tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38770504376377381642024-03-12T19:46:32.384-07:00Only One Life"Only one life...'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last."Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.comBlogger140125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-59562779537007922332014-07-11T12:07:00.000-07:002014-07-29T17:39:46.030-07:00A Senior Piano Recital and a little catching up.....I am so sorry to be so long in posting! Just a little something to post Mitchell's Senior Piano Recital video. Also... I have been remiss in posting about making my final weight loss goal but I did meet my goal of 80 lbs. and have actually exceeded it by a few pounds as I reset the goal to 85... more to come on that later!<br />
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We are SO thankful for the opportunity to have a fun Senior Recital for Mitchell. He has worked so hard over the years on piano and the evening was a highlight for him. We thank the Lord for the talent He has given Mitchell and the blessing it has been to our family. May he always excel still more!<br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-72230130227124570342014-05-11T23:19:00.001-07:002014-05-11T23:19:52.162-07:00Some thoughts on Mother's Day .... <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: small;">Just a little of my own thoughts on motherhood taken from a baby shower devotional I did a couple years ago. Thanks for letting me share a little window into my heart. Hope all of you mothers had a wonderful day.... I sure did! <i class="_4-k1 img sp_yDPiW61Tb3e sx_52ea29"></i><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"> One of our most precise goals of mothering is to point our children to Christ. He has not given us our children solely to fulfill our desires for a family, but r</span><span class="text_exposed_hide"><span style="font-size: small;">...</span></span></span><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">ather He has given us our children for His glory in our lives and in theirs. Within the role of mothering lies the weighty and tremendous responsibility of sharing the gospel with our children not just in word, but in deed. Our first mission field as mothers lies within our own home and often our hardest mission field as mothers lies within our own home. Our children know well our sinfulness, weaknesses and difficulties. They can also know intimately our sorrow over our sin; our repentance and they can be privy to our humble heart in asking for their forgiveness. Within the heart of how we mother them we can encourage and instruct them to learn to live humbly, gracefully, in deference and unity, and with a sincere desire to serve others. This is not motherly wisdom imparted by words alone but most aptly spoken from the core of our day to day actions. <br /></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> In the midst of diapering, cooking, nurturing, cleaning, matching socks, kissing booboo’s, discipleship, tears, laughter, taking the time to dig into the hearts of our children, grief over sin, another round of dishes, reading, providing discipline, late and long conversations, long hours spent in the car, and the countless other tasks required of a mother, we might not completely see the “measure of our work” right before our eyes, but it is there. It is there not only for us to see in this world, but it is there for eternity. These moments, multiply themselves one upon the next to produce the molding and shaping in the lives of our children both for here and eternity. Whether it is through a joyful heart in our daily tasks, a tender word in nurturing our children, forgiveness sought when we have wronged them, each of these days are occasions to reach our children’s hearts and they carry multiple opportunities to point them back to Christ. <br /></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> I am reminded of the verse in Matthew regarding being faithful in the small things…. Matthew 25:23 says…. His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’<br /></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: small;">I can too quickly forget that thousands of routine moments in our days hold great significance in the lives of our children. Life is not always made in the grand moments. It is in my kind and gentle response in the little moments that are critically important to our children. If my way is tender and my heart desiring to serve in the insignificant times, then prayerfully I have a better opportunity to influence them in the bigger and more essential issues of life. <br /></span><span style="font-size: small;"> We desire first that our children would know Christ. We devote ourselves to them. We disciple, discipline and direct them. We share the gospel in word and deed with them. We pray fervently for them. We strive to be the mother God intends for us to be. We have high hopes and imagine all the marvelous things that our children will be and do. We look for God’s blessing on the lives of our children. We plan our work and work our plan. All of this is good. But, do we recognize that who they are and what they will become is already safely wrapped in God’s sovereign plan? In possibly our most important act of service, do we turn them over to the Savior for safekeeping? As they grow into men and women they will make their own choices. Despite our years of investment some will choose to live their life in faith and some will not. We must be reminded that we are just a character in the book of the story that God has written for their lives. Our role is significant and purposeful. Our season with them is a chapter, a beautiful addition to the theme of who they will become. But we did not write the story. There is only one Author of Life who crafted the beautiful narrative of their lives from beginning to end. While we get the privilege of being a part of God’s master manuscript for their lives, we must not hold the book too tightly. We must always be willing to relinquish not only who the character becomes but how the story ends into the hands of the loving and sovereign Author of Life.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span>Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-19468137295843836642014-01-28T09:50:00.002-08:002014-01-28T10:10:08.098-08:00January 15, 1994By God's grace, the first and most important decision of my life and most precious eternal gift happened in July 1993 when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. By God's grace, the second most important decision and the most precious earthly gift I have received happened 20 years ago yesterday. On January 15, 1994, before God, I married my dearest and best friend. He was 20 and I was 19 and God has grown us up together in Him. Some years were pressing, some extra sweet, but all of them have been precious to me. I love you Chad, more than my heart could ever express and I will thank God for you always, until my very last breath.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">It's a little late but I was having trouble with Blogger ... better late than never! :-) </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">We had the </span><b style="text-align: start;"><i>sweetest week ever </i></b><span style="text-align: start;">off together in a condo on Solana Beach. Lots of beach time, running, relaxing, dinner with Andrew & Abbie and a visit with Grandma Alden & Aunt Leah! </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">We are thanking the Lord for His kindness to us in our time away. </span></div>
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Sunset run :-)</div>
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</span></span></span>Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-25041584900340500442013-12-30T09:44:00.000-08:002013-12-30T09:49:17.592-08:00Trans- Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve SarajevoChristmas Day entertainment from Mitchell! :-) To his credit he isn't thrilled that I would post this as he insists it is not performance ready but Momma trumped on this one. :-) Aunt Susie and Grandma Hixon... this is for you!<br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-14326724469224606832013-12-23T08:56:00.001-08:002013-12-23T08:59:48.213-08:00Three Years<br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Absent</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> …. <i><span style="color: #333333;">from
the body, my sweet Gigi is present with her Lord and Savior. Three years ago
today, at 5:30 in the morning, surrounded by family, and hand in hand with the
man she had faithfully loved for 64 years, my dear Gigi stepped into eternity.
Her faith became sight, she sorrowed no more. <o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I will say again what I said when I
marked 2 years and will probably think for years to come.<i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">In some ways these 3 years have gone so quickly and at other
times the moments have seemed to drag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cannot imagine what these last years have been like for my Gigi. In Heaven with
all its splendor, glory, and beauty and being face to face with her Savior; I
can hardly wrap my mind around it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Three years in Heaven is not even a dot on the page in the book of
eternity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To see the physical realities
of the faith you treasured, what an amazing hope we have in Christ.<u1:p> <o:p></o:p></u1:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">I miss having Gigi in the kitchen with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years she taught me to cook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was the consummate hostess and passed on to
me her desire to show love through food. I miss having her living example,
but will always have the legacy, of how she selflessly loved her husband. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss how Gigi cried every time she spoke of
her daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He died when she was 14. I
miss the sounds and smells of them living in our home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss sharing Christmas with them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hard part is living with the familiarity
of what once was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are still here, in
this home we shared with them, and while many things are much the same they are
so very, very different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss seeing
both Gigi and Papa with our children; they each took so much joy and delight in
the lives of those around them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved
watching Chad and the kids help them both to the table for dinner. I
miss having every one of our dining chairs full.</span><i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Once again, we will have Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins
tonight for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A funny memorial
dinner isn’t it? Definitely not because that was all she could cook … no
way!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was an amazing cook!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We really could be having Stuffed Mushrooms,
homemade pasta, Italian Chicken or steak and spaghetti with oil and vinegar
salad, Manicotti or one of my favorite birthday dinners she used to make me as
an adult …. Calzones!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was a
masterful cook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, we are having Top
Ramen and Garlic English Muffins because that is what the children remember
most that she made for Papa and for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The years they lived with us she didn’t cook much at all but Papa loved
Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins, and she loved Papa, so she made him those
as often as she could in the early years of living with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mitchell and Isabelle especially have
memories of slipping next door to the trailer and joining Papa and Gigi for a
lunch of Top Ramen and Garlic English Muffins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Silly dinner I know, but it fits the memories and gives us a little part
of Gigi for the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">Last
year I was still having a hard time looking at their photos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recently, for the first time since her
memorial service, I was able to watch the slideshow we played at her service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought I would share it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the photos and memories associated
with them and I love, love, love the music it plays to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tennessee Ernie Ford singing the old Hymns
was a favorite of Papa and Gigi’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
played those CD’s for them for days on end, literally for months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>William and JD still love the CD’s and they
are part of what they listen to every night as they are drifting off to
sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every song brings a flood of memories
for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Tennessee sings those
beautiful words, I can see them and what our lives were together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bittersweet memories I will treasure
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-3801679595900334902013-10-24T08:46:00.000-07:002013-11-02T07:39:29.300-07:00Summer Birthdays....Better Late than Never<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Summer has come and gone and so have a couple of our family birthdays!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t ask why I am so late in posting these,
because I really don’t know how they got away from me! </span><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mitchell turned 17 and we celebrated with a family dinner of
his choice…. Pulled Pork Sandwiches, some sides I honestly can’t remember now,
and homemade Moo-wiches! Mitchell is fast becoming a man and my momma’s heart
is beginning to feel the reality of the fact that this maturity will inevitably
come quicker than we can imagine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh the
tension of wanting to see him grow and holding onto that little boy I used to
snuggle so often. He is a senior in HS this year and enjoying his second year
in the Running Start program at our local Tech College.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still greatly enjoys being a Police Explorer and we are so proud of him as he won the TOP Selections Cadet at his last Explorer Academy this summer. He continues to LOVE his piano and is working hard in
anticipation of his Senior Recital in the spring and he has a great job at a
local diesel shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our prayer for
Mitchell is that his heart will always remain tender to the ways and workings
of the Lord in his life. We are so proud of him and look forward to seeing what
God will do in his life and where he will lead him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">We acquired a second teenager in the house this summer!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teenage girl aspect is certainly new to us but we have greatly enjoyed it! She is still a sweet little girl in so many ways but it has been a joy to begin to see a true young lady blossom inside of her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thirteen is a big deal and of course it called for a party.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had a blast with a few of her dear friends and made some precious memories. She is in 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> grade this year and while we anticipated that the middle school years could sometimes be hard, we have been blessed and are so thankful for the young ladies in her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We look forward to the years to come and to see how God can strengthen them into lifelong friends. The girls played a game where they were paired off and had to apply makeup to their partner while blindfolded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They laughed, actually we all laughed so hard… it was the best teenage girl game! Our prayer for Isabelle remains the same as Mitchell’s, that her heart will always remain tender to the ways and workings of the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are so proud of her and are looking forward to the remaining teen years with her.</span> </span><br />
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Umm.... I am pretty sure Isabelle and Hannah did not place first for proper make up application! </div>
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Actually Danica and Colby didn't do too bad compared to Isabelle and Hannah!<br />
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My guess is that Caroline and Payton won! They did a great job for being blindfolded! </div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-1217136838258872232013-10-02T08:11:00.001-07:002013-10-02T15:23:44.344-07:00Good Morning Papa<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It has been 2 years since you entered Heaven. You were first
in my thoughts this morning when I woke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I cannot truly fathom what it must be like for you, how complete your
joy must be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love you more than words
can say.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still stand in “Papa &
Gigi’s” part of the house and see you both there. Sometimes I go where your bed
was and just stare, recalling what it was like to bend down and kiss your
forehead and remember the smell of your skin. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I miss hearing your voice say, “I love you
precious girl” yet I cannot bring myself to play the video I took of you
speaking those words to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight, in
honor of you, we will have steak & eggs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We will take time around the table to share what we loved about
you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for being who you were
and giving us truly the most precious and excellent example of what a godly husband
and father should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for
investing in my life, Chad’s life and each one of our children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will miss you every day of my life until I
see you again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Love, <br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-8491576713425485862013-06-13T09:10:00.001-07:002013-06-13T09:48:13.636-07:0040<br />
Not in pounds but in years...Yesterday we got to celebrate Chad's 40th! We
actually celebrated twice for this special birthday, once with a SPAM party
last week and then just with our little family last night. Thankfully he did
not request SPAM again for last night's dinner. :-)<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Chad
LOVES SPAM…yikes! In fact did you know there is a SPAM Museum in
Minnesota?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately Chad has added
it to our list of stops for our cross country trip next Fall! </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Did you know
there are lots of recipe’s and ways to use SPAM??<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Last week I made SPAM “cupcakes” and SPAM
buns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “cupcakes” were simply mini
SPAM/hamburger meatloaves with mashed potato “frosting” and SPAM buns is a
friend’s recipe and honestly I have to say I could eat the SPAM buns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The SPAM buns are grated SPAM, Sweet Baby
Rays BBQ sauce (the original recipe calls for ketchup but Chad doesn’t eat
ketchup) and garlic salt all mixed together then you top a potato roll with the
SPAM mixture and grated cheese then broil them for a couple minutes and WALA …
you actually have edible SPAM... it tastes like pulled pork! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
dessert we had Lazy Daisy Cake that Isabelle made and I made a Beer and Bacon
Ice Cream Sundae Toffee Sauce that is poured over vanilla ice cream and topped
with bacon crumbles, toasted pecans and sea salt!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No worries… all the beer cooks out </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> It actually
turned out quite good, better than I expected!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Last
night his dinner of choice was chicken fried steak with country gravy, homemade
biscuits and eggs. He finished off the evening with a Bourbon Cherry Rhubarb
Pie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gee… I think I am starting to see a pattern
here with alcohol </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">… JK... honestly it cooks out and
it is just the flavor left! I guess he has no worries about clogging any
arteries at this point! </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Hard
to believe my precious husband is 40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
sat around the dining room table last night as the children and myself
spoke of all the things we love about
Daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His kindness and patience, how he
takes the time to teach them, his wrestling and tickle fights, how he is a good
example of being a Godly husband and father and much more. It was precious to
hear the children speak and a gift all in itself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I love this man God has given me more than I can rightly express.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am blessed that he unconditionally loves
me, he is patient with my impatience, he is tender, longsuffering, sacrificial
and unassuming. He is a special man who gives his all for another and loves his
Savior with his whole heart. These years have gone quickly as we have grown up
together. I pray the Lord will bless me with the gift of many more years
with Chad as I have much to learn from this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<br />Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-26817031570750561902013-05-25T08:24:00.002-07:002013-05-25T09:14:48.440-07:00Spring Recital<br />
Mitchell's end of the year recital was held on Wednesday night and how enjoyable it was! What we love is that there are so many young men in our church who love to play the piano and they all encourage and challenge one another to excell still more! <br />
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<strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">Future Piano Guys??? :-)</span></em></strong></div>
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The first song Mitchell played was a duet with his friend Tommy. Tommy is an incredible violin player. He and his sister do a Vivaldi piano/violin duet that is outstanding ...I love to hear him play! He kindly agreed to accompany Mitchell on this first one, <strong><em>River Flows in You</em></strong> by Yiruma. <em><strong>River Flows in You</strong></em> is hands down one of my favorite songs Mitchell plays, it is beautiful! It is the song he played solo (no violin) for the <em>Sunday @ 3</em> concert series at the Jansen Arts Center last Sunday. </div>
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The second song is a different story! He changed his song from another piece to this one on Sunday... yes.... 3 days before the recital! He was originally slated to play his Rachmaninoff piece he has worked on for months...literally months! He has worked so hard on that song with much success but even after hundreds of hours working on it there was still this one part in the middle section of the song he has never been able to master. He realized that as much as he wanted to play that song it would not be without a difficult middle section so he decided to change. His teacher, Mrs. VandenBos is such a gem and wants the students to have fun and was all for him changing his song, even last minute! In fact she said if he changed his mind yet again and wanted to improv when he got up there then go for it! Straight away he began memorizing the second song, <strong><em>Racing Against the Sunset</em></strong> by Phillip Wesley. He altered the song a bit and only played 7 of the 10 pages but did pretty well in quick memorization. It is his pet peeve to bring music up to the piano during a recital as he holds himself to pretty high standards on memorization. This time around though since he had so little time for prep. he was open to the suggestion of bringing up one little part of his sheet music up there. He had just a little bit of the music prior to the key change that he had yet to fully memorize so he decided to take a small folded portion of music up with him. Well, poor guy, it would have been good had he not put the sheet music upside down AND backwards!! He still says he should have stopped, held out his finger as if to say "just a minute".... turned over and right side up his paper and started again with a smile! Needless to say you can catch the errors a bit in the playing but otherwise the second song was great and a memorable evening all together! Hope you enjoy! </div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-71689294273825598862013-05-23T18:15:00.002-07:002013-05-23T18:17:47.459-07:00Young Composers RecitalThis year Isabelle submitted a song to the Young Composers Contest through her piano teacher. She worked long and hard on "A Wandering Heart" and placed 3rd in the piano level she is at! Last month a recital was held by the LMTA for the composers and she got to play. She was extremely nervous but still excited to play her song. ...we are so proud of her! I am sorry for the sideways video, I didn't think about how the video would play when I turned my camera sideways to take it!<br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-6122265474229594902013-05-23T10:58:00.000-07:002013-05-26T22:42:51.969-07:00Mitchell's New RideWell... Mitchell finally purchased his first vehicle and what an unexpected purchase it was! Really ?!? ... a 1969 Custom VW Baja Bug that he has aptly named <em><strong>The</strong></em> <em><strong>Green Hornet</strong></em>! While he desired very much to have a lifted truck be his first purchase, at this point gas prices dictated he go for a more gas economical set of wheels. NEVER in a million years could we have guessed this would be his aquisition! Thanks to a little coaxing from his sister Isabelle to look up VW Bug's on Craigslist...wala..... much fun is had by all! Needless to say he absolutely LOVES it and daddy and momma are happy with the decent fuel economy. Actually I think what I love best is the lack of annonimity he has in this car! Everyone will know where Mitchell is when he drives this beauty..... hahaha. The funniest part has been all the guys in the lifted trucks yelling out their windows as he goes down the road "sic ride man!" or "love the ride dude!" and the plethora of peace/thumbs up/hang loose signs he has gotten in just the few days he has owned the vehicle! It is a keeper for sure!<br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-13841340080413681882013-05-23T10:38:00.002-07:002013-05-23T10:39:38.161-07:00A Swimmingly Good Birthday PartySo... only 3 months AFTER their birthday we finally have completed the twins 10th birthday party with friends! This had to be one of the easiest and truly extremely fun parties we have done to date for any child! It was as simple as swim, swim and swim some more... eat a quick couple fishie cupcakes and had to open presents outside. We utilized every minute we could out of swimming so no time for present opening before the aquatic center closed! It was a bit chilly after being in the pool but Will and Shelley made quick work of the gifts and they all loved it! I am rarely in the photos with the kiddos as I am usually taking them so I was blessed when a momma there thoughtfully suggested a photo of me with the twins...a novel concept ... photos with my children! :-) I have to get better about that!<br />
We are blessed with a great group of friends for all of our children and I am so thankful for the memories that were made for both William and Shelley. :-)<br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-63561419973673523822013-05-23T10:27:00.000-07:002013-05-23T10:39:14.485-07:00A Visit and a ConcertThis last weekend we got to have Grandma Honey up for a visit! She was here for two-fold reasons. First, she got to see Mitchell perform a piano piece at a local concert series and the second is that we got to have her here to celebrate her birthday! We always love having her here and this time we also enjoyed seeing photos from her recent trip to Ireland. It was a grand weekend for sure! <br />
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<br />Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-76430473957904464282013-05-23T09:56:00.000-07:002013-05-23T10:03:27.084-07:00Mothers DayMothers Day felt extra sweet this year and in all honesty I can't put a finger on "why". Chad and the children always work hard to make sure my Mom's day is special every year and this one was no different. I think it must just be a sweet feeling of joy and contentment and my heart was extra full this year. I recieved some special gifts including something I have wanted for a long time... a 6 QT. Lodge Dutch oven coated in beautiful Red Enamel..... I LOVE it and have made some killer food in there already! My dinner was exactly what I wanted and oh so good.... Veggie Panini's! I had the veggie one and the others had the veggies with some meat also. :-) I have loved veggie panini's for a long time and while I would love a Panini maker, it is not practical to have a kitchen tool that only prepares 1 or 2 sandwiches at a time when you have a family of 7. I realized last year that I can simulate a panini maker by using the grill and something to press down on the sandwiches....hence the sandwiches on the grill and covered with a jelly roll pan and bricks! It works like a charm, you just have to be sure the grill is on low for sure. <br />
The deliciousness that was my Mothers Day dinner is pictured below.... pure bliss for me! <br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-47139766517360673402013-05-23T09:37:00.003-07:002013-05-23T09:37:59.082-07:00SurgeriesWe had yet to have surgeries on any children until April of this year and them we had two surgeries 1 week apart! JD had a minor mouth surgery with a tooth extraction and William had a significant eye surgery... a Bilateral Strabismus surgery. Unfortunatly I didn't take any photos of JD after surgery but I did of Will. Will's surgery was very effective but we won't kow the full extent of the recovery for another 2 months or so. We were able to see an immediate differene in his eyes of course as the surgery corrected laziness in both eyes and it is amazing to see him look at you with both eyes at the same time! His biggest hope for success is that he might be able to see in 3D, something he has never been able to do as both eyes did not work together. We will see if his eyes will fully correct over the next couple months to allow 3D vision with glasses! I loved how the other children prepped the house in anticipation of his return. I was especially touched by the huge amount of time Shelley spent reading to William as he rested. He really was pampered by the others over the days of his recovery and he loved it! <br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-37569321215785451312013-05-23T09:23:00.000-07:002013-05-23T09:23:08.404-07:00Moments in March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Isabelle's first batch of cinnamon rolls sans any help from Mom as I was gone at our church's women's retreat. They were declared delicious by all who had them!</div>
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Good Morning Birthday Boy!</div>
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I don't know how I missed this cutie pie picture in his birthday post...I couldn't resist! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Cowboy Kitchen Crew</span></div>
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Celebrating Ressurection Sunday with our sweet friends the van den Heuvel's and Grandma Kay. </div>
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It was replete with delicious food, excellent fellowship and good 'ol football!</div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-35367228850763496042013-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:002013-05-23T09:58:13.151-07:00Hell, Fire and Brimstone<br />
In February, Chad and Mitchell attended our church men's retreat and it is a tradition with this retreat to hold a food contest. All the work on the recipe and presentation HAS to be completed by the MEN only. The boys were proud of thier accomplishment... Mitchell created the food and Chad created the presentation! Being that both the boys love hot stuff and Chad's an electrician, the combination of the food and presentation was just perfect for them! <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jalapeno Chicken Wraps</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 lb. bnls sknls chicken breasts</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1T garlic powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1T onion powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1T pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 tsp season salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 tsp paprika</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 small onion, cut in strips</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">15 jalapeno peppers halved and seeded</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 lb bacon, halved widthwise</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Cut chicken into 2" x 1.5" strips. In large Ziploc bag combine garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, seasoned salt and paprika. Add chicken to bag and coat chicken. Place a strip of chicken and a strip of onion in each jalapeno half and wrap the jalapeno in 1 strip of the halved lengthwise bacon. Secure with toothpick. Grill uncovered, over indirect medium heat for 18-20 minutes or until chicken juices runs clear and bacon is crisp, turning once. Serve with ranch or blue chees dressing. </span></div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-79844614776862657462013-05-23T08:56:00.000-07:002013-05-23T09:59:27.385-07:00In which I catch up on a few posts...<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, being the lax blogger that I am, I have taken many a
photo over the last few months with grand intentions of blogging and here I am
mass producing all those ideas in one compilation post!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I console myself with the lame thought…
“<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">at least I am getting them on the blog
then eventually in the blog book I will create for our memories”</i>…. Uh yah….
how much better it would be just to do the posts at the relevant time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my mind I often think I have to write a
lengthy post to go with the photos when in reality many of the blogs I read
often just do a quick line or snippet under the photo which captures the content
of the post!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, no one ever told me I
talk to LITTLE, that’s for sure!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess
that translates into writing also. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Here goes the
snippets…..</span><br />
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-29382141462715737112013-04-04T07:36:00.000-07:002016-03-01T11:06:00.912-08:0052<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">52 pounds in 52 weeks, crazy how it ended up like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just a little update as I hit my year mark in this weight-loss
journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On April 4, 2012 I gave myself
one year to lose 60 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I simply
wanted to work slowly but faithfully to attain this goal. I recognized
immediately something I already knew in my heart, I have no discipline outside of the Lord’s strength.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Left to myself I would continue down the same
path for years to come but giving my many weak moments of wants and desires to
Him and drawing from His strength to run “just one more step” transformed this
process entirely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have tried many “diets”
over the years but I didn’t want my life to be about a “diet” I wanted it to be
about a change in who I was and the choices I made regarding food and the idol
it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t want to have to deprive
myself for months on end only to then binge my way to gaining the weight back when
I was all done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> I had never been
successful at losing more than 20-25 pounds at any one time previously and I
knew the methods I had used before I did not want to employ again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also realized that I needed to tackle how I
looked at food and what I thought it “accomplished” for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong><em>I found very quickly that cooking food,
consuming food and most of what falls between was an obsession for me</em></strong>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I spoke my love with food and so felt the
need to consume what I loved, of course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have learned that I can still speak love with my food; I just don’t
need to consume it at the same level in which I love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
can still connect with my family or guests around the table and it is not the
Chicken Carbonara or the Chocolate Town pie that is drawing us together, <em>but
rather it is the interactions, conversations and genuine desire to know the
person across the table that makes the connections</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> I have learned that “firsts” are good and to
savor what I have rather than always looking forward to the next thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wow, this has been a lesson I have applied
to many areas of life!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of
pondering ahead to what I will put on my plate for the second go around, I am relishing
what it is I have in front of me. In all of life it has helped me view what I
already possess as valuable rather than looking for the next best thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have also come to realize that tomorrow is
another day. I can say “no” to something today and allow myself to consider it
tomorrow or maybe the next day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
still desire a sweet treat after “thinking it over” for a couple days then it
is definitely time to treat myself!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh
how sweet and far more satisfying it is when I have waited even just a day to
consume it, it truly feels like a reward! I also know that I can enjoy every
part of a meal I make as long as I am wise to put the appropriate portions of
the right foods on my plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It really
does work to fill half your plate with veggies and leave smaller areas for your
protein and starch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eating most of your
veggies first truly does help satisfy you and leaves much less room in your
tummy to tempt you to go back for seconds after you’ve at the rest of your
plate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many other “little things” that have
made “big differences” for me that I can tackle in another post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Obviously another big part of this journey has been the
exercise!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shocking to even see myself
type…but running has become my friend and a joy in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing fancy or fast, again just “steady
eddy” is my name. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
The past few weeks I have added in quite a bit of Jillian Michaels videos and
WOW has she kicked my tail, but I am loving it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What I have loved the most is to see so many ladies start a new journey
for themselves with running because they have a friend who was able to do it so
they thought, “yes maybe I can”!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An
amazing example is my dear friend Sara….. she also started counting her
calories with the Lose It app and began the C25K program and is down 30 pounds
in 8 weeks… AMAZING!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">My journey is not over yet, I still need to meet my original
goal….8 pounds to go. I know that I will go beyond that 8 pounds, but just
where I will land I am uncertain of at this point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I do feel certain I can attain 70 pounds but
look ahead to possibly 80… who knows!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am so grateful for where the Lord has brought be on this journey so far and I
look forward to where He will take me tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Praise God from whom all blessings flow!</span></div>
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Love, </div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-40771671401203704792013-04-03T07:52:00.000-07:002013-04-03T07:52:42.122-07:00Little Man
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know, I know… I am quite behind in my posts, especially
about a little man who turned 6 last month!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What fun we had celebrating JD’s birthday, complete with a “SPAM-tastic”
breakfast for dinner.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JD is Daddy’s true
spam partner….hands down he loves the stuff!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Some of the other children will eat a slice here and there for breakfast
when Daddy cooks it but JD will request a “SPAM-tastic” Saturday morning with
Daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Silly boy, he even chose it for
his birthday dinner!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oh how we love our little man!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there are many days that are extremely
challenging but there are many more days that are sweet, sweet, sweet!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is growing and changing our little boy
and we are reaping the benefits all the time. I love the precious relationship
he has with his Daddy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For JD, not one
person on earth is he more connected to than Daddy. I cannot tell you how vital
I think that is for every part of his development both emotionally and
physically.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know he recognizes Chad’s
unconditional love for him and I so deeply appreciate how Chad has poured his
heart and soul into our sometimes troubled little man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is longsuffering, patient and loving but
oh so importantly, he is consistent<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love seeing JD grow into being able to play well with his
siblings, especially his very patient older brother Will!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JD takes
great joy in puzzles, Legos, KNEX, board games and anything to do with a sports
ball….soccer, baseball, football, ping pong, golf, whiffle ball ….ANYTHING that
involves a ball and a sport! He is doing fantastic in school and enjoys Kindergarten!
He is an eager learner and is even doing a bit of a 1<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> Grade
workbook I got him and he loves it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isabelle wanted to do a little photo shoot for his birthday
so we have some cute photos to share! We thank God for another precious year
with our “number 5”! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-16826326561016318972013-02-12T07:06:00.000-08:002013-02-12T07:06:46.588-08:00Double Digit Midgets
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had the joy of celebrating the twins 10<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>
birthday last week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kept thinking really
…. 10??!?? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten is such a big number for
me as a momma!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At this age sometimes I
feel desperation to slow the hands of time as I have noticed over the years the
speed at which 10 becomes 13 and then 13 becomes 16! While they are both
growing independently in so many ways, I love it when they do something similar
and I will hear one or the other say … “well we are twins”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">10 is a big deal around here for a few
reasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You get to have a “friends”
party, you get to go out to dinner with just momma and daddy and possibly the
biggest of them all for a Honey….your first “cuppa”… cup of coffee that
is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shelley in particular has been
unabashedly anticipating her cup of coffee for many, many months now!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so thankful our machine did not disappoint
for her, she absolutely LoVeD her cup! Poor Will on the other hand was a bit
like his sister Isabelle in that the delicious steaming cup of coffee just did
not meet all the big hype and they both could gladly go without.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our tally is 2/2 now… Mitchell and Shelley
are coffee lovers, Isabelle and Will, not so much!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JD is already talking about his cup of coffee
he will get in oh …. 4 years … so hopefully the tie breaker will go to the “cuppa”!!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.5pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.5pt;">I could still say about Will much of
what I wrote about him on his 9<sup>th</sup> birthday!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is still faithful in his tenderness in
response to instruction from us, he is always willing to work with rarely a
complaint, he still LOvEs building all he can with KNEX and LEGOS!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He still constantly asks Daddy how he can
help him or if he can work or build with him around the house, and his
handwriting is still beautiful! He is the faithful caretaker of our dog Rocky, and
he is growing stronger this winter as he hauls in wood almost every day for our
fireplace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has come to love RC items,
especially the helicopter and airplane he received over this last year for
Christmas and birthdays.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He spent many
hours mastering his helicopter before it met it’s demise and now he is
mastering the RC plane he just received for his birthday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hands down, he still is one of the most
longsuffering big brother anyone has ever met….someday JD will have the
privilege of understanding what a gem he has in his older brother William. </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 11.5pt;">Much is the same for Shelley also!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is all girl, all the time and we love it!
She has a deep love for horses and cooking, she loves spending hours listening
to stories/books on CD while her imagination is living the story in her mind.
She still so enjoys “playing out” those stories for hours on end with her
siblings in their makeshift frontier home. She is still a faithful student and
is loving her sewing and knitting instruction this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t wait to post about some of her
completed projects! Hands down she has the most beautiful penmanship of ANY of
our children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She still excels at
helping me around the house and is always willing to do the next thing I might
ask of her. She has become an excellent reader aloud as she has spent many
hours reading to Will for school and JD for pleasure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still one of the best ways to pass the time
for JD is to snuggle next to his big sis for a story time. Yes, she still loves
being “little momma” and gets better at it each year! </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-24452706424312634192013-02-04T14:49:00.001-08:002013-02-04T14:49:53.911-08:00I Would Rather
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Some would gather money along the path of life, </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Some would rather gather roses, and rest from worldly strife;</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>But I would rather gather children, from among the thorns of sin, </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>I would seek a golden curl, a freckled toothless grin. </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>For money cannot enter in the land of endless day.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>And roses that are gathered soon will wilt away.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>But oh, the laughing children, as I cross the sunset sea, </em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>And the gates swing wide to Heaven. I can take them in with me!</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><em>Author Unknown</em></span></div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-79927827066372398472013-01-15T07:43:00.001-08:002013-01-15T07:48:03.558-08:0019<br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>Celebrating 19 precious years married to my dearest and best friend. Thank you Lord. </em></strong></span> <br />
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A fun side note.... I have officially been married as many years as I was not married!<br />
Married at 19, married 19 years! </div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-73011144910275763532013-01-11T07:24:00.000-08:002013-01-11T07:24:27.860-08:00Photography<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isabelle wanted to try her hand at photography with a real
camera so away she went!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to
capture a quiet moment of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She set up the Playmobile nativity, turned
out the lights, and convinced her sweet, agreeable younger brother William to
hold the flashlight for an unknown amount of time while she snapped countless
photos. She enjoyed it immensely and got a shot she was happy with, a great
learning experience!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3877050437637738164.post-14205049533418078982012-12-31T10:00:00.002-08:002016-03-01T11:07:05.771-08:0040<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I feel a little funny writing about this, but at the same
time I wanted to simply remember this day as a motivating factor for myself and
hopefully for others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, I’m not
turning 40… yet (thankfully I still have 1 yr, 8 months and 9 days before that happens…
gee no counting here! </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
) but I wanted to mark another big 40 in my life …. 40 pounds… gone! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started this journey in early April and I gave myself 1 year to lose 60 pounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even though I knew I had been seeing results over these last few months,
I was still surprised to realize early this month that I was very close
to reaching the 40 pound mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first
my goal was to make it through the holidays without gaining anything but then
when I realized I was so close to such a big marker, my motivation grew and I
was able to lose this last little bit and hit my 40 pound mark this past
Saturday!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It is strange to be in this deep on my journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am a different person, with different
cravings and different motivations than I have ever had in my entire life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I still LOVE food, I still LOVE to cook food, I still show MY LOVE to others with food, I just don't "live to eat" anymore; rather, I try to simply "eat to live". I still enjoy all the food I make, just much less of it. I can also recognize now that exercise and daily life can go hand in hand. Running is something I now desire to do, always. </span>I am perusing a book right now titled <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u>Run
Your Butt Off</u></i></b> and one of the writers describes being “hooked on
exercise” in the following way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong>“For a while – a long time, it seems – we only appreciate
exercise when it is over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We feel virtuous
for having done it, and we’re glad we pushed ourselves out the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whew. Check that off the day’s to-do list.
But there comes a point when the actual “during” portion of exercise isn’t so
bad, either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re out there and you
start running, and it feels much easier than you anticipated it would before
you started. You feel like you’ve got a good stride going. In fact, it’s downright
invigorating. It goes by quickly, and you’re sort of sorry it has to end. “<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I began running
this spring, I remember praying that I would just stick with this, stick with
something that could make a difference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Lord graciously answered my prayers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it is not a matter of sticking to it, but
the simple fact that as someone who initially detested running, I now truly
enjoy it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As strange as it seems to type
it, I think I can officially say … I am a runner. I am not a fast runner, I am
not a long runner, but I run. The beauty is that anyone can run.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing I have learned over these months is
that my view of who a runner is has been skewed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have always thought of running as this
elite group of people who must be super- human in their desire, motivation and skill.
What I have learned is that there is a vast gamut of runners out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very definitely there are your “super-human
amazing runners”, but there are also your overweight, clumsy, absolutely NOT athletic,
slow runners out there and everything in between.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another very special factor is that those who
are amazing runners are extremely encouraging to those of us who definitely are
not. Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has been a very sweet
journey for certain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">These last few months have also further revealed something
special that I was aware of but have been blessed to experience to the fullest
recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am surrounded by encouraging
and generous people who love me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Family
and friends who are generous with their words of love and encouragement and truly
take joy in seeing you succeed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WOW,
what a treasure they are to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
biggest encourager has been my dear husband. God has used these last few years
and in particular the last few months, to further reveal to me the depth of the
man I am married to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NEVER in all our years of marriage has he said
a negative word about my weight, no matter where I have landed on the
scale.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has loved me as equally and fervently
in recent years as he did almost 19 years ago when we said “I do”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
cannot tell you the countless, (literally countless) times in the last few months that he has told me “I
am so proud of you” as we kiss goodnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His words are true, honest and like gold to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";">It is strange to be at a weight I haven’t seen in
years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be in a size I haven’t worn
since before Mitchell was born. This past Sunday I wore a dress, a full-fledged
dress … something I haven’t done in probably 9 or so years….my girls were
thrilled!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years they have asked
me why I don’t wear dresses and I simply had to say I didn’t feel comfortable
in them. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I still have a bit of a
journey left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My initial goal of 60
pounds might change to 70, I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I do suspect that these last 20 pounds will be harder than the first 40,
but I am ready for the challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Excel
still more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Love, </div>
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MARCH 2012</div>
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DECEMBER 2012</div>
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(sorry for the crummy lighting)</div>
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Only One Lifehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01596717123011700997noreply@blogger.com24