOj4PA5KSUIIUSW5EsVX8hBpHZhhybyyMPWBThrjBN9ujKPrk3zT4lHHR9M5OGbRDBAE/s1600/summer+fun+019.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501600358233979906" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK073k6phcZOXeH5f8IUTeVfohEiU6-DB9Bc3WOFqyvDLbRSeZyDrNSNWt_V40A7mM-CzSrpWCOj4PA5KSUIIUSW5EsVX8hBpHZhhybyyMPWBThrjBN9ujKPrk3zT4lHHR9M5OGbRDBAE/s400/summer+fun+019.JPG" /></a> Hard to believe that summer is going</div><div>so quickly.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkQkwtm6xO9lpI-iLRo8OR9n9aPg1O7CrcEgw_rVcmYaiABaFke03eJsmNS6_4U4j98G7LZmrecw4bdvEvDtkDNpJZGWDCXh8zIQjLdp2Lno3bMq_3RCnIiBqN5u-mnWFMCxkFLbMhQU/s1600/summer+fun+026.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501599374696089986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgkQkwtm6xO9lpI-iLRo8OR9n9aPg1O7CrcEgw_rVcmYaiABaFke03eJsmNS6_4U4j98G7LZmrecw4bdvEvDtkDNpJZGWDCXh8zIQjLdp2Lno3bMq_3RCnIiBqN5u-mnWFMCxkFLbMhQU/s400/summer+fun+026.JPG" /></a> We've enjoyed the county fair,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ_b6RweuafnV6es6yTi6ITzAGYvaIrQnVCHwH97usdvn_Zy4AOXNrPMMRVZBKZWGyCNzdCdr-3zL-rTBEKUs76Gw3-n-EVuqYEPR7NhE92KlohrqsOGL9E-D0jjDXGDoZ_BR6b_nIUE/s1600/summer+fun+027.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501599366443760626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiQ_b6RweuafnV6es6yTi6ITzAGYvaIrQnVCHwH97usdvn_Zy4AOXNrPMMRVZBKZWGyCNzdCdr-3zL-rTBEKUs76Gw3-n-EVuqYEPR7NhE92KlohrqsOGL9E-D0jjDXGDoZ_BR6b_nIUE/s400/summer+fun+027.JPG" /></a> time together,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34muHAAXa7cwReonYHiPoJvzIrTqRCxyMXLyxY8gG25zkLv19yvoJE-u00Tw7qRhxHPxFOOl8uUEKrOzocOBAI2MTZMphOdQnPsRHEDHukkpOYo4Sj2p812ZqdbOpoKjXQ1BBH5ZaTTA/s1600/summer+fun+044.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501599362186393810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34muHAAXa7cwReonYHiPoJvzIrTqRCxyMXLyxY8gG25zkLv19yvoJE-u00Tw7qRhxHPxFOOl8uUEKrOzocOBAI2MTZMphOdQnPsRHEDHukkpOYo4Sj2p812ZqdbOpoKjXQ1BBH5ZaTTA/s400/summer+fun+044.JPG" /></a> and snow cones.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZlqSeghzgTxYOSBHlDSjQ458WNeJEPiJ1L1EIZfOoZ1MWTfY-rjounk8zUgnF1qKLMCHPG12hNciQ3QR6X_HEsVlsIM5tZH9KIsRxckSO0IPTkd75CbEFwhTMNxPjoWCLXt8bn825y0/s1600/summer+fun+048.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501599355298673986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcZlqSeghzgTxYOSBHlDSjQ458WNeJEPiJ1L1EIZfOoZ1MWTfY-rjounk8zUgnF1qKLMCHPG12hNciQ3QR6X_HEsVlsIM5tZH9KIsRxckSO0IPTkd75CbEFwhTMNxPjoWCLXt8bn825y0/s400/summer+fun+048.JPG" /></a> I hope that you are enjoying your summer<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPrj6-nIF7zmlKPftL-R5gBwBU0QZufUkFI89Ot72oeoOvFf5Rdcfrt_m8827q3pexeTE2kmVlgDoVpu7npFrFGfmxhBPlnB_3mTKWwLwB06s4U5ELsPD-vs6V9qrxMpbD-TI64ed0K4/s1600/summer+fun+033.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501599347652310130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPrj6-nIF7zmlKPftL-R5gBwBU0QZufUkFI89Ot72oeoOvFf5Rdcfrt_m8827q3pexeTE2kmVlgDoVpu7npFrFGfmxhBPlnB_3mTKWwLwB06s4U5ELsPD-vs6V9qrxMpbD-TI64ed0K4/s400/summer+fun+033.JPG" /></a>as much as we are enjoying ours. </div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-27263091862396879162010-07-23T10:55:00.000-04:002010-07-23T11:02:12.760-04:00My Artists<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQp0XK64hKVattiW02mmxonQmDGUTtO_lqgN0GQQwbuSUGOP8u7BfKnsXJ8uoABxYkqFWs4b_NLlKw2svnk8JR5-nllVGMDsOd192reoC-S6VOveLWEsNrFGE0J9ycdarK_ZVN3S6fKzw/s1600/fair+with+dad+024.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497116817529604882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQp0XK64hKVattiW02mmxonQmDGUTtO_lqgN0GQQwbuSUGOP8u7BfKnsXJ8uoABxYkqFWs4b_NLlKw2svnk8JR5-nllVGMDsOd192reoC-S6VOveLWEsNrFGE0J9ycdarK_ZVN3S6fKzw/s400/fair+with+dad+024.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">Creativity can<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jCSDcUuXsrQiRSfTCzPabLeG_eZBxtsxHsQ3wKuoATT1bkC-xMpactfgRPOJrWcKYr-075m5p3Eq5zoCJScPhxaBtojDQkBiKq1WHk_gHKd4r068xtxkGE_-R2rj0DvI6Bt_2Y8N4WM/s1600/fair+with+dad+030.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497116808291866466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jCSDcUuXsrQiRSfTCzPabLeG_eZBxtsxHsQ3wKuoATT1bkC-xMpactfgRPOJrWcKYr-075m5p3Eq5zoCJScPhxaBtojDQkBiKq1WHk_gHKd4r068xtxkGE_-R2rj0DvI6Bt_2Y8N4WM/s400/fair+with+dad+030.JPG" /></a> sometimes be<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-uNCq9hC1UVZKhVi-f2z2Rp72XjjccHC9aotSMAEqdKGOrHg3kFfVQlDei-4l_AEjhQD3vdeXqUxteKycSxfnMX-ibpoAww9ee4WoeiTshy7DsI8SB-yYJYQXWULnD1lsCFpnBCvuUk/s1600/fair+with+dad+026.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497116802440782290" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb-uNCq9hC1UVZKhVi-f2z2Rp72XjjccHC9aotSMAEqdKGOrHg3kFfVQlDei-4l_AEjhQD3vdeXqUxteKycSxfnMX-ibpoAww9ee4WoeiTshy7DsI8SB-yYJYQXWULnD1lsCFpnBCvuUk/s400/fair+with+dad+026.JPG" /></a> messy.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmgAfQJGTJwzXk9JWwBAQkB2DDYY2oC1Gg68J_5YIQgtt0PaM_aH_NX06LbB6bDuaFBOkL__oJ_R4F0tI_rrh0thOxSVjfq3zKgLw53MJe88ljRgnHc8O73Gv8bGrQRO-cZ9gcsmqaEQ/s1600/fair+with+dad+032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497116793812088114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOmgAfQJGTJwzXk9JWwBAQkB2DDYY2oC1Gg68J_5YIQgtt0PaM_aH_NX06LbB6bDuaFBOkL__oJ_R4F0tI_rrh0thOxSVjfq3zKgLw53MJe88ljRgnHc8O73Gv8bGrQRO-cZ9gcsmqaEQ/s400/fair+with+dad+032.JPG" /></a> I'm sure that's why it's always so much fun.</div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-60980626706680546412010-07-22T19:45:00.000-04:002010-07-22T20:09:23.062-04:00Weekend With Papa<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tlSn5hmL4fmBwE7K5ZQVE7wv6C__BMvZWMYB7v484p1lcRetCkRL4RhIXwuM3cV8C6OqgCoBiVTCqjg5x7UHvNZYxiOiDdgR4hjmSYq3in-TFHYtMrH95ykmW1hg7yY5am5YQs56EyE/s1600/fair+with+dad+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496883558304919186" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tlSn5hmL4fmBwE7K5ZQVE7wv6C__BMvZWMYB7v484p1lcRetCkRL4RhIXwuM3cV8C6OqgCoBiVTCqjg5x7UHvNZYxiOiDdgR4hjmSYq3in-TFHYtMrH95ykmW1hg7yY5am5YQs56EyE/s400/fair+with+dad+002.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center"> Growing up, my Dad often worked two or more jobs while</div><div align="center">going to college and then graduate school. My brother</div><div align="center">and I didn't see a lot of him, but when we</div><div align="center">did he was always a lot of fun. He made our time together special.</div><div align="center">He and Mom took us to McDonald's on Friday nights, after</div><div align="center">he'd finished cleaning at an elementary school (he was a janitor).</div><div align="center">When we grew older, he'd take us for candy, or let us </div><div align="center">watch horror movies that my Mom would never have allowed.</div><div align="center">Dad is just a whole lot of fun. I love seeing him</div><div align="center">have fun with the kids.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb_DJgRbm5KBpRGcW9U9cPSBZgnS4SLl_pcEjq9RXa6xhwRyuNgR0ecOOYGgBg-SOPnO2-z7ApvbbLXL1vrwoo-z7cTLWs_Sg1LIPBfYCmiwbwXfBZugt-LqKD5migBGohsmQtVXEZcQ/s1600/fair+with+dad+008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496883547664089362" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUb_DJgRbm5KBpRGcW9U9cPSBZgnS4SLl_pcEjq9RXa6xhwRyuNgR0ecOOYGgBg-SOPnO2-z7ApvbbLXL1vrwoo-z7cTLWs_Sg1LIPBfYCmiwbwXfBZugt-LqKD5migBGohsmQtVXEZcQ/s400/fair+with+dad+008.JPG" /></a> Last weekend, Doodles and I took a trip to visit Dad.</div><div align="center">We went with him to an eye doctor appointment at a</div><div align="center">local mall.</div><div align="center">In the parking lot, there was a carnival going on.</div><div align="center">After the appointment, Dad said,</div><div align="center">"You want to take Doodles to the fair?"</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvoC5VdIjvwlrpC1hdyu_r75kxTLqI5eMU8SZAK0QT_SNSJHqdu9AbtjJ4P6XoNTF_C1bXKGTaQWMdJ5zDzKyqXNUkG5IbU8aPUxC3SAEQJUTEHuEvQETHPQa5jZwp67kxtKwvaARrUk/s1600/fair+with+dad+007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496883537454742034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvoC5VdIjvwlrpC1hdyu_r75kxTLqI5eMU8SZAK0QT_SNSJHqdu9AbtjJ4P6XoNTF_C1bXKGTaQWMdJ5zDzKyqXNUkG5IbU8aPUxC3SAEQJUTEHuEvQETHPQa5jZwp67kxtKwvaARrUk/s400/fair+with+dad+007.JPG" /></a> Of course I did. What fun we had.</div><div align="center">Dad bought her lots of tickets for rides.</div><div align="center">A HUGE treat. Then, because she </div><div align="center">was scared to go on things alone, he went with her on</div><div align="center">everything.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhxSZNMTH_7pAA1ji9BHw8vlumUnZtlnJ_3ti61TTo5qzOlUsUmUut3_9qemDT3oKRM_I6NKxC1XQFyTCVbfoN7WngEM6i2T02rg0l2HY7FD2XZEhEBatua7NPF01eCN8RM1HerSMInk/s1600/fair+with+dad+017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496883531192843522" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhxSZNMTH_7pAA1ji9BHw8vlumUnZtlnJ_3ti61TTo5qzOlUsUmUut3_9qemDT3oKRM_I6NKxC1XQFyTCVbfoN7WngEM6i2T02rg0l2HY7FD2XZEhEBatua7NPF01eCN8RM1HerSMInk/s400/fair+with+dad+017.JPG" /></a> He tickled her, fooled around with her, laughed with her,</div><div align="center">and loved her. He's a really terrific grandfather.</div><div align="center">He even went with her into this "rock star" ride.</div><div align="center">I watched them as they laughed and fooled around together.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkKa9iC6Ta5hRHleHVnjwvmiFs5r8M9oOEVybjv-rGdnnAM8MZF8Xyf5f7XdJBOzHoLgSuvGNUIQh_gZWl_qFSR0sDZsDaHGNNFVYVLHdm42QhsPlgMx_R1DZdQaCCyAfRjio6TAvtJU/s1600/fair+with+dad+012.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496883522588571874" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKkKa9iC6Ta5hRHleHVnjwvmiFs5r8M9oOEVybjv-rGdnnAM8MZF8Xyf5f7XdJBOzHoLgSuvGNUIQh_gZWl_qFSR0sDZsDaHGNNFVYVLHdm42QhsPlgMx_R1DZdQaCCyAfRjio6TAvtJU/s400/fair+with+dad+012.JPG" /></a> I couldn't help but think, four years ago, my daughter was living</div><div align="center">with a single foster mother. She had no strong male influences</div><div align="center">in her life. She was described as "boy crazy", because she was</div><div align="center">always trying to get the little boys in her class to hold her</div><div align="center">hand and kiss her. God not only brought her a father, but</div><div align="center">He brought her a grandfather, a Papa.</div><div align="center">A Papa who loves her no matter what, who loves spending</div><div align="center">time with her and having fun with her.</div><div align="center">A Papa that will go on all of the rides with her, laugh</div><div align="center">with her, and hold her hand when she reaches for it.</div><div align="center">Thank you Dad for being not only the wonderful and</div><div align="center">Godly father that you are, but also for being such a </div><div align="center">terrific Papa. Thank you for the fun weekend at the fair.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-84092228542494175572010-07-19T15:41:00.000-04:002010-07-20T07:48:20.573-04:00I Have Found....<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhem2n7xf3FnsDFbEVwi4shUhGHk30K9mhpJ-LQ5dSX-dUuAubecsUgXDG-Yhb20dIY70SpfjAEwnR-GrCIr47gBf6MVWm9-CYony7GmPo7w-PQhHtaPRw1IwQtz8yKZQXqvgXfZkqW-k/s1600/DSC02937.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495705494599552034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhem2n7xf3FnsDFbEVwi4shUhGHk30K9mhpJ-LQ5dSX-dUuAubecsUgXDG-Yhb20dIY70SpfjAEwnR-GrCIr47gBf6MVWm9-CYony7GmPo7w-PQhHtaPRw1IwQtz8yKZQXqvgXfZkqW-k/s400/DSC02937.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">that grief is like the ocean, the tides</div><div align="center">coming in and out.</div><div align="center">There are days that are so hard, I feel</div><div align="center">the crushing weight of the loss of you.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HD36KyVnF-JHOYaQQmE6P4WqhG0Lwc6uVO5VNvzZE6ZkStPRApl0hwjq_te6gr_U2spLDItHKCLaQGUqXe2opAmTBE0ebdnG9pckKC_X_hyphenhyphenxWiOBkoeN-aL_b42jDLRTM1CIyTxTOHU/s1600/DSC02939.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495705477484907506" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HD36KyVnF-JHOYaQQmE6P4WqhG0Lwc6uVO5VNvzZE6ZkStPRApl0hwjq_te6gr_U2spLDItHKCLaQGUqXe2opAmTBE0ebdnG9pckKC_X_hyphenhyphenxWiOBkoeN-aL_b42jDLRTM1CIyTxTOHU/s400/DSC02939.JPG" /></a>There are</div><div align="center">days when I laugh, I feel great,</div><div align="center">I look forward to the future.</div><div align="center">Then there are days,</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8PZkRH0-wwJ1ijEfZIFJFIBfFg9Pqu0AS6O4wepWyXAHU4JKH4tjmQwUNNMERI5tQBbPdxHlZfk5g6Duq_wejsZ1VQmA5LR5xnjSZM1QS5KgjNqQUpJ1LJdOAUysOhjGakqIOUl_gxA/s1600/DSC02933.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495705473593120770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8PZkRH0-wwJ1ijEfZIFJFIBfFg9Pqu0AS6O4wepWyXAHU4JKH4tjmQwUNNMERI5tQBbPdxHlZfk5g6Duq_wejsZ1VQmA5LR5xnjSZM1QS5KgjNqQUpJ1LJdOAUysOhjGakqIOUl_gxA/s400/DSC02933.JPG" /></a> when the tide comes crashing in. The smallest</div><div align="center">things can make me cry. The scent of your perfume</div><div align="center">makes me long for you.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm0li-I6mW-B7AM37vRiQXXY7xUut6JJZIAl2ENZqp-EbswbZZo_ru6h4WfAk82D9k0qlB48Cf6dnacls1kP-yFWFqFoZMjRbgnQ-8GePqDzlc1Fr2hJ7TnkCc75Ks7pGEJDgyfFrrQc/s1600/DSC02944.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495705464287466946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIm0li-I6mW-B7AM37vRiQXXY7xUut6JJZIAl2ENZqp-EbswbZZo_ru6h4WfAk82D9k0qlB48Cf6dnacls1kP-yFWFqFoZMjRbgnQ-8GePqDzlc1Fr2hJ7TnkCc75Ks7pGEJDgyfFrrQc/s400/DSC02944.JPG" /></a> This is what I hope:</div><div align="center">I hope I will be to my children what you are to me.</div><div align="center">I hope that when I face death, I can say I lived</div><div align="center">with no regrets.</div><div align="center">I hope that I make you proud.</div><div align="center">I hope that my children will never</div><div align="center">forget you.<br />I hope that in times of crisis, sadness, grief, I will</div><div align="center">never lose my faith.</div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495705454773882050" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnnI8iu1-ub8wCauDLUskeqtfntMjfcbO84V5I9fwkF7xVVnsx3zQKGfgnQcEL3APlq82lBMFYDxXkhCU06czPlRHbfrobB0jPCZpHxf8PRfeDpANVXkLww-kGYE21li-zOkuMv-QYNB8/s400/DSC02947.JPG" /> <p align="center">I hope that I will be everything that you raised me to be.</p><p align="center">Mom, I love you. I miss you.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-48791844807571957482010-07-15T19:28:00.000-04:002010-07-15T19:34:57.838-04:00Cherries<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKZAnkyumEwHy5sznhG4Z4yrBd_6pf0DCVX1GlOpRmVsUXyYrip1oB4eEEanEDB5rtw4MNjcvxqcjvXhb1eOB9NbjDCJHhNworP4aH5BDlYZtIi_gc5DRd8SU8yOqQ4vciokpt8_7AAk/s1600/cherries+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494280148610971618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVKZAnkyumEwHy5sznhG4Z4yrBd_6pf0DCVX1GlOpRmVsUXyYrip1oB4eEEanEDB5rtw4MNjcvxqcjvXhb1eOB9NbjDCJHhNworP4aH5BDlYZtIi_gc5DRd8SU8yOqQ4vciokpt8_7AAk/s400/cherries+001.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">Life is<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU5nqLn36a0eD4nGu0dEgUWNMvrfg7po9C8IxS-2hCNrLBp4ulZbdvT8sdQUJkWRfSY7rDibxPMz8-xOs1IZ-B1NgsM8yPD-c0_dG5voSvguf366MOMlD2KdY57ifXXn07JNcVEW8qm8/s1600/cherries+003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494280141942166370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTU5nqLn36a0eD4nGu0dEgUWNMvrfg7po9C8IxS-2hCNrLBp4ulZbdvT8sdQUJkWRfSY7rDibxPMz8-xOs1IZ-B1NgsM8yPD-c0_dG5voSvguf366MOMlD2KdY57ifXXn07JNcVEW8qm8/s400/cherries+003.JPG" /></a> just a bowl of<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7psInLJUfs74v-XCUbsjuQDeZWN4DalpyOe2Bgdahhim2H3jbQY4RU20eIKiyUzwQ1THp5W6hx-mjdXPUwdY4ECpwi8tO5vJmst0VV7q343G62kz6x_4HlAKxih9t1dzaW9noa776v8s/s1600/cherries+006.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494280134820767618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7psInLJUfs74v-XCUbsjuQDeZWN4DalpyOe2Bgdahhim2H3jbQY4RU20eIKiyUzwQ1THp5W6hx-mjdXPUwdY4ECpwi8tO5vJmst0VV7q343G62kz6x_4HlAKxih9t1dzaW9noa776v8s/s400/cherries+006.JPG" /></a> cherries. Don't take<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx-ND9-hkuoc94K6aqXNKDdmQ8oNlKtrFRV2NpLXRW-hnrcQYTsjIH-0QyB4QFcjUeARIHNZtYbp1RRPuLOAfPFPWrcTGvW0G-ZCb-W0vcQjp91JZvbWyLL2nP6J0xZwJ00hI6-MHI_s/s1600/cherries+008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494280124872798690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHx-ND9-hkuoc94K6aqXNKDdmQ8oNlKtrFRV2NpLXRW-hnrcQYTsjIH-0QyB4QFcjUeARIHNZtYbp1RRPuLOAfPFPWrcTGvW0G-ZCb-W0vcQjp91JZvbWyLL2nP6J0xZwJ00hI6-MHI_s/s400/cherries+008.JPG" /></a> it serious. So live,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_xqb-cIMxG5FM6S5YYhEO5UkBGySGZG0RZOZ0s0v3MqtfyFiJ34AGAXPqm-AdF3Xygw1IKzesbB80cQ8jzAheR_N4A3NnkngqNP8Da8FAgXf8XZge3bDfisirnwFSekB8MyI_pzoKdw/s1600/cherries+007.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5494280115669567394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk_xqb-cIMxG5FM6S5YYhEO5UkBGySGZG0RZOZ0s0v3MqtfyFiJ34AGAXPqm-AdF3Xygw1IKzesbB80cQ8jzAheR_N4A3NnkngqNP8Da8FAgXf8XZge3bDfisirnwFSekB8MyI_pzoKdw/s400/cherries+007.JPG" /></a> and laugh as you learn.</div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-85440598687707631102010-07-13T15:21:00.000-04:002010-07-13T15:39:39.619-04:00Running<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqKHtoSTNbgC1iQDDfHzh-40n6qE9IfT7w-yAqUX5khpJYt3QaqeOkui_EFdVi7QsMTfgT255CQR1iO_4fScDDywVycurthtmH68mf1hx8n-8JMjmHYRSyWkmiB3LJPxFvmBP03wcwWI/s1600/boilermaker+2010+004.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493474146036512338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqKHtoSTNbgC1iQDDfHzh-40n6qE9IfT7w-yAqUX5khpJYt3QaqeOkui_EFdVi7QsMTfgT255CQR1iO_4fScDDywVycurthtmH68mf1hx8n-8JMjmHYRSyWkmiB3LJPxFvmBP03wcwWI/s400/boilermaker+2010+004.JPG" /></a>I believe that running has saved my life.</div><div align="center">Not because I'm 300lbs and running</div><div align="center">helped me lose weight, no I love to eat</div><div align="center">too much to lose any weight from running.</div><div align="center">It saved me because it gave me a focus, </div><div align="center">an outlet for my grief. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzETpFAiCCMRgBzz_NfB0lZf81sKbGmVsmd3uEdmF3uvmgheGC9ujvxC9RSTB-Vl6U30Me_42G9piZ7cf3jvh23E7AwUpRCffIbuBxBVF6DQHmwge1KFqudd4POEY6-U2ATvOYtTBwEik/s1600/boilermaker+2010+003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493474134844483858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzETpFAiCCMRgBzz_NfB0lZf81sKbGmVsmd3uEdmF3uvmgheGC9ujvxC9RSTB-Vl6U30Me_42G9piZ7cf3jvh23E7AwUpRCffIbuBxBVF6DQHmwge1KFqudd4POEY6-U2ATvOYtTBwEik/s400/boilermaker+2010+003.JPG" /></a> A year and a half ago, when my Mom was diagnosed</div><div align="center">with cancer, I quit running. I just couldn't get motivated.</div><div align="center">I was traveling so much to help her, and I was dealing</div><div align="center">so much with my own shock that I just</div><div align="center">couldn't find the time to run.</div><div align="center">Shortly after she died, I started running again.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhbm8TCGP0Eb9ADcqgReMFBghEL-n1ZlVVnndY0fHuR9JXUAV07Z2fIURNswoUID4Zqx1tF0kThJeY_wSlmJVaj2mhPZ_E5JptF7ihiiJZA0JPNPSRbGSVEz8O2VEXfZ-HVChrNkX8O8/s1600/boilermaker+2010+002.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493474126582750370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhbm8TCGP0Eb9ADcqgReMFBghEL-n1ZlVVnndY0fHuR9JXUAV07Z2fIURNswoUID4Zqx1tF0kThJeY_wSlmJVaj2mhPZ_E5JptF7ihiiJZA0JPNPSRbGSVEz8O2VEXfZ-HVChrNkX8O8/s400/boilermaker+2010+002.JPG" /></a> All of the grief literature talked about the importance of</div><div align="center">exercise. The literature was right.</div><div align="center">Every morning I would lace up my shoes and </div><div align="center">run. Gradually I increased my distance.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqPvzw-dROcimlNEx1LSjZVgrp-wYz4eNPpVukqMWTVew4TvjPn62goq2cvVBJN4GkyOXyTGxsBG6KHrBhfYi7WsPNKGMzv30uEzUeu4XZRWg5wg1NvzRpqHgx5MNeWdkbu2NNETtM9o/s1600/boilermaker+2010+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493474110440581330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYqPvzw-dROcimlNEx1LSjZVgrp-wYz4eNPpVukqMWTVew4TvjPn62goq2cvVBJN4GkyOXyTGxsBG6KHrBhfYi7WsPNKGMzv30uEzUeu4XZRWg5wg1NvzRpqHgx5MNeWdkbu2NNETtM9o/s400/boilermaker+2010+001.JPG" /></a> Sunday I finished a 15k road race.</div><div align="center">It was the tenth time that I've run that race.</div><div align="center">It was the first time that I ran it without my Mom.</div><div align="center">Without my Mom cheering me on at the finish line, or waiting</div><div align="center">for me at home. It was the first time I couldn't share with</div><div align="center">her how much fun I had. I was able to share the joy of my race</div><div align="center">with my husband and children.</div><div align="center">Cheryl brought our four children to the race course.</div><div align="center">She waited with them for over an hour so that I could</div><div align="center">see them for only a minute. She waited with them</div><div align="center">so that I could hug them, kiss them, love on them.</div><div align="center">She waited with them so that they could see me run,</div><div align="center">so that at the end of the day, when they asked me what my favorite</div><div align="center">part of the whole race was, I could say, "Seeing you guys. Hugging and</div><div align="center">kissing you guys. Having you guys there to cheer me on."</div><div align="center">That was my favorite part of the whole race.</div><div align="center">Thank you Cheryl. Thank you so much.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-37483705884819703162010-07-07T18:59:00.000-04:002010-07-07T19:22:55.654-04:00My Soap Box<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk55VQ_0DY39SIQ0fu3SFIQu6b1bV7YgFUuuztGVlodrwTKxeDFRz6HM536ZZFA-tciLCjLBeiVLSvrkEostlTjwdvR7Isfc60Isw4eBgN15JL5oUh9QGFzckjBYy_n97teAuotPLX20/s1600/DSC00940.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491303690238203746" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSk55VQ_0DY39SIQ0fu3SFIQu6b1bV7YgFUuuztGVlodrwTKxeDFRz6HM536ZZFA-tciLCjLBeiVLSvrkEostlTjwdvR7Isfc60Isw4eBgN15JL5oUh9QGFzckjBYy_n97teAuotPLX20/s400/DSC00940.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">When our older two children came to live with us,</div><div align="center">they were four and five years old. We were</div><div align="center">their eighth home. They had been removed</div><div align="center">from a family member who chose to lock them in a room,</div><div align="center">and not feed them.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAzNY99WnTsBT8BTPOnia2suJWWGL1516PcABQJL6Okfj9ivHvAICUTpCX4_SOa4UpwLul7M3p0sVBuxenEYLdBRH4Uwd2ImQOwsc6DjC7soOehQLN2LuX2gmi8UAx385lMAarJVdvhg/s1600/DSC00935.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491303580182536658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwAzNY99WnTsBT8BTPOnia2suJWWGL1516PcABQJL6Okfj9ivHvAICUTpCX4_SOa4UpwLul7M3p0sVBuxenEYLdBRH4Uwd2ImQOwsc6DjC7soOehQLN2LuX2gmi8UAx385lMAarJVdvhg/s400/DSC00935.JPG" /></a> She neglected them. Doodles left her home, at the age of four with a </div><div align="center">black eye. The Big K. left her house at the age of</div><div align="center">three unable to talk or walk properly.</div><div align="center">Both children were dirty, underfed, and had</div><div align="center">never seen a doctor. They were abused.</div><div align="center">A nasty ugly word. Despite this fact, the court granted their</div><div align="center">relative, the woman that abused them, once yearly visitation.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pVRdI74jQS9JScLpE3YiVlME0h9IqfW_xywfXyFx1sEtFtjVgzTTCV08SfbLGQjHmJ8Uub-3llnElz_nhXxiTHVo06rHNqW7s9ZB6Vk6YW8n0lk3QM1O8LnDGaiR4URv-1QWKdtxgRw/s1600/DSC00943.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491303577345085330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0pVRdI74jQS9JScLpE3YiVlME0h9IqfW_xywfXyFx1sEtFtjVgzTTCV08SfbLGQjHmJ8Uub-3llnElz_nhXxiTHVo06rHNqW7s9ZB6Vk6YW8n0lk3QM1O8LnDGaiR4URv-1QWKdtxgRw/s400/DSC00943.JPG" /></a>Because they were not legally ours for the first three years<br />that they lived with us, we had to take them for a visit with<br />their relative. It was a strained and difficult visit. We had to drive<br />our children for almost eight hours, so that they could spend two hours<br />with a woman that abused them. Once they were adopted, we were told<br />that visitation was at our discretion. After that visit, our children were<br />distressed. They were scared they would be hurt, they would have to move again,<br />that they would be abused. <br />After their adoption was finalized, we made the decision not to allow any<br />more visits. At least not yet. Not until the kids are a little older.<br />This week, we received a phone call, from a lawyer. Apparently, our children's relative<br />has decided to go to court to gain access to our children. She wants to see them.<br />The lawyer called me. She called the wrong mother. I don't care that my children<br />are adopted, they are my children, and I WILL NOT put them in harms way.<br />I will not have them victimized again, by the same system that<br />victimized them the first eight years of their lives.<br />Social Services needs to change. Laws need to be changed. Children matter. <br />Children should not be forced to maintain contact with a person that<br />abused them. If you or I was in an abusive relationship, no judge would<br />tell us we HAD to visit the individual that abused us. If a stranger<br />had done the things that this woman did to my children, they would<br />be in jail. But our screwed up system deems visits appropriate.<br />Children are victimized again and again in the name of<br />connection, family, history, blood.<br />The fight is on. NO ONE will hurt, scare, injure, or<br />victimize my children again.<br />NO ONE!!!<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-4506317864887639482010-07-05T20:15:00.001-04:002010-07-05T20:36:40.736-04:00Happy Birthday USA!<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbIOErUoFYq-7N42LKr1EN55QvkXBawAxbREVg2sZvWxbO4DbuIl30hJrJkbl9zNcXp8GvPkgxbYUpbwaPWAukzes6L6xL-hGtNc7Ec-W5ssn3KepuiWkK97gDX75vOua431MJ1OLyBs/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+069.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490582219999094946" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSbIOErUoFYq-7N42LKr1EN55QvkXBawAxbREVg2sZvWxbO4DbuIl30hJrJkbl9zNcXp8GvPkgxbYUpbwaPWAukzes6L6xL-hGtNc7Ec-W5ssn3KepuiWkK97gDX75vOua431MJ1OLyBs/s400/4th+of+july+2010+069.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">God bless America, land that I </div><div align="center">love.</div><div align="center">Stand beside her, and guide her,</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVsp9MXwu0R7UIT8WaCp0TR3gy-IYraC0fiKKkXqviPBIhBrXHzlNmDeT0b5QA275_ovvGtFUN4bgErlUtuofBOXr9qPYPHxk6Pgxhp1nTbLv6rO0eIdwuEsAnVkIU6XZW7bwYalIVw8/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+073.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490582202700611330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVsp9MXwu0R7UIT8WaCp0TR3gy-IYraC0fiKKkXqviPBIhBrXHzlNmDeT0b5QA275_ovvGtFUN4bgErlUtuofBOXr9qPYPHxk6Pgxhp1nTbLv6rO0eIdwuEsAnVkIU6XZW7bwYalIVw8/s400/4th+of+july+2010+073.JPG" /></a> Thru the night, with a light from above.<br />From the mountains, to the prairies,</div><div align="center">to the oceans white with foam,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1HQRs7rhVAatxr0_a80jqDAYm_tJpIYGj180i9Sl_QiOrFqXJMjPWHxCTfLnoctuzMTtPRP5Qg611g5wUZQTNe96WxdUTTIcRdkipnP7Lwj-v7LIrB41RP_ZpRMI0H3tNq6-uY48K7g/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+074.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490582194836564274" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1HQRs7rhVAatxr0_a80jqDAYm_tJpIYGj180i9Sl_QiOrFqXJMjPWHxCTfLnoctuzMTtPRP5Qg611g5wUZQTNe96WxdUTTIcRdkipnP7Lwj-v7LIrB41RP_ZpRMI0H3tNq6-uY48K7g/s400/4th+of+july+2010+074.JPG" /></a> God bless America my home sweet<br />home.<br />God bless America,<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB84xUGDjQNtXh7oHCDmc0aaOz-8DAiUZM14-qthlYNcaqm_lJe6EkXLshis7iTsZvQLMp0cl7oY8zLuXya7cS5aebvtgKhVUfP-s3DE_hmUcvj3WzuP8j1YaCtvfCc_ZTZeONYXKBlo/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+089.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490582191513805202" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYB84xUGDjQNtXh7oHCDmc0aaOz-8DAiUZM14-qthlYNcaqm_lJe6EkXLshis7iTsZvQLMp0cl7oY8zLuXya7cS5aebvtgKhVUfP-s3DE_hmUcvj3WzuP8j1YaCtvfCc_ZTZeONYXKBlo/s400/4th+of+july+2010+089.JPG" /></a> My home sweet home.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-fc40pA51_sednYE9IJP_AIoS1wmZv0JtCS_hkfk4L0K8BAvzIdKi6apW3hAypsWmuKHzlGhcutEvdrSSg5WIbGrceImWO8ZnysU9zd_vN26_vsXvoNuoovWMFcCD2g8fKk0GYfGIaE/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+090.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490581332478654226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-fc40pA51_sednYE9IJP_AIoS1wmZv0JtCS_hkfk4L0K8BAvzIdKi6apW3hAypsWmuKHzlGhcutEvdrSSg5WIbGrceImWO8ZnysU9zd_vN26_vsXvoNuoovWMFcCD2g8fKk0GYfGIaE/s400/4th+of+july+2010+090.JPG" /></a>This weekend, we enjoyed cook outs,</div><div>fire works, parades,</div><div>swimming, time with our family. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vpnKnOxmNB4Rx500xqB_FqYFCn1IKKRPlTCovmS_jTWiqMhVGs7uhOrJr5Iif8dBSFRrcgAXSHfSXtQh9vNK24HMUg22LH7S0S3ER1Wazq2Ogx1g2WHw2gAAlfCKxz8eo_4WxPXvVqI/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+092.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490581326442420114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2vpnKnOxmNB4Rx500xqB_FqYFCn1IKKRPlTCovmS_jTWiqMhVGs7uhOrJr5Iif8dBSFRrcgAXSHfSXtQh9vNK24HMUg22LH7S0S3ER1Wazq2Ogx1g2WHw2gAAlfCKxz8eo_4WxPXvVqI/s400/4th+of+july+2010+092.JPG" /></a> We enjoyed all of these things because somewhere,</div><div>someone made a sacrifice so that</div><div>we could be free.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOw0Gj-iAUfbshj6-VN4NOQ3YXKxSmToVuhdQd-gvs8h5w2SVhj0e2Tq6U4p542ksacGbANNcSrrMonOTcLw5uOvKiVk6fYZ6TMzxs_bJ9qZS2LWv-M-w840-oLVR2Zd3Yz8MEPii1EOg/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+096.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490581317995497218" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOw0Gj-iAUfbshj6-VN4NOQ3YXKxSmToVuhdQd-gvs8h5w2SVhj0e2Tq6U4p542ksacGbANNcSrrMonOTcLw5uOvKiVk6fYZ6TMzxs_bJ9qZS2LWv-M-w840-oLVR2Zd3Yz8MEPii1EOg/s400/4th+of+july+2010+096.JPG" /></a>Someones son, daughter, mother, father,</div><div>brother, sister went to fight a war</div><div>for us, for our country. </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1UITdM29r9l7yQNL-xUPxsVEt_wjOzhULXMup7Q8KmYpM4SI5x0-hl10OjVNcsjcGuhpfAHCotXuiN4C1T6WbFZq0eX6kWqt_2fCt5XpDkoKnX0K76-sNgGzTjkFtIMBrFvIaBGBALM/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+113.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490581310570287042" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC1UITdM29r9l7yQNL-xUPxsVEt_wjOzhULXMup7Q8KmYpM4SI5x0-hl10OjVNcsjcGuhpfAHCotXuiN4C1T6WbFZq0eX6kWqt_2fCt5XpDkoKnX0K76-sNgGzTjkFtIMBrFvIaBGBALM/s400/4th+of+july+2010+113.JPG" /></a> Brave men in history fought so that we could</div><div>celebrate the fourth of July.<br />Thank you to every </div><div>veteran who has served our country.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIhjAiX5APURMukqDtnmZ-vLjLJ-QcMdNUGzRu1nw_fBVorqiH7d7BjT_BNihXXtu7bkRgQkb6Wdntr9eBq8vViJxARryb4NyHiLNHIQw1rvX3DGIW4SGW8cR-xxLxzMTQc4ylEz4IDc/s1600/4th+of+july+2010+115.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490581293665626498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbIhjAiX5APURMukqDtnmZ-vLjLJ-QcMdNUGzRu1nw_fBVorqiH7d7BjT_BNihXXtu7bkRgQkb6Wdntr9eBq8vViJxARryb4NyHiLNHIQw1rvX3DGIW4SGW8cR-xxLxzMTQc4ylEz4IDc/s400/4th+of+july+2010+115.JPG" /></a> Thank you to all of the families of veterans who</div><div>sacrificed just as much.</div><div>Thank you for fighting for my freedom, for my children's freedom,</div><div>for my country.</div><div>Happy Independence Day!</div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-32308437537686652102010-07-03T16:28:00.000-04:002010-07-03T16:43:01.582-04:00Summer Fun<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gCN9NazOT1PbZyaXIRphUyOmI_Qtp-nAdHfQwHIcvdS95brRnLFDhVKl_82Xog-jQCTjmQ482htaZV6pmlCriqZxynNpu_HpTqglhSjAx1cD8X6tHC6cPQCqKnBvH5wvWwNdLZzMxDA/s1600/slip+and+slide+061.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489782093729144194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gCN9NazOT1PbZyaXIRphUyOmI_Qtp-nAdHfQwHIcvdS95brRnLFDhVKl_82Xog-jQCTjmQ482htaZV6pmlCriqZxynNpu_HpTqglhSjAx1cD8X6tHC6cPQCqKnBvH5wvWwNdLZzMxDA/s400/slip+and+slide+061.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">One warm and sunny day, plus<br /></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kNHPx1VSqO-MtOjFWKLOPiZSLT-y82J_UZsmwN0sJ76pEEXqls1tMSpzmDemb_N0MBazB3aJXbED8zUDSxpCWw7bPU7JkfXkeYMamsVEF58Z7ElZvNA735n7JNss3YZTeV8VkKmyQZs/s1600/slip+and+slide+064.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489782090206770514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4kNHPx1VSqO-MtOjFWKLOPiZSLT-y82J_UZsmwN0sJ76pEEXqls1tMSpzmDemb_N0MBazB3aJXbED8zUDSxpCWw7bPU7JkfXkeYMamsVEF58Z7ElZvNA735n7JNss3YZTeV8VkKmyQZs/s400/slip+and+slide+064.JPG" /></a> one water hose, plus<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OlKBNYkTZgGLxfDO5d_-J5hMHXoXpul4XEhhcOfiQFFLJ4KXgMC2kK-Mla7gyjbPpCirhbBvKKmSyKcI7sZFtXcGULeZyZb22bbEbw6yOu9mTTRAOZPPYrNNaPFc_GvDQWEskWRZdPw/s1600/slip+and+slide+065.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489782082321212882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2OlKBNYkTZgGLxfDO5d_-J5hMHXoXpul4XEhhcOfiQFFLJ4KXgMC2kK-Mla7gyjbPpCirhbBvKKmSyKcI7sZFtXcGULeZyZb22bbEbw6yOu9mTTRAOZPPYrNNaPFc_GvDQWEskWRZdPw/s400/slip+and+slide+065.JPG" /></a> one slip and slide,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qHAbaWE449pOCm7j6ytbc7TRVKkbk011DLkZWZePHBUvnD2xzCPucUGAH3HDg-RYvzdmNWA8waCizk8pcZiNZvan4MYnxbow3XkGn2NmnyhXMZmJKAZKOI4AoFHnSYu-ugsdP3fh7Bs/s1600/slip+and+slide+068.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489782072513601986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8qHAbaWE449pOCm7j6ytbc7TRVKkbk011DLkZWZePHBUvnD2xzCPucUGAH3HDg-RYvzdmNWA8waCizk8pcZiNZvan4MYnxbow3XkGn2NmnyhXMZmJKAZKOI4AoFHnSYu-ugsdP3fh7Bs/s400/slip+and+slide+068.JPG" /></a> equals one very fun summer </div><div>afternoon.</div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-2880320211537365982010-07-02T08:12:00.000-04:002010-07-02T08:21:09.521-04:00Brothers<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMpx3QxFRMgBGLAkLYNJxNm8p6Y0b4xKDNiydot9eofuAlsyB90fYXk3KNPOd19QDiPyOgtZeQ8NJssuhW6O7Qxj7H3hwwEuLKs3sM_IxJrLcY47USoJmYi8pkq9O54oRIKTjsjof0To/s1600/brothers+060.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489281663616505010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzMpx3QxFRMgBGLAkLYNJxNm8p6Y0b4xKDNiydot9eofuAlsyB90fYXk3KNPOd19QDiPyOgtZeQ8NJssuhW6O7Qxj7H3hwwEuLKs3sM_IxJrLcY47USoJmYi8pkq9O54oRIKTjsjof0To/s400/brothers+060.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">My boys are rough and tumble. From the moment</div><div align="center">they wake up, until the moment they go to bed,</div><div align="center">life is an adventure.</div><div align="center">Currently, I am the most important woman in</div><div align="center">their lives. They can't wait to tell</div><div align="center">me EVERYTHING!</div><div align="center">I love that.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhlpktC5UDzqMSR_jlf8i2j7znOGohmYWoVkAh5qEBbUXaWNOKHT7hdS0swceR-PGCU2b4UBkSNSiNn42Z_yiqazdMeApnJzTe7nXiJZP0XBo1a3IsXqsKeC0XPzgKdBahmXELrZWDtk/s1600/brothers+057.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489281651627454914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhlpktC5UDzqMSR_jlf8i2j7znOGohmYWoVkAh5qEBbUXaWNOKHT7hdS0swceR-PGCU2b4UBkSNSiNn42Z_yiqazdMeApnJzTe7nXiJZP0XBo1a3IsXqsKeC0XPzgKdBahmXELrZWDtk/s400/brothers+057.JPG" /></a> I know, without a doubt, the God chose</div><div align="center">my boys, made them my sons, and</div><div align="center">has given me the awesome responsibility</div><div align="center">of raising them.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIv7RX6OsrM3okbW7F_SBnqMNmaVeYEE88mNmjD5KokrHVF-6RTgvAuu4nqKXG7mhmP1hF87gz_QLHejFyJeekTnRADVzY_O_2RvW5BN_u8o6yXCDQA3h5O1SYsFvS2pSUAZ4SVcVdS0/s1600/brothers+050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489281644339861314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkIv7RX6OsrM3okbW7F_SBnqMNmaVeYEE88mNmjD5KokrHVF-6RTgvAuu4nqKXG7mhmP1hF87gz_QLHejFyJeekTnRADVzY_O_2RvW5BN_u8o6yXCDQA3h5O1SYsFvS2pSUAZ4SVcVdS0/s400/brothers+050.JPG" /></a> It's a job that I love.</div><div align="center">I wonder daily what type of</div><div align="center">men they will become, what</div><div align="center">their lives will be like.</div><div align="center">I pray for them, their future wives,</div><div align="center">their future children. </div><div align="center">I cherish their childhood.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMJopMqrroRX1WzGaWXAGImW2aTLwHszSb8FmvcqT1cGYwQucw1B9Rr-m_jFLkbtcRCQSifV147Ul0w48i3JzBb9GZG6IqK_C1BSYdqFOFFF__JNg1hBCxZtOjzV3Ir1FOHLmsP1E-AI/s1600/brothers+038.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489281631599111234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieMJopMqrroRX1WzGaWXAGImW2aTLwHszSb8FmvcqT1cGYwQucw1B9Rr-m_jFLkbtcRCQSifV147Ul0w48i3JzBb9GZG6IqK_C1BSYdqFOFFF__JNg1hBCxZtOjzV3Ir1FOHLmsP1E-AI/s400/brothers+038.JPG" /></a> I thank God every day for</div><div align="center">bringing them to me.</div><div align="center">My boys make my life an adventure.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-57805739490249004432010-07-01T08:07:00.000-04:002010-07-01T08:53:27.256-04:00Birthdays<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfupR2g9QRwko7nn9qByaelgYiWbWYYwqRuKzOY6jQ9d-5tNc6V3BddCsQkxnnd3dzcQwomSziozi3NDJspwy-BWrA97bZt0VdcZTQD5zI67Z1XBvuZAq1NVjiCdRnqfIBbSIw0LUgYA/s1600/DSC02764.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488913216698769922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirfupR2g9QRwko7nn9qByaelgYiWbWYYwqRuKzOY6jQ9d-5tNc6V3BddCsQkxnnd3dzcQwomSziozi3NDJspwy-BWrA97bZt0VdcZTQD5zI67Z1XBvuZAq1NVjiCdRnqfIBbSIw0LUgYA/s400/DSC02764.JPG" /></a> I was born on the day of my baby shower.</div><div align="center">My Mom hated all things social, and so she started</div><div align="center">praying that something would happen so that she wouldn't have to</div><div align="center">go to her shower. Something did happen, me,</div><div align="center">three weeks early.</div><div align="center">Every year, on my birthday, my Mom would tell me that story.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvkw0XGKrirnYYuXQMgLK4ApC78l13yrjYMumiqUqlSWFfAUIhFkKhMGQWrRofaIzKJMQzB2y-EWxdfMI39ernSuPElsFfzNteGLLzOTwID6vkYxX8Ve8221UHx5QECKKit2mCFGTfOg/s1600/DSC02767.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488913215191762738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDvkw0XGKrirnYYuXQMgLK4ApC78l13yrjYMumiqUqlSWFfAUIhFkKhMGQWrRofaIzKJMQzB2y-EWxdfMI39ernSuPElsFfzNteGLLzOTwID6vkYxX8Ve8221UHx5QECKKit2mCFGTfOg/s400/DSC02767.JPG" /></a> Every year, on my birthday, my Mom would make me a cake.</div><div align="center">She took a cake decorating class when my brother</div><div align="center">and I were small, so that she could decorate any type of cake for us.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWZ29miS83kTT3Gy_2La42mUbIXmcvxZXDvecZSJ3zAAYRne1svwc0H2MtPJCAhc6pQJk6e-zH99kdshXtkbWh_hiqZqeaKH29ETxon43wOm0vXzFgVvzk1UgDPZjjedcFiF_377itTY/s1600/DSC02726.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488913207464680562" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWZ29miS83kTT3Gy_2La42mUbIXmcvxZXDvecZSJ3zAAYRne1svwc0H2MtPJCAhc6pQJk6e-zH99kdshXtkbWh_hiqZqeaKH29ETxon43wOm0vXzFgVvzk1UgDPZjjedcFiF_377itTY/s400/DSC02726.JPG" /></a> One year, there was a merry-go round cake.</div><div align="center">One year she made me a doll cake, a Raggedy Ann cake,</div><div align="center">and when I turned 16, she made me a giant hamburger cake.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATeuukbMeIg1jXh7TFvd8n0Si7Pfspat5Vdh0HtJHw9Y3sEhIJFFvxuSQ8m_locxsYdgYmsDcmOhgIMZ7k1obJMse3r1w6hITPUecde2GXZhwBCFoPaiLNiEZ7hmSeU-ISBacwz29XJg/s1600/DSC01656.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488912420163137666" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjATeuukbMeIg1jXh7TFvd8n0Si7Pfspat5Vdh0HtJHw9Y3sEhIJFFvxuSQ8m_locxsYdgYmsDcmOhgIMZ7k1obJMse3r1w6hITPUecde2GXZhwBCFoPaiLNiEZ7hmSeU-ISBacwz29XJg/s400/DSC01656.JPG" /></a> I had the privilege of spending almost every one of my birthdays</div><div align="center">with my Mom. Last year, while she was undergoing chemo,</div><div align="center">she made a point of making sure her chemo schedule would allow</div><div align="center">her to spend my birthday with me. She wanted to make me a cake.</div><div align="center">As she said, a birthday is a way that you tell someone you're happy </div><div align="center">that they were born.</div><div align="center">My Mom always made sure that we knew she was happy</div><div align="center">we were born.</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibZqN4sEq2AqIJ4SCvt8IrOvtR8MYGrWiIykUfbONqCPLkTUb8U1_tbdd-LEHYaDHKH0XBFKFNFVHnsPhqCDRgBZfxg3xIhIu7EcGpgFe7jNwXewJBv27Bcs-fgOo6iJVDtiOykgD9JU/s1600/DSC01074.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488912136944526162" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibZqN4sEq2AqIJ4SCvt8IrOvtR8MYGrWiIykUfbONqCPLkTUb8U1_tbdd-LEHYaDHKH0XBFKFNFVHnsPhqCDRgBZfxg3xIhIu7EcGpgFe7jNwXewJBv27Bcs-fgOo6iJVDtiOykgD9JU/s400/DSC01074.JPG" /></a></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVoCm5XFPtSL1w2Yd_NNX-up2LNOxUo1iPq6NTvtMlUmZMHFV11ENxYaPgVtvrZY2FjfxiSnbkMYgJR8nwbbLPzP_YetOnJ7CHYyosIRRo2NxB2pakE1sm9spFO3GXaQq9FSCHSEQX88/s1600/DSC01073.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488912131321420370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVoCm5XFPtSL1w2Yd_NNX-up2LNOxUo1iPq6NTvtMlUmZMHFV11ENxYaPgVtvrZY2FjfxiSnbkMYgJR8nwbbLPzP_YetOnJ7CHYyosIRRo2NxB2pakE1sm9spFO3GXaQq9FSCHSEQX88/s400/DSC01073.JPG" /></a>This year, I had been dreading my birthday.</div><div align="center">I couldn't think of the day without my Mom.</div><div align="center">Dad would ask me what I wanted, what I wanted to do, and</div><div align="center">I just couldn't think of it. I hated the idea of celebrating the day without my</div><div align="center">Mom. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3I24KPm7YuBioXgRImaYM0DWWl5vcpboclZ2WuB7bIfYvhTJVPrc7sMBs0bsLtnUK-SG7mvKL-3gmYnWzV3-o9m2jTR-mLtEg5u-BbHkGX9FIDkK5ANtZgtqrKhyTEpaBydzqsfcSdY/s1600/DSC01088.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488911912665044818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3I24KPm7YuBioXgRImaYM0DWWl5vcpboclZ2WuB7bIfYvhTJVPrc7sMBs0bsLtnUK-SG7mvKL-3gmYnWzV3-o9m2jTR-mLtEg5u-BbHkGX9FIDkK5ANtZgtqrKhyTEpaBydzqsfcSdY/s400/DSC01088.JPG" /></a> My birthday is also our older kids moving in anniversary.</div><div align="center">Every year, on my birthday morning, they get a cupcake, with a candle,</div><div align="center">and the privilege of hearing their parents sing </div><div align="center">"Happy Anniversary" to them.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sgU53WPnDBYTiKyOLKULAFAg1M3djN75Kv0polZ3EjHmB-OeRcO20O347qeuMvQ4Xp2r538S9511engzwdXwOsP-Z60a7qhWpDsg4wFevi7_uiVzw5vpkPpPxHtmylhvtwGMtBUq5Ks/s1600/DSC00238.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488911308640569986" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6sgU53WPnDBYTiKyOLKULAFAg1M3djN75Kv0polZ3EjHmB-OeRcO20O347qeuMvQ4Xp2r538S9511engzwdXwOsP-Z60a7qhWpDsg4wFevi7_uiVzw5vpkPpPxHtmylhvtwGMtBUq5Ks/s400/DSC00238.JPG" /></a> This year, on my birthday, they celebrated their four</div><div align="center">year anniversary in our family.<br />They also celebrated the fact that they have a Mommy.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJ4yfzZZnG-UmZcYmSw4pBdKSl7Rad-XNjNJuBdl3FHFwaERGav-Nd-1Lqzbqvq2xAM3dsCuWkBMGxbOh3i_ceiynJ4RM9q1YVdzxd8wmJrWE93joLSMW-nq9xSyJscZOxPT1X4XFDZo/s1600/jennie's+birthday+2010+028.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488910527225782338" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJ4yfzZZnG-UmZcYmSw4pBdKSl7Rad-XNjNJuBdl3FHFwaERGav-Nd-1Lqzbqvq2xAM3dsCuWkBMGxbOh3i_ceiynJ4RM9q1YVdzxd8wmJrWE93joLSMW-nq9xSyJscZOxPT1X4XFDZo/s400/jennie's+birthday+2010+028.JPG" /></a> I knew, that for them, it was important that I celebrate my birthday.<br />I knew that my Mom would have wanted me to do that.<br />So I did. I woke up, thought of my Mom. Went for a run, thought of my<br />Mom. Sang Happy Anniversary, thought of my Mom.<br />Went out for breakfast with my Dad, Jon, and the kids<br />and thought of my Mom.<br />Missed my Mom, thought of last year with my Mom.<br />Was so thankful for my Mom.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_SzER3zHDDd09Np39PyIMV4tHsCx_zxKlgl_plyjo0iiA9C2jHAPz6lmBf0Vnt3yLc-CzRHd9GgXeY3HrTNHaet9Jo5hIYICNI5nCb9026vSzG6dAxpye5cEMp0OH99oqYZWNxbAgww/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+133.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488909628618498354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_SzER3zHDDd09Np39PyIMV4tHsCx_zxKlgl_plyjo0iiA9C2jHAPz6lmBf0Vnt3yLc-CzRHd9GgXeY3HrTNHaet9Jo5hIYICNI5nCb9026vSzG6dAxpye5cEMp0OH99oqYZWNxbAgww/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+133.JPG" /></a>A few months ago, my Dad asked someone to marry him.</div><div align="center">I haven't written about it here, because I wasn't sure</div><div align="center">how I felt about it. No, that's not true, I was sure.</div><div align="center">I hated the idea. I hated the idea that life had to move</div><div align="center">forward. To me, it seemed like life should have stopped</div><div align="center">when my Mom left. She deserved that.</div><div align="center">She wouldn't have wanted that.</div><div align="center">Cheryl, my Dad's fiance, is one of the sweetest and kindest people</div><div align="center">that I have had the privilege of knowing. She loves</div><div align="center">my Dad, loves my kids, and loves me.</div><div align="center">She makes my Dad laugh. Something that</div><div align="center">he hasn't done in a LONG time.</div><div align="center">She makes him happy, something my Mom would</div><div align="center">have wanted. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6L6AdXUf-MHeiP28dho0SYv0CpgguG3Ix7UTaawDt0lASLur2C7cnh9RPc8VViShGFz4Ido8YLxXdaTwmGU3eFsFe1i1CAKQGA8o0W-aWGH6xzKkju1d5CoXMz1_QuJA4ziOUXO2BOro/s1600/jennie's+birthday+2010+074.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488909176295988354" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6L6AdXUf-MHeiP28dho0SYv0CpgguG3Ix7UTaawDt0lASLur2C7cnh9RPc8VViShGFz4Ido8YLxXdaTwmGU3eFsFe1i1CAKQGA8o0W-aWGH6xzKkju1d5CoXMz1_QuJA4ziOUXO2BOro/s400/jennie's+birthday+2010+074.JPG" /></a> Yesterday, on my first birthday without my Mom,<br />she made me a cake. She knew that my Mom<br />made me one every year, she wanted to be sure that I had a birthday cake.<br />She helped to make my birthday so special. She cared enough about<br />my Dad, to care about me, and for that I am truly grateful.<br />Last year, I blew out my birthday candles, and I wished with<br />all of my heart that my Mom would be here this year. She wasn't.<br />This year, I blew out my candles. I didn't have the heart to make a wish,<br />because I had everything that I could want seated around my dining<br />room table. I have a family that loves me. That cared enough<br />about me to carry me through a birthday without my Mom.<br />I have a family that was happy I was born and wanted<br />to let me know it.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoELwm-WxW44bY5Y2kbz5TpraUsg8XNp3BryKVghJLaTxaoUM_HbGyBe1vB8NYODQkaX445PXU0irEk1rlU9jLKQUCOksMZEK6upE_dtG8Sd83tppDcG2DAgaxiGY5pgKuxZQjKoeK1c/s1600/jennie's+birthday+2010+079.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488909169839760658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoELwm-WxW44bY5Y2kbz5TpraUsg8XNp3BryKVghJLaTxaoUM_HbGyBe1vB8NYODQkaX445PXU0irEk1rlU9jLKQUCOksMZEK6upE_dtG8Sd83tppDcG2DAgaxiGY5pgKuxZQjKoeK1c/s400/jennie's+birthday+2010+079.JPG" /></a>Thank you Dad, Cheryl, Jon, Big K.,<br />Doodle Bug, P. and J.<br />Thank you for making my birthday so special.<br />I love you all more than you will ever know. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-33565038584487235612010-06-29T12:06:00.000-04:002010-06-29T12:13:12.000-04:00Never Too Young To Help<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_mLCIcp7Hyka3X1RrZbGqhAHYm2xB4LmRUpZ00ixk75KDXUTkkgZWU_rlAE2wafFbqL-EYDgYxziwCb-Zf7IiLdDUPxZYlT1zvioTVlH_0iBUM_jiYB8xwd0U1N3d22JVWMaPnownTY/s1600/chores+144.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488228321667201554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_mLCIcp7Hyka3X1RrZbGqhAHYm2xB4LmRUpZ00ixk75KDXUTkkgZWU_rlAE2wafFbqL-EYDgYxziwCb-Zf7IiLdDUPxZYlT1zvioTVlH_0iBUM_jiYB8xwd0U1N3d22JVWMaPnownTY/s400/chores+144.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">He may not have mastered potty on the</div><div align="center">toilet yet,</div><div align="center">but he loves to help.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUrAvIUECfzV840U2co3eoLrUFSQjBwRAqI0oZkxqo70orVbXDz1v_x8KrBfyzfGeNoNUdlZReCNs9tEmH6fIVw4oaxYmq_E3zJ4sHfMP7pax809cUvoRnmIco5cLifsoJRJW8UYC-Kg/s1600/chores+145.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488228313787077650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinUrAvIUECfzV840U2co3eoLrUFSQjBwRAqI0oZkxqo70orVbXDz1v_x8KrBfyzfGeNoNUdlZReCNs9tEmH6fIVw4oaxYmq_E3zJ4sHfMP7pax809cUvoRnmIco5cLifsoJRJW8UYC-Kg/s400/chores+145.JPG" /></a> This morning, he was vacuuming for me.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-89194112566548698782010-06-28T19:25:00.001-04:002010-06-28T19:52:36.346-04:00June In Pictures (With Some Words)<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlop7bxSqhLjnt4A1ZniYPCvRxQ8R2Rtt7VkoZ5airyiAZV_gHn8cXGLv0dxsEF0KdxOOmin_fgSXthbzesaFyMbbxBZ5NhGynb_VT8igrqPZqC-9zj0jHiOcpZO1W-BxzksrjtcUZug/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487973104492485538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimlop7bxSqhLjnt4A1ZniYPCvRxQ8R2Rtt7VkoZ5airyiAZV_gHn8cXGLv0dxsEF0KdxOOmin_fgSXthbzesaFyMbbxBZ5NhGynb_VT8igrqPZqC-9zj0jHiOcpZO1W-BxzksrjtcUZug/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+025.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">For the first time, in what feels</div><div align="center">like forever, I have been feeling</div><div align="center">like myself again.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIPYFeC7tEAiFAfOjeOEPqInbWU5OLWAJI8VqBM-AgyTvjA6SwtC3852Y2vAWt2PnF2B_GYkwDtz_xpP40pUXgvIa90My-QZ0jHhwSlNPhUUSpROFCh3Qya5DFgzwKAXcyJfEBU2zr8Y/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+029.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487973098243082978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIPYFeC7tEAiFAfOjeOEPqInbWU5OLWAJI8VqBM-AgyTvjA6SwtC3852Y2vAWt2PnF2B_GYkwDtz_xpP40pUXgvIa90My-QZ0jHhwSlNPhUUSpROFCh3Qya5DFgzwKAXcyJfEBU2zr8Y/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+029.JPG" /></a> There are days, and times, when I really</div><div align="center">miss my Mom, and I think</div><div align="center">of all the things that I miss about</div><div align="center">her, and all of the things that<br />I wish we were still doing together.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUuns9rB1Jj2G005xIsrnD_m-Tqm4KtfGtfkcMu0Iis3Ue2f5ptjF9tdSmaPUh9muSro4xBV8FyX4FFbK82BDkprjczYfcjK3d4Xfpt-mA4OmckQqwuTBqD_2PbEmYJP9aFYFrOVhQqs/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+035.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487972376598490226" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPUuns9rB1Jj2G005xIsrnD_m-Tqm4KtfGtfkcMu0Iis3Ue2f5ptjF9tdSmaPUh9muSro4xBV8FyX4FFbK82BDkprjczYfcjK3d4Xfpt-mA4OmckQqwuTBqD_2PbEmYJP9aFYFrOVhQqs/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+035.JPG" /></a> Then there are days, when I remember how blessed</div><div align="center">my life is. I think of how good God has</div><div align="center">been to me.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PZm1EFULDUQzlSo3epQwMkvdZnJDGCliRGwbPrpSnMqEI2nDEqJVQtYnAK9l1-nK7o7RsoHS0RjBaUV57wbI4lGdxkclpkakMGrzqnAlrvoBMVhjBF767hJRxrplqedISq5u8u_z2rs/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487972368310279346" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PZm1EFULDUQzlSo3epQwMkvdZnJDGCliRGwbPrpSnMqEI2nDEqJVQtYnAK9l1-nK7o7RsoHS0RjBaUV57wbI4lGdxkclpkakMGrzqnAlrvoBMVhjBF767hJRxrplqedISq5u8u_z2rs/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+032.JPG" /></a> This month, I have been busy doing</div><div align="center">what my Mom would want me to be doing,</div><div align="center">living.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCcxJZuZVFhAfwiSPRkVcSsLEhew4ahCp0KjSw6QRyY7U1-Z_7img-XiUdeJA1PNi56T-J0V7XZYjLyiUby66UtZ_A_MIg100SSynXMKTXBNlSH-AnRaiXxBrk53QaJnBJ88MqL5NGPM/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+031.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487972360599637410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSCcxJZuZVFhAfwiSPRkVcSsLEhew4ahCp0KjSw6QRyY7U1-Z_7img-XiUdeJA1PNi56T-J0V7XZYjLyiUby66UtZ_A_MIg100SSynXMKTXBNlSH-AnRaiXxBrk53QaJnBJ88MqL5NGPM/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+031.JPG" /></a> I have spent time enjoying my kids,</div><div align="center">my husband,</div><div align="center">our family.</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFitOv5pZbEUElnaFPkRB7Tjj1ZR0CGFV2piF6SFgNsJMbONvWx_tfMOKMV9aJgoE03g2erg4M5Ht3g1DLAoxXHODnPM9wxsbr5Hb03mXnYRUix-nIpiq5NCb3AQLIBJaBhsAKWYzot1c/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+041.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487972353360290802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFitOv5pZbEUElnaFPkRB7Tjj1ZR0CGFV2piF6SFgNsJMbONvWx_tfMOKMV9aJgoE03g2erg4M5Ht3g1DLAoxXHODnPM9wxsbr5Hb03mXnYRUix-nIpiq5NCb3AQLIBJaBhsAKWYzot1c/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+041.JPG" /></a> We have enjoyed time together making memories<br />with each other.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN6nZ6BGXaR2I8FiYJaKALTngFX3EbdKcpGRhieB9_Y6inpCIY5FIavc_gAOHybzLO7vngDAfunjANBN-ZmDVnwW6Yin6YFLs89GGODqR0Wh6u9YkNqZP64ZBFeEOtaQbsowF_ABYGxA/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+050.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487972346551549074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUN6nZ6BGXaR2I8FiYJaKALTngFX3EbdKcpGRhieB9_Y6inpCIY5FIavc_gAOHybzLO7vngDAfunjANBN-ZmDVnwW6Yin6YFLs89GGODqR0Wh6u9YkNqZP64ZBFeEOtaQbsowF_ABYGxA/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+050.JPG" /></a> We've visited new places,</div><div>and done new things together.<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOL1C2LhbnFm5tzYcsQ4ZIluz5rrj9bEUOBg1WvTSTOJyCbE1-V7WGZohtuRBs_010jHvSd_wiAabj6L7n9Vooq67xMyrUKp0gKn2yusMfrbEuhKl1Y-HkMMXOIxWWBPR77u3ntt-teTE/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+054.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487971259416527618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOL1C2LhbnFm5tzYcsQ4ZIluz5rrj9bEUOBg1WvTSTOJyCbE1-V7WGZohtuRBs_010jHvSd_wiAabj6L7n9Vooq67xMyrUKp0gKn2yusMfrbEuhKl1Y-HkMMXOIxWWBPR77u3ntt-teTE/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+054.JPG" /></a> The kids finally finished a very emotional third grade</div><div>year. This year, they said good-bye to their</div><div>grandmother and hello to</div><div>their brothers.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Jc1IMuRyl4TlUd1Yba3x_cxVd9kKMBMRkS_9CsaR8wDEwSyufDRHCK3NVhUk_aTMrTAIpeMhaL9KLsIJwRG2vXEpcb1xO9b0bIvIWKnmUDjlu4Wzmskjp3jolznodvrbzCMJrBo9ouk/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+099.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487971255479662578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Jc1IMuRyl4TlUd1Yba3x_cxVd9kKMBMRkS_9CsaR8wDEwSyufDRHCK3NVhUk_aTMrTAIpeMhaL9KLsIJwRG2vXEpcb1xO9b0bIvIWKnmUDjlu4Wzmskjp3jolznodvrbzCMJrBo9ouk/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+099.JPG" /></a> Together, we celebrated Jon's birthday<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB864r383468nQFaGF4glXvNEDKkmaYYW6BNmyrmYwWQ5CGUZJuupCiN0OTe0g0vMntttR162yVF-Eu0ziDm-GzFilMbAJJfsEMNNQ-FJX1_x_zSSEZRZH0aGGvFyjuFwCjF3xg99qgg/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487971246376607234" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghB864r383468nQFaGF4glXvNEDKkmaYYW6BNmyrmYwWQ5CGUZJuupCiN0OTe0g0vMntttR162yVF-Eu0ziDm-GzFilMbAJJfsEMNNQ-FJX1_x_zSSEZRZH0aGGvFyjuFwCjF3xg99qgg/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+100.JPG" /></a> and Father's Day.</div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOevN4nxn8CrYA_PcxLegSHaEKa7i71wyvOU_IknYVYWAC24DEUjviy23bccOzjjxh59faIyhj9biff_KCVlskvdi32R3Xx4dpwI2Tu3U3ixe6wgkXQB8jDM4ymuOO0IEKsiYdqU1tUI/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+140.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487971237169701026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHOevN4nxn8CrYA_PcxLegSHaEKa7i71wyvOU_IknYVYWAC24DEUjviy23bccOzjjxh59faIyhj9biff_KCVlskvdi32R3Xx4dpwI2Tu3U3ixe6wgkXQB8jDM4ymuOO0IEKsiYdqU1tUI/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+140.JPG" /></a>We have spent time loving each other,</div><div>enjoying our family,</div><div>and planning all of the fun things that</div><div>we want to do together </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-XOWcD1NQJyElPOj05FVcLqiPUJyN6SxHYHB7lsdZ8yxWwbJHnVZjy6pJC5aNTLEOAawDOlyGVNi3BOgjrvC7XmP99wonYgMCPWY_CDZTgXCsHkcgZoRcrskFxZWiLSs8SADMpzylnU/s1600/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+102.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487971231569761250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-XOWcD1NQJyElPOj05FVcLqiPUJyN6SxHYHB7lsdZ8yxWwbJHnVZjy6pJC5aNTLEOAawDOlyGVNi3BOgjrvC7XmP99wonYgMCPWY_CDZTgXCsHkcgZoRcrskFxZWiLSs8SADMpzylnU/s400/Jon's+birthday-june+2010+102.JPG" /></a> this summer.</div><div>I know that if my Mom could see these pictures,</div><div>read this blog, she would be so proud</div><div>and happy to see us enjoying each </div><div>day that we have together.</div><div>Our time together is truly a gift to be treasured.</div><div>Hope you are treasuring your family and the time</div><div>that you have together.</div></div></div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-59180457796834954512010-06-02T19:51:00.000-04:002010-06-02T19:57:48.595-04:00Welcome Summer<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpF1W7bAZSBT-jBENlhfUuXiXklYddMBdV4pIpMJ-qUbAI6-nNuoxy1zZ1fAjYi-cdSY2SenV70h9pE_sNkrHjcgRrwTB3T6Jz-b6bfcoPiY8j21UOIPEnkzA09UM-dI3kaXPWW_Q9W9Q/s1600/welcome+summer+023.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478329234846604930" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpF1W7bAZSBT-jBENlhfUuXiXklYddMBdV4pIpMJ-qUbAI6-nNuoxy1zZ1fAjYi-cdSY2SenV70h9pE_sNkrHjcgRrwTB3T6Jz-b6bfcoPiY8j21UOIPEnkzA09UM-dI3kaXPWW_Q9W9Q/s400/welcome+summer+023.JPG" /></a> Welcome Summer.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdvBL8bcVymSsLOKTNDoRWu8G3RSHkPqtjWV5ea7dJnJbgFOT59CzrOQLkhyNtUHEt3zP8bbffk-lon4VdHBtt5R2Tf5wxEGJzS6h2tqDNsSkH7Kptl6IjWDQ_M6Xr8rrGhqdj_uz0ME/s1600/welcome+summer+017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478329225971787538" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYdvBL8bcVymSsLOKTNDoRWu8G3RSHkPqtjWV5ea7dJnJbgFOT59CzrOQLkhyNtUHEt3zP8bbffk-lon4VdHBtt5R2Tf5wxEGJzS6h2tqDNsSkH7Kptl6IjWDQ_M6Xr8rrGhqdj_uz0ME/s400/welcome+summer+017.JPG" /></a> We can't wait to enjoy<br />the long hot days,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCabUrxQWS4p90_PbFlMXisDnzbvhzRXq2UDnt2B3zlAEwws8LMKSaVLmgWW_PlQRj1hWIaHy5vBoraTfTSx-fSvLvi78xiE14P7hYgdE6weg-FYCO18vLKTdwWSWuAVRxQElPfzxlmM/s1600/welcome+summer+001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478329214329818514" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimCabUrxQWS4p90_PbFlMXisDnzbvhzRXq2UDnt2B3zlAEwws8LMKSaVLmgWW_PlQRj1hWIaHy5vBoraTfTSx-fSvLvi78xiE14P7hYgdE6weg-FYCO18vLKTdwWSWuAVRxQElPfzxlmM/s400/welcome+summer+001.JPG" /></a> trips to the park,</div><div>time to play,<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrCCe_-5_MGxy_eKrE0RwutYjxdPJzHmU_ovug7RoUXRK6dH5o4chpk3rOQYee_aY1ctmYfqFnffpJ-2uRYFj9VjFXKxCyfzoeQxJz393j3o5a2qocS4MHJXh3_2EuAGMIBNwg4QVaUI/s1600/welcome+summer+021.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478329206765719698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrCCe_-5_MGxy_eKrE0RwutYjxdPJzHmU_ovug7RoUXRK6dH5o4chpk3rOQYee_aY1ctmYfqFnffpJ-2uRYFj9VjFXKxCyfzoeQxJz393j3o5a2qocS4MHJXh3_2EuAGMIBNwg4QVaUI/s400/welcome+summer+021.JPG" /></a> and all of the relaxing that we know</div><div>summer will bring.</div></div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-350801270674742160.post-24795785633272376602010-05-28T20:21:00.000-04:002010-05-28T20:35:25.847-04:00The Desires of My Heart<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8ZTVHJJyLj7aERiRvynhjOA9xk37W65qz4zEI1xZtBLKJ6XRIz_dbv-wsOW2bgYUucWy4jG4YA0BQVunoCnzZirCuxnlv7Zkjiaw6O-CnuVAaX1hy8DK8nbBpNupTyHRcq1ADxih7qc/s1600/friendly's+046.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476481783803873410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA8ZTVHJJyLj7aERiRvynhjOA9xk37W65qz4zEI1xZtBLKJ6XRIz_dbv-wsOW2bgYUucWy4jG4YA0BQVunoCnzZirCuxnlv7Zkjiaw6O-CnuVAaX1hy8DK8nbBpNupTyHRcq1ADxih7qc/s400/friendly's+046.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center"> I often think of the verse</div><div align="center">Psalm 37:4</div><div align="center">"Delight yourself in the Lord</div><div align="center">and He will give you the desires of your heart."</div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nXgLyzlEnrR6oXDhmznWDzdHJLLpafsTDj43MJQbqvlt_k1qMIT15EWboJ_5S62qbLvxbCIt3IWHBcHGU-Qbr7JiS090Ru2HzXEc5txsy3jTuIMtoZYGgISelKToN-MCZGDpHmpXb_4/s1600/friendly's+048.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476481775675120898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8nXgLyzlEnrR6oXDhmznWDzdHJLLpafsTDj43MJQbqvlt_k1qMIT15EWboJ_5S62qbLvxbCIt3IWHBcHGU-Qbr7JiS090Ru2HzXEc5txsy3jTuIMtoZYGgISelKToN-MCZGDpHmpXb_4/s400/friendly's+048.JPG" /></a> I am human, and I'm tempted to think of</div><div align="center">what I don't have, but the Lord is faithful</div><div align="center">and He reminds me of what I do have.</div><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3oLo8-v6uJhu3jyHWKzjp3MzQAIhTpC_7uHQbqV8mjYnIMi_NVNRZTK6BZypMNgLUOkUGGFRan3iRuWsMjknU1AZLnKHs5E1NVd7X1uSvQeUXiTrcdeQ6ZjS3ZFr844R0MdaS8OIM0s/s1600/friendly's+053.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476481762769500642" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA3oLo8-v6uJhu3jyHWKzjp3MzQAIhTpC_7uHQbqV8mjYnIMi_NVNRZTK6BZypMNgLUOkUGGFRan3iRuWsMjknU1AZLnKHs5E1NVd7X1uSvQeUXiTrcdeQ6ZjS3ZFr844R0MdaS8OIM0s/s400/friendly's+053.JPG" /></a></p><div align="center">I love the stories of our children. I love how God</div><div align="center">made them, protected them, and brought</div><div align="center">each of them into our hearts and our family.</div><div align="center">I love how God took something that could have been so </div><div align="center">tragic and turned it into something so beautiful, in</div><div align="center">the way that only He can. </div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10xub82z4mDYYCiuGQDLSYWjjxFd0k-jB7q5iOBmnNOqP1-1gRHpzshHxv37mHwj1Mjta7VYqxbZzXFIe-SltYm8BIuqC9oIK0ZWCHPh6riUmCQ7ryt7Aq1AH_8usvnf-eAudy6QX7t0/s1600/friendly's+058.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476481752736868114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg10xub82z4mDYYCiuGQDLSYWjjxFd0k-jB7q5iOBmnNOqP1-1gRHpzshHxv37mHwj1Mjta7VYqxbZzXFIe-SltYm8BIuqC9oIK0ZWCHPh6riUmCQ7ryt7Aq1AH_8usvnf-eAudy6QX7t0/s400/friendly's+058.JPG" /></a> My Lord is such a loving and merciful God. </div><div align="center">As I watch my children play, as I listen</div><div align="center">to them talk, as I hear their</div><div align="center">laughter and see their smiles, </div><div align="center">as I accept their hugs and kisses, I know one thing is true,</div><div align="center">my children are the desires of my heart.</div><div align="center">My Lord brought me each of them, and He has given</div><div align="center">me the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">privilege</span> of being their mother.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0