Haven't Found my Groove

School started 2 weeks ago, and I still haven't found my groove. I don't know what the problem is exactly, but I just don't feel like I'm on top of things the way I want to be. I feel really scattered these days. So...I'm going to take a blogging break for a few days, maybe a week, I'm not sure. I just need to cross blogging off of my mental "to-do" list for now.

Yesterday was a long and hard and busy day. The bright spot was the package that came in the mail yesterday afternoon from NavPress. These little goodies were inside.



John wrote these two Bible studies last fall. They're the follow-up studies to Living the Questions in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John that he wrote a couple of years ago. The next two books in the series (Phillipians & Colossians) come out later this year, or next. I'm not entirely sure. You can purchase them on Amazon, or from NavPress...if you're so inclined. I've even seen them at the Focus on the Family bookstore, and his parents said that some of his books were available at the Lifeway store in Little Rock. Cool, huh? I'm really proud of him, and I hope there is much more writing in his future.



Also in the package were these two Bible studies on marriage that he edited last year.

So...a nice surprise in the mail yesterday. It's always amazing for me to see the finished product! Congrats, honey! You did a great job.

I'll be back after my break, but for now, I'm off to play with Abbey. She's been doing crafty projects this afternoon (for school and for fun!) and now she's got Barbie-world all set up and is (impatiently) waiting on me. Adios, amigos.

COOL!

When I say "cool", I'm talking about the temperature. At the risk of making my friends and family in the South insanely jealous, I've gotta tell you that our HIGH temp today is 72 degrees...and we haven't even reached it yet. It is so nice outside right now. It's hovering around 64 degrees, and feeling much like fall. We'll be back in the 80s this weekend, so it's short-lived, but I'm enjoying the cool while it lasts! Wish I could bottle this cool air and send it to Arkansas! *sigh*

Proof that I'm the Least Observant Person on the Planet

Click here and take this little logo quiz. Because, like me, I'm sure you have nothing better to do with your time. And...just know that you can't possibly score any lower than me. I'm in the bottom 2%.

Goals...

Last spring, when we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of summer and the lazy days ahead, Sarah made a list of her goals for the summer. She did this completely on her own. She came to me one morning before school with her list. She wanted to learn to:

1. Blow dry her hair
2. Make a cake from scratch.
3. And learn how to fold a towel or blanket in "mid-air", meaning she didn't want to have to lay it on some sort of surface to fold it.

I was so impressed with her list. Isn't it great?

This summer, she got her very own, and very cute, pink blowdryer, and crossed #1 off her list. We never made a cake from scratch (unless the EZ Bake oven counts) but we made a few other desserts and she learned to do some other cooking as well, which she LOVED. And she did in fact learn to fold towels and blankets while holding them...without laying them down. As a bonus, she got to enjoy the satisfaction that comes from setting a goal and reaching it.

I also made a list (in my head) of some things I wanted to do this summer. And since Labor Day marks the end of summer, I spent a few minutes this morning thinking of how much got checked off...and surprisingly most of it did. Here is my list:

1. Read...a lot (check)
2. Scrapbook...a little (check)
3. Enjoy lazy days with my children (check)
4. Go swimming (check)
5. Go camping (check)
6. Go to a Sky Sox game (check)
7. Go to a Colorado Rockies game (we really tried...but the game we went to was the only rain out of the season!!!)
8. Go to Rocky Mountain National Park (check)
9. Hike...a lot (check)
10. Go on bike rides with the kids (check)
11. Take a picnic lunch to the park (check)
12. Clean out the basement
13. Let the kids have playdates and sleepovers (we did this a few times, but not enough!)
14. Go to the Denver Mint or Museum of Natural History
15. Ride the new Light Rail in Denver

So, I didn't do everything I wanted to do, but I did most of it, and I'm good with that. I'm hoping to go to a Rockies game next weekend to make up for #7. If I can persuade John to ride the light rail to the stadium, I might even knock out #15 too. We'll see.

9 More Days...

I'm getting so EXCITED! I love college football, especially Arkansas Razorback football, and I only have 9 more days to wait until the first game of the season. 9 more days. Just a little sad that the game isn't televised in my state, but thank goodness for the internet.

I'm also a little sad this year because it doesn't look like I'll make it to Arkansas for a game. I've been so fortunate that I've gotten to fly home for at least one Razorback game every year that we've lived here. Last year, Sarah and I went to a game in Little Rock and we literally ran into her best little friend from preschool and kindergarten. So crazy.

But this year, I'll have to be content listening online and catching the Hogs when they're nationally televised. I can live with that though. Woooo Pig Sooooie!

Domestic Diva

Remember all those apples I had a couple of weeks ago? Look what my friend and I made yesterday.



Jelly...I MADE JELLY. Homemade jelly. I am so stinkin' proud of myself for taking on such a domestic endeavor.

My friend came over yesterday morning and we made 3 batches of apple jelly. We each took home 9 jars. And it was way easier than I would have ever imagined. And way more fun having a friend to do it with. We're going to try again next week and make some more in smaller jars to give as gifts in December!

Still riding yesterday's domestic high, I let Abbey make a treat this afternoon from the Disney cookbook Sarah checked out at the library. She chose 101 Dalmation brownies...and I learned she's just as enthusiastic about helping in the kitchen as her big sister is. We had fun making these treats, and I'm sure they'll enjoy eating them even more!

A Camping We Will Go!

S'mores, a beautiful hike, good friends, campfire, lots of laughing, tents, lots of rain, leaky tent, sunshine, stars, cold nights and chilly mornings, warm sleeping bags, a beautiful creek, wet children and wet clothes, fleece, raingear, rocks, dirt, mushrooms, tears, latrines, hot chocolate, more s'mores, no mosquitos, no flies, and no bears (thank the lord!), worship around a campfire, the best campground host ever, Doritos, wildflowers, seven children, six girls, one boy (kudos to Will for being a great sport about it too!), singing, sweat, a burned finger, caves, coolers, more rain, hot dogs and hamburgers, hard ground and no sleeping bag pad, forgotten duffel bag, Uno, tarp and twine, lots of memories, and fun, fun, FUN! Can't wait to go back! Is next weekend too soon?


Abbey said this was her first s'more. I think she liked it, don't you?




Tent time!


Will got this cute t-shirt in Grand Lake...can you read it? It's funny!




Waiting out a huge downpour!








We didn't see any bears, but this sign might explain why I was worried. Our campground host, Mr. Tim, told us a few bear stories that didn't make it easy for me to sleep at night!

Go here to read what John wrote about our weekend!

stay tuned...

*UPDATE* I don't know how to edit the photos so that I can post them. And I don't have time this week to install and learn Photoshop. I'm sure the grandparents are the only ones who really mind!

This afternoon I posted some kindergarten pics, pics of the first day of school yesterday, and pics of my placemats.

What I didn't realize is that Abbey's nametag showing her first AND last name was in the photo...very visibly. That freaks me out a little a lot. I tried to edit the post and for some reason my changes weren't showing up on blogger...so I deleted the post. Sorry about that.

We're about to leave for our camping trip, and I don't have time to figure this out now. So stay tuned...I'll fix it upon return, and you can see my sweetie pie on her first day of kindergarten. But here's the placemats...



Don't look too closely...I'm learning, and I'm NOT a perfectionist. I made six, but have two more to stitch. I've had such a busy week that I haven't had time or energy to finish it up. I made them reversible and the back side is just a simple camel colored-print. I haven't washed them yet, but I'm hoping the edges will fray in the wash. I may have to cut them to fray. I don't know. Any crafty advice? And don't they look great on my round table???


Enjoy your weekend!

We hit the ground running...

Whew! It's 10:30am and it's already been a full morning. Today was Will and Sarah's first day of school. They woke up early and we had a great morning. John stuck around a while this morning and went with me to take them to school. Would you believe I didn't even cry one tear? That is a first for me! But, um, tomorrow when Abbey starts, that probably won't be the case. If you ask her what her mommy is going to do when she goes to kindergarten, she'll roll her eyes and tell you that I'm going to cry. So true I'm afraid! So true.

Yesteday we met their teachers and we're just so thankful! I LOVED Will's teacher last year, and Sarah is in her class THIS year. So, so happy about that! Will's teacher this year is great too. And Abbey's seems very nice and just what you'd picture a kindergarten teacher to be. Again, that is huge answer to our prayers! I think we're off to a great start!

I have to leave in a few minutes to take Abbey to get one more immunization. She has to have 2 chicken pox shots, and she's only had one, so we're both going to be really brave and let our favorite nurse give her the shot she needs. Ouch! The only thing I hate worse than seeing a needle inserted into my own skin is seeing one of my babies get a shot. I've promised her she could pick something out at the toy store afterwards...and she's so hyped about that. Sarah reminded Abbey (and me!) a few weeks ago that when she and Will finished their first day of kindergarten, mommy let them pick out a toy ($5 Rescue Hero) and she enlightened Abbey about that "tradition". I'd really forgotten that we did that and really wasn't planning on repeating it, but I think getting a shot deserves something, don't you?

And...have I mentioned we're going camping with some friends this weekend? Should be lots of fun. We really haven't camped since Abbey was a baby, and I don't know if that really qualifies as "camping" because it was 10 miles from our house and I got to sleep with Abbey in our friends' air-conditioned RV. This will be equally fun, but way more rustic. I have to say I'm a little freaked out about bears. We're heading into black bear country, and I'm not sure if our site has a bear box. Just a little nervous about that. Just a little. Actually, we're not even sure about our campsite. The place we had hoped to go was full, and our second choice doesn't take reservations, so our friends are going up after lunch tomorrow to try to secure a spot for us. Should be very interesting, but should be very, very fun! Abbey and I are shopping this afternoon for our food and snacks, and John and I are planning to pack tonight so we can leave tomorrow afternoon. I have SO much to do!

The countdown begins...

2 more days until school starts for us...

I'm a little worried because two of my three children woke up this morning about 8:30am. In two days, we'll be leaving for school at 8:30 am. And at least one of my children is a slow mover. Thursday and Friday might be interesting.

We found out yesterday who our children's teachers are. So thrilled about that! Will and Sarah both got the teachers they were hoping for, and I'm so grateful. Both are wonderful teachers, and both are Christians. John and I have been praying about their teachers all summer, and I think that once again God abundantly answered our prayers. We're happy and optimistic that this will be another great year. We'll get to meet Abbey's teacher tomorrow. She's new to our school this year, but we've heard some really good things about her.

I keep forgetting to mention that I have a new job. I start Thursday as well. I'll be keeping one of Will's best buddies every morning. He'll come about 7am, eat breakfast with us, and play with Will until we leave for school. And I get $10/day. Easy money. I'm excited about having some "mad money" and Will is excited that he gets to play with his friend every single day. Seriously, "C" is a great kid, and one of the most well-behaved of Will's friends. He's a funny kid too and makes me laugh every time he's over, so this should be a fun adventure for all of us.

Today is full of errands and such. Will broke his crocs yesterday afternoon, and so we're off to replace them. Also need to gather a few more supplies for school, and stop by Barnes and Noble. Sarah desparately wants to spend her money on the soundtrack to High School Musical 2 that comes out today, so that's on the list as well. All three of my kids are dying to see the High School Musical 2 movie that premieres on Disney on Friday, but we don't have cable, so we're hoping to distract them with a camping trip this weekend. More about that later...

And oh, I made my placemats. I'll post some pictures of those later too...gotta run!

Last Summer Playdate

I thought last week that we'd had our last "official" playdate of summer. In fact, I told my kids last week that was the end. But when my friend-who-just-got-a-teaching-job (boohoo!) asked if I'd be up for watching her two kiddos today, I said, Yes, I absolutely would! Her kids are terrific.

So TODAY is our last official playdate of the summer. Okay, who am I kidding? We have stuff planned tomorrow and Wednesday with friends too. And school starts Thursday. It's just a big party week really!

Anyway, I love having Kathryn and James over because they're kids who KNOW HOW TO PLAY. That may sound really weird, but believe me, there are kids who come to our house that don't know how to play! They want to watch movies, or play video games, and in my book that's not playing. If I say nope, sorry guys, then they whine that they're "bored". And sure, it's easier to turn on the tv or let 'em play Super Mario for hours, but I want my kids to know how to be kids. I want them to know how to create their own entertainment rather than being entertained.

And that's what they're doing right now. The boys are building a lego skateboard park, the girls are in the basement playing "restaurant", and they've already been outside playing hopscotch and jumping rope. I love hearing them too...they're having a great time and laughing...and being kids! That's exactly the sound I want to hear these last few days of summer. It is music to my ears!

normally a title would go here

Several of you have emailed asking if we have a dog yet. No, not yet. We're praying still and talking and it will happen...probably within the next month.

And about those placemats I'm going to make. I still want to make them, but haven't found the right fabric yet. I've been to Walmart and Hobby Lobby, but they didn't have what I was looking for. I've polled some friends, and they've all said I need to make a trip to Jo-Ann's. Unfortunately, I have to drive 35 minutes north or east and I haven't found time to make that happen...so therefore the placemat project is on hold. I promise to show you the finished project when I get them finished!

Yesterday afternoon, Sarah and I made an apple crisp and it was delicious. We had it for dessert last night and there is NONE left. I don't normally make dessert, so I can't even begin to tell you how excited my children were! Sarah did great and she's trying to figure out what to make next. I don't know if you can tell from the picture of the apples, but they're super small. It took me 30 minutes to cut 5 cups of apples...and I didn't even peel them! It was tedious, but worth every minute of time it took!

Our weekend is looking pretty uneventful. I'm thankful since it's the last one before school starts. We need to do some shopping (tennis shoes, clothes, etc) and I'm hoping to head to Denver...because the mall is close to Jo-Ann's! I still have the crafty urge and I really think I need to act on it before it passes me by permanently!

Wow!

I got an email a little while ago from John with a link to this video. WOW. You've gotta watch it too! It's a little over 5 minutes long.

*And you might wanna grab a Kleenex*

Up to My Eyeballs in Apples

Yesterday I was chatting with my friend on her front porch swing when her daughter ran up and asked if they could pick apples. Their neighbor has a beautiful apple tree and has invited her children to pick as many as they want. So each of my children and each of hers (seven in all) grabbed a bowl and set out to fill it. Their harvest was plentiful, let me tell ya! I've got apples galore.

I put some in this bowl this morning, but I have enough to fill 4-5 bowls, and I only took about 1/4 of what the kids picked yesterday! So now I've got to figure out what to do with this many apples. I don't like apple sauce, and neither do my children, so that isn't an option. I'm going to pull out my favorite cookbooks a little later and search for some new things to try. I think I've got enough apples for a pie, some muffins, and maybe a few more recipes too! Ideas, anyone?

Can a Recluse be an Extrovert?

I've been asking myself this question lately. I have serious reclusive tendencies. I can stay at home for a string of days without seeing or talking to a single soul and actually enjoy it. I crave quiet and solitude.

But...I am an extrovert. I'm not shy and I love to talk (really? you ask with smirk.) Put me in a group of people and I will get to know and probably enjoy every single person I meet. People energize me. They can wear me out too, but mostly, they energize me.

As much as I love people though, I've isolated myself a lot this summer. Sometimes intentionally, sometimes not. It's the recluse in me. And I've enjoyed some quiet and some space that I've needed.

But...all good things must come to an end, right?

The last two days I've been in the equivalent of extrovert heaven. Tuesday night I had dinner with a new friend, one I've only known in the bloggy realm. We "met" a couple of months ago, and realized that we live in the same town, our kids go to the same school, and one year our children were even in the same class. So, I asked if she wanted to get together for dinner. I haven't had a "moms night out" in a very long time, and she said yes. So we met at Chilis and talked until it closed. And it was so good for my heart! Holly is great, and you should read her blog sometime...she'll get you to thinking! And she posts some great pictures of Colorado. I'm so glad to have a new friend!

When I got home that night I realized how really reclusive I've been this summer, and how much I've missed my friends. I wonder if God was easing me gently out of my cocoon because yesterday I ran into friend after friend after friend. And I loved it.

I took the girls for their back-to-school haircuts and ran into a friend I enjoyed getting to know last year. We chatted while our kids got their trims, but we still have a lot of catching up to do.

And then I saw another friend in the library and so we just popped in to say hello and ended up talking for 45 minutes (and not quietly enough for the library I'm afraid!). As I was leaving I ran into Holly, who I had just had dinner with the night before, and we talked again, but ever so briefly. After lunch, we drove to another friend's house to swap girls for a playdate and we ended up talking on her front porch swing for over an hour. And if you think it ends there, forget it...I came home and another friend called to catch up. She told me she just got a teaching job. I'm very sad about it too because she's a close friend and we've always enjoyed doing stuff together while our kids were in school. Things are going to be quite different for both of us this year, but I'm very happy for her.

I spent some serious "people energy" yesterday. And that's probably why I fell asleep at 8:30 on the sofa. And probably why I grunted and rolled over when John tried to wake me up to come to bed.

And probably why I'm planning a nice, quiet day at home today. I need it if I'm going to catch my breath from the friend frenzy of yesterday.

So what do you think? Can one be a recluse AND an extrovert? Or am I an anomaly?

This is really happening, and I am really sad

My youngest is starting kindergarten next week. We got the "official" letter in the mail today with her teacher's name, and instructions for the open house, and a big teddy bear name tag to wear on her first day. And wow...it just struck me that this is really happening. Kindergarten. My youngest child. I'm not sure I'm ready for this...

I was sad when Will and Sarah started kindergarten too. But Abbey is our last child, and somehow this feels a little different.

She's very excited and a little nervous about next week. I know she'll do fine, and her mama will too (despite a few hundred tears). I'm planning a mommy date with her later this week to go buy her school supplies and some new tennis shoes and other school stuff. And maybe an ice cream cone on the way home. She loves that. And I'll savor the day with my sweet, sweet Abbey.

I'm Feeling Kinda Crafty

I am so not the crafty type. Really, I'm not. Scrapbooking is about as crafty as I get.

Lately though I've been inspired by some of my crafty friends, and this afternoon I went to the basement and retrieved my *new and still in the box* sewing machine.



I got this sewing machine for Christmas back in 2001. The reason I know that is because I pulled out my scrapbooks this evening and looked through all the Christmas pages until I found the year that I received this lovely gift. I'm meticulous about journaling, and many a mystery has been solved by looking back through our albums.

Anyway, would you believe that I have NEVER used this sewing machine? Not once.

However, it has been used, twice in fact, just not by me.

John used it once to make a kilt. You heard me correctly. John made a kilt. When we lived in Arkadelphia, one of our favorite 5K races was the Dam Nite Run at Lake DeGray. It was a downhill race over the DeGray dam. It's always at the end of July, and it is always at night, and it is always hotter than hot. One year, he challenged all the men in our Sunday school group to run it together. Then he upped the ante and challenged them all to run in kilts. As Team Braveheart. And then one of the men MADE HIS OWN KILT and challenged the other men to do the same, so they had a little sewing nite and used a pattern to make their man skirts. And they ran in them proudly that night despite the very strange looks they received. Unfortunately for you all, my scanner isn't working and so I can't produce photographic evidence for you. You'll have to trust me that it was a sight to behold.

My mother-in-law used my sewing machine once when she was here to help us make a partition for our basement. And she tried another time to help me make some curtains, but we couldn't get it threaded or something, so it's been in the box ever since...until today.

I pulled it out this afternoon because I am determined to teach myself to sew. I want to make some placemats for my round table (because rectanglular ones just don't work) and I saw a cute idea this week on another girl's blog. And I want to make a shower curtain for my bathroom. I took home economics in 7th grade and I really believe I can do this. Don't ask me how many years it's been since 7th grade...but if I figured it out as a 13-year-old, then certainly I can figure it out now.

Sarah and Abbey were fascinated with the sewing machine and with my determination. I got the bobbin wound and the machine threaded and practiced some stitching on some felt squares the girls had in their craft drawer. They were mesmerized and dreaming out loud about all the things they wanted me to make.

So tomorrow at some point, I'm hoping to actually purchase some fabric and play around until I feel confident that I can tackle a project without totally screwing it up. Stay tuned...I'm hoping to finish those placemats before the weekend.

Together Again

John is home...finally! He left last Sunday for Santa Fe, NM. He's been there all week attending the Glen Workshop. He had a great time and got to enjoy beautiful Santa Fe, but we're so glad he's back home. It's just not the same around here without him.

Our week without him was pretty uneventful. The kids and I made two library runs, a grocery shopping trip, and one night we went to pick up a pizza. Other than that, we didn't leave the house, and it was wonderful. Soon enough we'll be back in the school groove and our activity will itensify. And I'm not really looking forward to that because I prefer a slow, slow pace of life. I'm really praying about my fall schedule and what activities I should choose to fill my calendar space. I know that if I'm not intentional about what I commit to, I will end up frazzled. There are so many good things to do--Bible study, volunteering at school, etc, but I'm asking God to show me what is best.

Because we've stayed close to home this week, and because John missed eating the yummy New Mexican cuisine at The Shed in Santa Fe, we're going to our favorite mexican place for dinner tonight! Can't wait! S & T...so sorry you can't join us...we'll be sure to eat plenty for you guys.

John had my camera with him this week in Santa Fe, so I'll leave you with some of the photos he took, and with some of our vacation pictures I didn't get downloaded before he left with the camera! Enjoy your weekend!

peanut butter and crackers

I came into the kitchen a little while ago looking for some lunch. Lunch is probably my least favorite meal of the day. I don't care for sandwiches, I loathe them in fact. So that means I have to get creative for lunch options.

I opened the fridge and realized I really need to go to the grocery store. There weren't any leftovers because I haven't really cooked this week, and nothing else in there looked appealing, so I opened the freezer. No Lean Cuisines or frozen burritos or anything appealing there either. So I moved to the pantry and it hit me in an instant! I grabbed the Town House crackers and then went back to the fridge for the peanut butter. And the Dr. Pepper.

I don't usually buy soda, but we ordered pizza one night this week, and in a moment of weakness, I bought a 2-liter of Dr. Pepper. My favorite. It is so good with pizza. And such a treat for me.

So I sat and ate my lunch of peanut butter and crackers with ice cold Dr. Pepper and in an instant I was ten years old sitting at a table in the house of my youth eating peanut butter and crackers with ice cold Dr. Pepper and watching the Partridge Family on tv after school. That is the memory I have every time I enjoy that particular food combination. Every single time.

My peanut butter today was organic, and I poured my DP from plastic rather than drinking it cold from the bottle, and if I had turned on our television, I'd have been more likely to find Court TV or Days of Our Lives than the Partridge family, but that's okay. I enjoyed the best lunch I've had in a long time...and decided that I really need to hide a few cans of DP out in the garage so that next time I'm craving some lunch nostalgia, I'll have the perfect combination!

Dog Days of Summer

Our kids have been wanting a dog forever. And I really do mean forever. I can't remember a time that they weren't asking for one. Sometimes the asking turns to begging, and that has been the case this summer. And I can't say we didn't ask for it. In an attempt to put them off a little, John told them last summer, that we could get a dog this summer.

Before I go any further, let me assure you that I have nothing against dogs. I like 'em. I don't love them the way some people do, but I like them. It's just that our house is really small, and I'm unsure about keeping one inside. And we live in Colorado, where it gets cold and snows a lot, and so I just don't know how a dog would do outside. I'm just so wishy-washy about the whole thing.

Their asking begging has intensified this week, and they've completely worn us down in the dog department, so it looks like we'll be getting a dog soon. One morning before John left, he told them to make a list of the dogs they like. It was a collaborative effort, and this is the list of breeds they came up with.



Yesterday morning I was reading on my bed, and I could hear them talking across the hallway about dogs, of course. They were in Will's room looking at his daily dog calendar, and these are some highlights of their conversation:

W: Oh, Sarah, look at this one.

S: It's adorable.

A: Yeh, it's adorable, let's get one of those.

All in unison: Awwwwwww, they're all so cute.

S: Should we get an inside dog, or an outside dog?

Long pause.

A: How about an inside AND outside dog?

All: Yeh, great idea!

W: I like this one with the sleek, black fur. (He gets bonus points with mom for using the word sleek!)

S: What should we name our dog when we get one?

A: How about Rocky?

S: No, and we all have to agree on a name.

W: We'll have to take a family vote.

And I think you get the picture. Seriously, the dog talk is non-stop.

We made a quick run to the library yesterday afternoon, and guess what kind of books they all checked out?



And sat and looked at them together for over an hour last night, while saying things like:

A: We'll have to brush our dog when we get it. Can I have that job?

W: Sure, but we can all brush him sometimes.

S: Did you know puppies have to eat 4 times a day? How will we feed him when we're at school?

W: Mom will do it for us.

Exactly! So John and I have talked about it and yeah, a dog is in our future. I think it might actually be a good thing. John travels some for his job and I think a dog would make me feel a little more secure in his absence. And Will feels left out sometimes because he's the only boy in our family, and a dog is a lot less work than a brother would be! Smile.



So our plan is to rescue a dog from the pound or the Humane Society, and bring it home and give it a lot of love and attention. John and I have started praying about the dog "for us" because we believe he/she is out there somewhere and probably needs us as much as we need him/her. So I'll keep you posted about our new addition...exciting stuff for sure!

Some Inspiration for Ya!

A few days ago, my bloggy friend, Trish gave me this award.


I find it surprising that anyone would find what I say on this blog inspiring, but rather than debate it, I'll just accept her nod graciously. Thank you, Trish. Trish lives in Arkansas and we have a lot in common, including loving the Razorbacks (and Colorado!). We met in the blog-o-spere, and I'm glad to call her my friend.

So the rules for receiving this award include passing it on to 5 other inspirational bloggers. That's not an easy thing to do because there are so many to choose from.

After some thought here are five bloggers I find inspiring:

1. Kecia Kecia is a friend of mine from college and her husband was in seminary when John was in seminary (we went to church together there). Her family is in the process of moving and they are trusting God to work out a lot of details, big and small, with unwavering faith...and that inspires me.

2. Angie Angie is another college friend, and she and her family are missionaries in Mozambique. She inspires me by her commitment to give up the luxuries of life in the US (like Starbucks and Sonic) and raise her children while serving Jesus in Africa.

3. Debra I don't personally know Debra, but I wish I did. She and her family are journeying into the unknown right now, and though I'm sure they're fearful at times, she resonates peace. The peace that comes from knowing her Father has a glorious plan for her.

4. Holly I discovered not long ago that Holly lives very close to me...like five miles away. Our children go to the same school, and two of our children were actually in the same class a couple years ago. It's a small, small world. Holly writes great posts that really make me stop and think about how Jesus is working in my life. She is a Jesus-lover, and it shows in all she says and does.

5. Leahbelle Leahbelle is another friend I met in the blog-o-sphere, and I'm inspired by her life and faith as well. She's been vacationing in the Rockies and has some amazing vacation photos to post. And who isn't inspired by the mountains in all their splendor?

Thanks again, Trish!