My Life as a Daughter of the King

Christmas Invites-Day 7 & 8

2010-12-08T07:56:00.005-06:00

Good morning everyone. I apologize for not sending an activity for yesterday. I woke up and my day was a complete whirlwind and before I knew it I was getting into bed at the end of a very frazzled day. The good news though is that these activities can be done all through the month and not just on the day it is given. So let me share with you now the activity that was to have been for yesterday.

*****Christmas Invite-Day 7*****

Today I invite you to drop some coins in the red kettles that are manned by the Salvation Army.

I have to admit I have yet to see on this season, so I'm hoping they are still doing them. If you cannot find a red kettle, you can drop some coins in any non-profit jar, bucket, slot you find in stores or restaurants. If you attend church, you can even put extra coins in the offering basket.

*************
Last night I had dinner with my very dear best friend. Yes, even at 56 years of age, I have a best friend. This friend is more than just a friend....she is a sister in Christ. We have shared our lives together for almost 15 years now. It was a wonderful evening to celebrate her birthday and before we left the restaurant she thanked our server for his taking care of us and blessed him by saying "I pray you have a Christ-filled Christmas!" He was genuinely surprised and grateful that someone took the time to share a greeting with him. After chatting with him a few moments I truly believe that brightened his evening.

*****Christmas Invite-Day 8*****

Today I invite you to leave something thoughtful in your mailbox for your mail carrier. It could be a short note to say "thank you for your hard work"; it could be "I appreciate you deliverying my mail every day...thank you"; it could be leaving a Christmas cookie with a "thank you" or "Merry Christmas" with it. Whatever you decide to do, you will be brightening the day of someone during this festive season.

One of my friends on Facebook had this as her status this morning and I share it will all of you today:

"The secret to life is that all we have and are is a gift of grace to be shared." ~Lloyd John Oglivie~

Christmas Invite Day 6

2010-12-06T09:40:00.002-06:00

Good morning everyone! I'm excited for this new week and all that it will bring....I hope you are too. It was a busy weekend of putting up our tree and decorations, spending time with my daycare/preschool moms at our Christmas luncheon, shopping and deliverying our Angel Tree gift, and spending time with Paul. Yesterday was the annual Toys for Tots Ride in downtown Chicago....apparently there were 2,000 bikers that participated this year. This is something that Paul and I would like to do one year and I know we will.

*****Christmas Invite-Day 6*****

Today I invite you to drop off a new toy in one of the many Toys for Tots boxes.

These can be found in a lot of stores across the United States. The goal of Toys for Tots is that every child receive a gift at Christmas. You can check out more about Toys for Tots at their website www.toysfortots.org.

"Children are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him." ~Psalm 127:3 ~

Christmas Invite-Day 5

2010-12-05T09:08:00.003-06:00

Good morning everyone.....a busy day for me but also a day to look back and reflect on the past week. It's has been a good week. Today is the Lord's Day. I'm thinking how Jesus would be and react if He were walking around towns and communities today. In the hustle and bustle of the season when we find patience short, tempers quick, driving in a hurry to get to the best sale, and bickering between the terms "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" ; I believe He would not be sucked in to all the commercialism and materialism this season has become. Instead He would be in the midst of those that needed help, He would be with those society has rejected; and He would be speaking words of love and kindness to all.

*****Christmas Invite Day 5*****

Today I invite you to speak words of love and kindness to everyone you encounter today. Simple acts of kindness go a long way to brighten a person's day. Think of others as you may be standing in line, or waiting to be served if in a restaurant, or a "hello, how are you today" to a passerby can speak volumes to those you've put first.

Christmas Invite - Day 4

2010-12-04T09:13:00.003-06:00

Good morning everyone.....here in the Chicago area it is absolutely beautiful outside! It is snowing, snowing, and snowing. I believe it is suppose to snow all day today. I have to admit that I love cold snowy weather during the Christmas season. I was thinking last night what I could invite everyone to do today as part of the Christmas Invite and the snow this morning gave me the activity.

*****Christmas Invite-Day 4*****

Today I invite you to shovel or plow someone else's driveway.

This is a great activity for school age children to get involved with giving to someone else. I know there is a neighbor that could use help in this way. I realize too that not everyone has snow right now or even gets snow...so here is where your creativity comes to play. You can still help a neighbor. Maybe there is raking that needs done, or weeding, or picking up some trash that may have collected in yards or flower beds. Another non-snow shoveling activity could be to help a neighbor with putting up their Christmas outside decorations. The possibilities are many when the thinking caps go on.

*Christmas Invite-Day 3

2010-12-03T07:33:00.006-06:00

Good morning everyone! It's Friday....this week seemed to have just flown by. In daycare/preschool we have been busy with Christmas party preparations.....learning songs for our program, making ornaments, Christmas chain, and realizing that Christmas is more than Santa Claus, Rudolph, and getting presents (although that is fun). We are learning everyday about giving and sharing with others. My heart is truly filled with joy as I see my preschoolers taking in what I am teaching them about the joy of giving to others. Several of them have brought bags in with boots, hats, and gloves to give to other kids that need these items this winter. We will be making some Christmas cards as a group today and next week to be given to residents of a local nursing home. This nursing home is visited by a grandma of another preschooler and she volunteered to deliver them.

Tomorrow is the annual Mom's Christmas Luncheon with my daycare/preschool moms. This is also one of my highlights of the Christmas season each year. I love spending time with all the moms....no kids around....just adult time together to catch up. This year we will be having lunch at a new place...not a new restaurant in town....just a change of location for the luncheon. So we get to sit back and relax, chat, have fun with a Christmas gift exchange, and let Clara's Pasta Restaurant serve us a wonderfully delicious lunch.

*****Christmas Invite-Day 3*****

Today I invite you to make a meal for someone! Do you know someone that has been sick, or has had a new baby? Maybe someone in your neighborhood is going through a difficult time right now? Is there someone you would like to just say thank you for being in my life? If you are not sure who you could make a meal for, you could contact a church or your town resource centers for a family that could use a meal.

"Jesus said, 'Feed my lambs.'" ~ John 21:15 ~

Christmas Invite-Day 2

2010-12-02T08:06:00.003-06:00

Good morning everyone! I received my first Christmas card in the mail the other day and it made me start thinking about getting my own cards mailed soon. As I was thinking that I realized that there are many that do not receive Christmas cards at this time, for one reason or another.

*****Christmas Invite Day 2*****

Today I invite you to buy or make 5 Christmas cards. When you have them ready, think of a place you can deliver them to......i.e. nursing home, your church (they may know some folks that are shut-ins), a local hospital.....again the possibilities are many.

Today let's bring a smile to someone and show them they are loved and remembered!

~"clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...." ~Colossians 3:12~

Christmas Invite - Day 1

2010-12-01T07:36:00.004-06:00

Good morning everyone.....here it is December 1st and in Chicago it is cold, windy, and just a small amount of snow falling on and off. After I wrote on my blog about the Christmas Challenge I was going to do I began to get hung up on the word "challenge." I started thinking "challenge" more as a negative...something you had to do....that is not my intent at all.....for myself and for those that choose to participate as well. What new word could I use....if you know me I tend to be a bit obsessive at times...lol....so I'm thinking and thinking and thinking what word could I use that would be a more positive choice. The word I decided on was "invite". Today is day 1 of the Christmas Invite 2010.

As we prepare ourselves during this time of Advent and to celebrate the birth of Jesus I invite you to join with me to think of others, to bless others, and to give to others. Will you?

A few reminders: 1) these activities are "generic". Whether you are doing them yourself or as a group, you decide how you want to fulfill the blessing. I will share a few thoughts but I also understand that everyone is at a different place in their life; 2) these activities are for the entire month...feel free to do them on the day I send, or on another day during December, or even more than once throughout the month; and 3) have fun...enjoy this season of giving...not only will you be blessing the lives of others, you will be blessed as well.

********* Christmas Invite - Day 1 **********

Today I invite you to donate a piece of outerwear, i.e. coat, boots, mittens, hats, etc.

This could be a coat you have that you haven't worn, a child's coat that doesn't fit anymore...the same with boots that are too small, mittens, hats, and scarves that are not being worn for one reason or another....donate to a coat drive, thrift store, Goodwill, Salvation Army store, mitten tree at a child's school. The possibilities are many. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." ~ Isaiah 40:1 ~

The Season to Give......

2010-11-29T16:09:00.008-06:00

Wednesday is December 1st. Every year for the past three or four I have done a Christmas challenge with some fellow scrapbookers. The challenge was to take a daily photograph of a theme that I would post every morning. The challenge ran from December 1st to December 31st.

I still want to do a Christmas challenge but this year I want to do something entirely different. Christmas Challenge 2010 is for anyone that would like to join me.....individuals, families, friends, school age kids, co-workers, teachers with their classes.....anyone. I will be posting on my blog daily starting Wednesday....you can read it from here, from Facebook, or from the Christian Scrapbooking Sisters page on Facebook. Remember you do not need to be a scrapbooker to do these challenges.

The intent of my doing this Christmas challenge is to keep what is important in this holiday season. First, the birth of Jesus.....the Heavenly Father giving us His Son; and secondly, Acts 20:35 says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

It was right before Halloween when I saw the first Christmas commercial on tv and thought the commercialism of this beautiful holiday season is getting ridiculous. Then a DSW shoe commercial totally boggled my mind and actually upset me as a shoe was telling a boot that she hated the gift she got and was returning it......yes I know.....it's a commercial but what does it say about society and especially for the young kids watching it......it's okay to be ungrateful? It just bothers me big time.

The purpose of this challenge is to keep the positive of Christmas...the joy of Christmas....the wonder of Christmas in the forefront. I will post 31 daily challenges that will be geared to giving to others. Some challenges will be easy. Some challenges will require thought. Some challenges may stretch you out of your comfort zone. Some challenges may be group oriented or to be done by individuals. But, I also see these challenges as fun and a wonderful time to model and teach those around us that it truly is a wonderful opportunity to give to others. These challenges will be "generic" in description, as you will see beginning December 1st. I realize that this blog is read in many different locations, i.e. weather conditions differ; economic conditions differ; time zones differ for a few examples. My posting a "generic" challenge allows you, the reader, to come up with different ways to meet the challenge.

I hope you will join me on Wednesday for a month of giving, blessing, and thanking others around us and brightening the holiday season to others that may need a smile, a hug, a word of encouragement. The possibilities are limitless and hope that many of you will share here or on Facebook how you met these challenges.

Till Wednesday......

A Day of Thanks!

2010-11-24T19:28:00.005-06:00

Yes, I know tomorrow, November 25th, is the "big day" of thanks, as it is Thanksgiving Day. I have been teaching my daycare/preschool children all month that everyday is a day of thanks. I have been trying to show them there is thanksgiving and gratitude in everything and everyone around us each day.

We have memorized Psalm 138:1, "I thank God with all my heart" this month. Right now my heart is filled with so much thanks for my hubby, daughter, and daycare/preschool families. The Lord has blessed me with all wonderful families and I need to write why today, November 24th, is my "big day" of thanks!

I knew this was going to be a busy week for me....1) it was a short week - only three days; 2) it was also parent teacher conferences - eight preschoolers meant eight meetings in three days; 3) I was having a three month old start; and 4) today was going to be our Thanksgiving Luncheon - a tradition at Auntie B's Daycare.

Sunday morning I woke up with just a little raspy sore throat...didn't think anything of it...went to church...out to breakfast.....came home did some relaxing and it seemed like I snapped my fingers and I felt like I was hit by a Mac Truck....from that point I went downhill fast. Monday morning I called the doctor and she saw me right away....strep throat....but with a mega antibiotic I can pull my week through.

Paul was home, as he had already made arrangements for taking some time off this week. So betweeen him and Steffi they ran the daycare on Monday while I stayed in bed. The doctor said by Tuesday I could be with the kids again as this particular antibiotic would protect them . Tuesday morning I did not want to take that chance because I still wasn't feeling well....so my morning of preschool got cancelled and I ended up cancelling all my conferences. I was determined to do the Thanksgiving Luncheon....despite Paul's suggestion of maybe cancelling that I was headstrong into having the Luncheon. Steffi and Paul again ran the daycare on Tuesday.

I wake up this morning....ready to go.....I'm feeling better. I did sleep in a bit and when I came down to the daycare I find out Steffi has a sore throat! Oh no, she is to have Thanksgiving at her new home tomorrow. She goes to the doctor and yes she has strep throat....so now she is upstairs and Paul and I are handling the morning with both preschool and daycare going on. Preschool was a morning of singing, circle time, making placemats for today and tomorrow (if they make it through today's lunch), and turkey "I am thankful for...." centerpieces. The morning is going well...then 11 a.m. hits and I am exhausted. Lunch was at 12...parents will be arriving.....we have so much to do. Paul handled all the cooking and food prep and my job was to get the tables set up. This isn't a big task except for this year's luncheon we have 10 additional adults and a total of 14 kids!

The kids are getting hyper...it's getting close to lunchtime and naptime for some. I have the kids help me turn tables around and put tablecloths on....the tablecloths get pulled off....I put the tablecloths back on....the tablecloths get pulled off....I put the tablecloths back on....one gets pulled off....I fix.....back and forth with the tablecloth battle. At 11:45 a mom shows up to read to the children...this is part of her daughter ending November as "Star of the Month". Now the kids are all listening to her read - I have a few moments where I can get the centerpieces on the tables, placemats out, and even silverware and cups....hahahaha! The story was over with before I could even get started....I feeling flushed and lightheaded. I realize I have been in bed for three days and now I'm up trying to get all of this done. Parents begin to arrive - adult chairs still need to be brought down from upstairs and the table set.....the kids are now hyper hyper and it is now time for diaper changing and potty time before lunch. What happens next is what makes my heart have goosebumps of thanksgiving.

By now I know I must have not looked to well because I didn't feel too well. The parents stepped up...without my even having to ask.....I had a dad bringing down chairs, moms helping to set the table, a mom holding the new infant for me, a dad sitting with his little boy keeping him occupied, a mom interacting with her little girl keeping her occupied in her booster seat, and several moms starting to serve the plates from the kitchen. I sat down in my chair and realized I have the best daycare/preschool families ever. The Lord has blessed Paul, Steffi, and I with families that I consider way more valuable than "clients". I do not see them as "clients" at all....I see them as family! I have shared with them many times that words cannot express how much they mean to me...today.....I saw family being family at a Thanksgiving feast.

Lunch over and pumpkin pie done what did I see.....everyone so willing to help clean up.....taking in plates, cups, silverware, tablecloths, moving tables back, moving chairs out of the way so cots could be put done, and picking food up off the floor.

When I say my heart had "goosebumps of thanksgiving" that only begins to say what my daycare/preschool families mean to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you all for being in our lives and for sharing your children and yourselves with each of us. I love you all. My prayer is that tomorrow and everyday you look at your children and see the gift they are. Each has their own uniqueness, personality, and idea of boundaries, challenges, and limits but they are so blessed to have parents that will help them grow.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day

Thank you Lord for placing each of these families in my life....to God be the glory!

What Am I Thankful For?

2010-11-18T15:00:00.004-06:00

Several days ago a friend asked me to share what I was thankful for during this season of Thanksgiving. She noted that these thanks could be short or long which made me giggle because I cannot do anything short when it comes to putting my thoughts down on paper. I have been thinking a lot lately of getting back into writing on my blog and what a wonderful way to get back in the groove of writing again. So as I share with all of you what I am thankful for I make no guarantees that it will be short!

As I have spent the past few days thinking of what I am thankful for, many things came to mind, i.e. family, my husband, my children, my daycare/preschool, friends, and health to name just a few. I could most likely find one new thing to be thankful for for every day in the year and never repeat one. But I kept pondering to myself….what is the one thing I am most thankful for….what is the one thing to me that says it all. From this all else comes…..for me….Marybeth Drope…..I am most thankful for my faith! When I say my faith I say specifically my relationship with Jesus, my Savior. I am thankful for the love He has for me and through that love what He did for me on the cross. I am thankful for the gift of grace…I don’t have to earn it, pay for it, or work for it. As I said it is His gift to me and I accepted that gift many years ago. Over the years grace has gotten me through many things. His grace has strengthened me, molded me, formed me into who I am today and it will continue to shape me in the days ahead.

I am thankful for my faith! My faith did not start out strong….it grows stronger each day. My faith has allowed me to tackle some very difficult situations in my life over the years. While they were difficult to deal with going through them, I came to see that no matter how long a situation took to go through, I would come out of it with my faith stronger and my relationship to the Lord closer than ever before.

Through faith I was able to heal from abuse as a child. Through faith I learned to forgive the absurer and those that allowed it. Through faith I learned how to love unconditionally in my relationships. Through faith I learned how to love myself. Through faith I learned how to trust again. Through faith I learned how to accept authority and not be rebellious when that authority comes into play in my life (this one I continue to deal with and it is getting easier…lol.). Through faith I was able to recover from a very early stage of uterine cancer. Yes, I am most thankful for my faith!

Today and everyday I am thankful for my faith. Faith in my God allows me to take new steps every morning into what He has in store for me. My faith allows me to continue to be challenged in becoming more Christ-like each day. My faith is there when I stumble by losing patience, or becoming angry, or saying words that may hurt…my faith allows me to say “I’m sorry”, “please forgive me”, or “I love you.” My faith keeps me going on until the day I am face-to-face with my Lord.

Through faith I am thankful for so much: my husband, he has been with me all the way. I am thankful for my children, they continue to love me even when I have made mistakes in parenting choices. I am thankful for my daycare/preschool, each child in my care is a joy and blessing and each have kept me young – even of late when some days my body doesn’t feel young anymore. I am thankful for the parents of these children. I see the love they all have for their children and it not only blesses the children but it blesses me. I see each parent as part of my extended family…. “mom” to them and Grammy B (or Auntie B) to their children. I am thankful for my best friend….she knows everything about me – the good, the bad, and the ugly and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt she still loves me as I love her.

This month in preschool our bible verse has been from Psalm 138:1, “Thank you, Lord, with all my heart.” My heart does overflow with thanks as I have been blessed with so much but it’s not about me and what I have been given….it’s all about my Lord and His love that has deepened my faith and made all things possible. One of the songs we have been singing in preschool is “If You’re Thankful and You Know It” (sung to the tune of If You’re Happy and ….) and one verse goes: “If you’re thankful and you know it, shout I am!” I am thankful! With my hands in the air and shouting “I am” I know I bring a smile to Him that has deepened my faith day in and day out! To Him be the glory!

Layout Pages 5 - 8 for 2009

2009-03-13T20:58:00.004-05:00

I realized that I'm behind in sharing my scrapbook pages for 2009. So far this year I have done 8 pages! : 0 ) I only completed one page in February....here is the page ... "Deck the Halls". This is Christmas 2007 and Erik and Tiffany's first Christmas tree.....they sent me a picture of it decorated because all the decorations are ornaments the daycare kids made and we mailed to them. Erik and Tiffany asked if the kids could make a few ornaments for them but when it was time to mail them I think each kid made like 7 different types of ornaments. They didn't have any decorations so we had so much fun making the ornaments. The "Christmas Wishes from our house to yours" and the Merry Christmas stamping and Ho Ho Ho bottle cap are make-it-take its from Archivers way back in 2005! One of my scrap goals in 2009 is to use up what I have in stock so I was really excited to be able to use these two items on the page. I thought the Christmas Wishes was perfect for this page since we made the ornaments at our daycare and mailed them to their apartment.

"Deck the Halls"

Steffi asked me to do a page on Jezabel and the toilet paper she got into while Steffi ran to the store one afternoon. She didn't think she was going to be gone that long so didn't feel it necessary to put her in her crate. Steffi also had this title picked out because the book "Love You, Forever" shows the little boy playing with the toilet paper. I thought it was a perfect title as well. Jezabel was 4 months old. Paul and I weren't home as we were on our motorcycle trip out to Colorado.

"Love You, Forever!"

Final Year: 2000-2001 is a layout of Steffi's first day of school as a 6th grader. The elementary schools in our district go up through the 6th grade (most elementary schools in the surrounding areas go up through 5th grade. So, this was her last year in elementary school (Woodridge Elementary School) before starting junior high.

"Final Year: 2000-2001

Renew - Rest - Refresh

2009-02-25T19:16:00.005-06:00

I've been meaning for quite some time now to share what my word for 2009 would be. Last year I felt the Lord wanting me to focus on joy and I saw situations, both good and difficult, being placed before me to keep my focus on the Lord and His joy. This year I have been praying and asking the Lord to show me what He might want me to focus on in 2009. A lot of words came to mind and a lot of words fell by the wayside. As the new year has progressed though I have seen three words continue to "pop" up. So after much prayer I feel that these three little words should be my words for 2009 ..... RENEW ... REST ... REFRESH. I guess they could all be grouped into one description. I am seeing so far in these first two months of 2009 that the Lord is asking me to begin a new journey with Him. I believe that He wants me to draw closer to Him in ways that I have not yet and in ways that I may have not known possible. Yes, I can say forever God is faithful....I have seen His faithfulness in so many areas of my life. Now, however, I believe He wants to show me in very real and concrete ways that He is my Rest .... He is my Refreshment .... and He is my Renewed Spirit. I am excited to see what He places before me this year in order for me to see all of this.

Today is the first day of Lent....a 40 day period of fasting and prayer in preparation for the Easter season. My prayer for the next 40 days is that I am drawn ever so close to Him....that I will find renewal, rest, and refreshment in Him, and as I do find these things I am able to pass them on to others.

In the next 40 days I have committed to Him a situation that I am not sure how to face right now. I experienced last year "joy" so I know I will face it with His joy....but my prayer this Lent is that He show me how to face it with a spirit of renewal, rest, and refreshment. If I can do that, then I can hopefully and prayerfully pass that on to the other's involved. God is good! God's plans and timing are perfect! God loves me so much!

A Love Story ......

2009-02-13T15:09:00.001-06:00

Tomorrow is February 14th.....Valentine's Day! A day traditionally celebrated to share love between a man and woman....be they married, engaged, or dating. At least that is how I have always looked at Valentine's Day....most likely because of the commericialism for the day.

Valentine's Day, however, can be celebrated, I believe, anyway we wish....it is a time to express our love for any and all in our lives. This week in my daycare we have been preparing to celebrate today with a party where we will exchange valentines. We have been making our own goody bags so they can take their valentines and goodies home at the end of the day.

Valentine's Day too may be a difficult time for some. The reasons vary as do the stages and seasons a person may find themselves in during this time. But, we do all have a love story to share. It could be a love story being played out in your life right now or a love story that played out at some other time in your life. I want to share with you my love story.

My love story isn't with my husband, Paul. I do have a wonderful love story with Paul that one day I will share with all of you. Rather, this love story...the most important love story in my life is between me and my Savior. It's a love story that just gets better each and every day!

Twelve years ago today, February 13, 1997, my daddy (yes even a 54 year old daughter can call her father daddy) was called home to spend eternity with his Father....his Abba Father.....his Daddy. I wasn't able to be there in the hospital room when he passed but I knew that he was ready to meet his God face-to-face. I began a love relationship with the Lord back in 1972 but through my human weaknesses I let that love relationship go by the wayside for 25 years....the world and all it offered became more important to me than the Lord who has loved me for so many years. My dad's 6 week battle with stage 4 cancer slowly began to open my eyes to what I was missing in my life. Prior to hearing of my dad's prognosis I had experienced a fear I never ever want to experience again. I remember sitting at my dining room table with a friend and asking her, "have you ever felt dead inside....like spiritually dead?" I had come to a point in my life where I truly felt like my soul was dead....like I had become lost in a black hole of death and I needed out. As I mentioned before, it truly scared me...so much so that when i shared this with my friend I shook with fear. Unfortunately, my friend was not much help to me ... little did I know though that someone else was there helping me. The week before my dad's death we all knew it would be just a matter of days....that week....the first in 25 years i picked up a bible that had been stuffed in my dresser drawer and began to read.

What was I going to read...where to start.....it had been so many years since I even had a bible in my hands. I thought I would open up the bible and read what I opened up to. Surely I thought if God wants me to read then He will give me something to read. I opened up to the book of Matthew, chapter 20 and read. Nothing. I was just reading words. I read chapter 20 again ... nothing. "Lord," I asked, "what do you want me to read?" Again, I read chapter 20....this went on for several days...reading, re-reading chapter 20. On the evening of February 12th I received a phone call from my sister telling me daddy would not make it through the night. I went back to my bible and opened it up once again to chapter 20 and read. I said the same prayer I prayed several days before, "Lord, what do you want me to read?" As I came close to the end of chapter 20 I read verse 28, "...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ranson for many." I cried. It hit me....I knew what God wanted me to read and why. I called my sister back and asked her to tell my dad something from me. I told her to tell him thank you....thank you for his service to the Lord....up to his last breath he was serving the Lord with his witness of God's love and eagerness to see others come to Him. When my sister shared that with him she said he smiled and said "my prayers have been answered Lord...I knew one day Marybeth would come back to You." I don't know the exact time my dad left this earth for a far better life or what time it was when I got down on my knees to rededicate my life back to the Lord but I do know that I had become my dad's last mission here....I wanted that love relationship I had with the Lord so many years ago to come back to me. I would love to think that my dad's passing and my rededication happened at the exact time with each other (I'll only know that when my homecoming into eternity happens) but this I know for sure....my dad and I both just began new lives on February 13th....my dads in heaven and mine here on earth.

So begins my love story.

Over the past several weeks a national christian radio station (KLOVE) has been running a love song contest with their listeners. Share your love story with them and if you win christian artist, Matthew West, would put your love story to a song of their own. I thought how cool. I thought also why does this have to be a love song between a man and woman....why not between God and His daughter. That is why for the past several weeks my love story has been on my heart. My God loves me! He never stopped loving me when I turned my back on Him so many years before and He continues to love me with His unfailing, unconditional, perfect love. I love my Jesus and each day over these past 12 years I am loving Him more and more as I give myself to Him in ways I never thought I would or could. I have seen His love and faithfulness in my life and in the lives of Paul, Erik and Steffi. I have seen His love and faithfulness in the lives of some of my closest friends. I have seen His love and faithfulness in my soon to be daughter-in-law. Forever God is faithful....forever God is good. Because of that love and faithfulness have I - have we - become perfect? No....but it is bringing some of us closer to being more like Him...and for some it will bring them one day to Him to begin a love relationship with Jesus (I know that to be true because it was His faithfulness and my dad's faithful prayer each day that brought me to that love relationship).

My love story continues to grow each day with Jesus. In my life and this love relationship with Jesus I have struggled with obedience, trust, change, rejection, doubt, commitment, and yes even love but in my love relationship with Jesus I am learning that obedience brings joy, trust brings faith, change brings flexibiility, rejection has brought acceptance, doubt has turned to confidence, commitment has brought me freedom and love brings me more and more love....unfailing, compassionate, unconditional , perfect love from Jesus each and every moment. As I look at my love relationship with Jesus today I hear Him asking me to take faith steps to where He is leading me now, a new journey, a new experience, a new adventure. I'm not sure where those steps are going to take me yet but I can say, "yes Jesus I am ready!" My love relationship with Jesus allows me to be excited and joyful for that next service, or mission, or teachable moment. I have learned within my love relationship with Jesus that I can trust and obey Him without having all the answers before me. I have learned that He only wants the best for His daughter. Forever God is faithful, forever God is good. I love my love relationship with Jesus. I love that I don't have to have it "all together" in order to have that love relationship with Him. My love story is forever.....nothing can or will take it away from me.

My love story.... my love relationship with Jesus ... allows me to say "I am a Child of God! I am a daughter of the Most High King!" If I were to give my Jesus a valentine tomorrow it would say, "My Beloved is mine, and I am His." Song of Solomon 2:16 (NASB) The best part of this valentine is that the valentine is for every day, not just for February 14th.

What is your love story? I encourage each of you to take some time to write your spiritual love story.

Pages 1-4 in 2009

2009-01-05T21:32:00.006-06:00

My scrapbooking page goal for 2009 is 75 pages. Here are the first four of the New Year.

Christmas Break Scrapbook Pages

2009-01-05T20:23:00.010-06:00

Over Christmas break I was able to get together with my friend, Laura, probably 6-7 days to scrapbook together. It was so much fun to just play! I thought I would share my pages.

I had fun scrapping some older photos of Steffi....this is her 1st birthday.

Here is her 2nd birthday....

This is Steffi at 18 months taking a nap on our couch. I loved watching her sleep.

Another birthday page but this time it's of Erik and his 21st birthday.

Here is a quick page of Easter photos. This is Erik and Tiffany's first Easter in Colorado.

December 31 - Reflects New Year's Eve

2009-01-04T16:29:00.002-06:00

For several years now Steffi and I have toasted to the old year going out and the new year just beginning. So here is my final picture challenge for the month of December....the sparkling grape juice in campaigne glasses. By the way, you may be wondering where Paul is in all this

I hope you enjoyed looking at and reading about why I took the pictures I did for this fun challenge...thank you all for being a part of my life during this Christmas season!

Now it's on to 2009....my prayer is that each of you have a wonderful and very blessed new year! Happy New Year!!!!!

December 30 - Something that says Happy New Year

2009-01-04T16:18:00.004-06:00

I had taken a picture of something completely different then the picture showing....but my friend, Becky, had taken a picture of her bible and I really loved her reasoning for it. So my picture is of my bible and although the page is not open to the verse for the new year it shows that I'm excited for what is ahead in 2009. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

It is a new year! It's comforting to know that even though I don't know what this year holds, the Lord does...and whatever I go through will bring hope and prosperity.

December 29 - The Number 31

2009-01-04T16:14:00.003-06:00

This is not a very clear shot but the challenge was to take a picture of the number 31. I chose my computer screen and Yahoo....showing the 31 page of the little calendar in their logo. Again, nothing really significant but I thought an unusual place for the date/number 31.

December 28 - A Gift Received

2009-01-04T16:09:00.003-06:00

Today the daily challenge was to take a picture of a gift I received on Christmas. I love all the gifts I received but this is my favorite....my first Christmas decoration for our RV. This snow globe is only about 3" tall. Paul keeps telling me that I am going to have to downsize on everything once we start travelling. This snowglobe is small enough it will be very easy to store away when it is not the Christmas season.....I love Paul's sense of humor

December 27 - Someone Sleepy

2009-01-04T16:07:00.003-06:00

Jezebel loves her "grandpa". I was to take a picture of someone sleepy and this moment was perfect.

December 26 - Blue

2009-01-04T00:49:00.003-06:00

Today's challenge was to take a picture of something blue. Here is Jezebel's new doggy bed and a new scarf to wear outside in the cold....blue! As I mentioned earlier she received a "few" presents from Steffi.....lol.

December 25 - Christmas Morning

2009-01-04T00:44:00.003-06:00

Okay I chose another picture opportunity with Jezebel. The challenge to take a picture of a Christmas morning moment was easy. After opening gifts and yes as you will see in a bit Jezebel too received gifts...we actually spent an hour and a half watching her chew on a new rawhide that Steffi got her for Christmas. She was on top of the couch, on the couch, took turns in each of our laps, and on floor just gnawing away. I just had to make her the Christmas morning moment!

December 24 - Beverage

2009-01-04T00:36:00.003-06:00

This was a tough challenge to do....not because of not having anything specific to use for a beverage...but rather.....deciding on which one I wanted to use. I love beverages....pop (diet 7-Up, diet Coke), Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts White Hot Chocolate, fat free milk, and juice. The one beverage I don't drink enough of and at times avoid it all together is water. That's why I chose to take a picture of water. Come January 5, 2009 that will change when I will be working hard at making water my first choice of drink before all the others.

December 23 - Fuzzy...Furry....Fluffy

2009-01-04T00:26:00.003-06:00

Today the challenge was to take a picture of something fuzzy...furry....or fluffy. Well, Jezebal qualifies for the furry and when she comes back from the groomers she certainly is fluffy.

December 22 - At Night

2009-01-03T16:45:00.004-06:00

One night we went to see the outside light show at a nearby mall. They have a huge christmas tree and snowflakes all a lot of the stores...Every hour they would play several songs by the Transiberian Orchestra which were synced to the tree and stars....it's enjoyable to watch. After that we walked over to Bass Pro Shop where Paul snapped a pic of Stef and I next to an old truck. The whole setting reminded me of something out of the movie White Christmas.

December 21 - Winter Season

2009-01-03T16:39:00.004-06:00

I know a lot of folks don't get cold weather but here in Chicago we get tons and tons and tons of cold weather. Along with the cold weather comes snow, ice, wind, and at times sub-zero temps. So my picture to reflect the season of winter is Paul snowblowing snow. This is his first snowblower (after many years of shovelling) and he was so excited to use it. Even with the ease and fun of using a snowblower he still mumbles under his breath, "only 4 more winters, only 4 more winters." That's how many more winters before we hit the road as FT RVers and never having to see snow again (unless we choose to).

December 20 - Silver and/or Gold

2009-01-03T16:32:00.003-06:00

This may seem like a silly picture to take of something silver and/or gold....lol. My mom sent us this griddle/skillet for our 25th wedding anniversary several months ago. I'm sure some of you may know that the 25th wedding anniversary is silver. I'm not the silver teapot/tray type of person so my mom decided to send us the closest thing she could think of that might be included in the silver category. Paul uses this griddle/skillet at least several times a week....he absolutely loves it!!!! Many of you know that he does all the cooking. I love it too because it is so easy to clean...which is where I get to use it .... lol.

December 19 - Grateful For

2009-01-03T16:21:00.003-06:00

....my man, Paul!!!! I love him dearly. We've been married for 25 years now and he's always been there for me. He's challenged me, he's loved me, and he's spurred me on in all my life's adventures placed before me by the Lord. It hasn't always been an easy job for him as I tend to be somewhat rebellious to change .... but .... he forged on and that only has made us closer. Hebrews 10:24 says, "Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. ..... let us encourage one another."

Thank you honey bunny!!!

December 18 - The Number 25

2009-01-03T16:18:00.003-06:00

I chose the calendar bell on our daycare calendar for the number 25. Every morning at group time we would talk about the different special dates in the month of December and the 25th, of course, was one of the special dates.

December 17 - Sentimental

2009-01-03T16:12:00.004-06:00

Here is my sentimental photo shot. This is your basic solid red ornament with the name "Mary Beth" adhered on it with glue and glitter. Your orndinary bulb....but why is it so sentimental....it's 44 years old!!!!! My mom made this when I was ten years old. Every Christmas this bulb gets hung way up high on the tree and every year Erik and Steffi heard the history behind this bulb. I'm amazed that it still is with me through all the moves I've made in my life.

December 16 - From the Inside, Looking Out

2009-01-03T00:16:00.003-06:00

Today's photo shot challenged us to take a picture of the outside from the inside of our house. Here are two pictures....the first one is from my front door looking out to the front yard.

The 2nd one (below) is a picture taken from my sliding glass door in my kitchen/dining room of our deck from

December 15 - Girly

2009-01-03T00:01:00.002-06:00

I don't think you can get much more girlier than this! : 0 ) Rylee loves to dress herself in the morning and it's always a treat to see what she is wearing for the day when she arrives at daycare. This particular day her panda and presents red top, denim skirt, and multi-patterned leggings made for the perfect girly outfit. The santa claus hat was an added bonus as we were taking our Christmas picture this day.

December 14 - Green

2009-01-02T23:53:00.003-06:00

Mistletoe....my green picture for today's challenge. I hang mistletoe every year from a light hanging in my foyer.

December 13 - A Gift

2009-01-02T23:45:00.002-06:00

Today's challenge was to take a picture of a gift, preferrably wrapped. I love this package. The entire box, ribbon, and bow on top make up a tin package.....there is no gift inside but it's a beaufiful wrapped Christmas decoration.

December 12 - Zoom In

2009-01-02T19:21:00.004-06:00

This was a fun challenge for me because taking a zoom shot of an object is very "out of the box" for me. So I went all over my living room taking close up shots of different Christmas objects. I have three photos I will share but I wanted to share this one first and apart from the other two. I took a shot of my nativity set...specifically of Mary holding baby Jesus (it was taken from above looking down). The above photo just totally flabergastted me. I had no idea it would have turned out the way it did....I absolutely LOVE how this picture turned out. What strikes me the most are the eyes of baby Jesus...they are not there (this is the way Willow Tree figurines are) but then they are there. When I look at this face of baby Jesus...I see eyes. Eyes of hope, love, peace, and so much more. At the time I took this picture our pastor on Sunday spoke of the Incarnation of our Savior and the hope that He brings to all. This is the first time I've given one of my photos a title. I call this "Hope Revealed" ... revealed through the eyes of Jesus.

Here is the second close up photo I took. A simple shot of a snowman that hangs on my refrigerator. I love snowmen and I collect them.

December 11 - Lit Candle

2009-01-02T19:16:00.003-06:00

This is my picture of a lit candle. It's hard to tell, I think, that it is lit because it is almost to the bottom of the jar. I love this candle...it is from Yankee Candle and the scent is Mistletoe. I start burning this candle around the end of October till the end of winter. I am amazed at how long the candle in the jar has lasted....I received this candle arrangement as a Christmas gift from Paul about 5 years ago.

December 10 - Smile

2009-01-02T19:03:00.004-06:00

....a smile! That's today photo challenge. I chose to take this picture of one of my daycare girls. Everyone, meet Allison. This day we were taking our yearly Christmas picture that we use in our Christmas project the kids give to mom and dad each year. I love her smile, big blue eyes, and her plump little cheeks.

December 9 - Christmas Tree

2009-01-02T18:57:00.003-06:00

Today's challenge was to take a photo of your Christmas tree but it was to be taken from a different perspective. This definately was a challenge for me as it was easy for me to just take a full tree photo...lol. After some thought I chose the perspective of Steffi's new puppy looking at the tree....what did she see? Jezabel sees the bottom green branches only....we had to put lights, garland, and ornaments up high enough so she could not get to them. As a puppy, 9 months old, everything and anything becomes a toy!

December 8 - Stocking

2009-01-02T18:53:00.004-06:00

The challenge today was to take a photo of a stocking. I chose to take a photo of my daughter, Steffi, stocking and right next to hers in the stocking of her new pupy, Jezabel.

December 7 - Clutter

2008-12-12T16:43:00.002-06:00

Ugh...clutter. I know we all have it...in different locations...in differnt amounts....and even in different items but I don't want you to see it.....lol. Today's picture challenge is to take a picture of clutter.....this is mine. My desk in the daycare and I should also say "....and surrounding area." My clutter seems to always be of the paper variety. No matter how I try to "touch that piece of paper only once" it seems to keep accumulating and it shifts....shifts from my desk to the ottomans....from the ottomans to the floor...from the floor back to the ottomans and from the ottomans back to my desk. My goal this weekend is to get this clutter taken care of so it's not hanging over my head during Christmas break!

December 6 - Sweet!!!!!

2008-12-12T16:25:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite words at Christmastime! Today's challenge was to take a photo of something sweet and I've seen many ladies take pics from chocolate to their dear, sweet kids....I think to that the possibilities are endless in how you want to see the word "sweet". I chose to take a picture of a candy cane hanging on our Christmas tree. I love candy canes and no one is allowed to take them off the tree until after Christmas. This year, however, the candy canes are being eaten fast and most likely will have to be replaced. Why are they being eaten you may wonder......right now I have an awful head cold and the peppermint candy canes seems to help my mouth from drying out....hey what can I say.....lol.

December 5 - Something Relating to the Christmas Holiday

2008-12-05T22:02:00.003-06:00

Today's photo is to be of anything relating to the Christmas holiday. That means I could take a picture of pretty much anything.....the possibilities are endless. Last year one of my daycare families gave me this Willow Tree nativity set for Christmas. I absolutely love the Willow Tree figurines/angels.
I chose the nativity set for my picture because I want to keep in mind what the true reason for this holiday season is. "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the [world] will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." ~Isaiah 9:6~

December 4 - Shiney

2008-12-05T21:51:00.002-06:00

Today's photo was to be of something shiney. Well after obsessing over this for almost two days......you may ask why was I obsessing.....let me tell you....I got hung up on the word shiney.....what exactly does shiney mean.....is it to sparkle....twinkle......is it suppose to be bright....is it to have a reflection....lol. This is how my brain works....I so overthink things way too much.

Anyway, here is my photo. A picture of a snowflake I have hanging from the ceiling in my daycare.

December 3 - Silly Boys

2008-12-03T22:12:00.002-06:00

This is a perfect picture for today's prompt. Patrick and Ethan are my toddlers in daycare. I have a big bowl of plastic finger puppets (Christmas ones) that I ordered from Oriental Trading....my intent was to use them as an activity for sorting and matching and of course the boys had other plans. They thought it was hilarious to put them on their fingers. My activity of sorting and matching lasted about 5 minutes because when they discovered they could flick the finger puppets off their fingers and have them fly wherever that was a whole lot more fun then matching and sorting.

Day 2 - Christmas Music

2008-12-02T20:40:00.004-06:00

Today's Christmas challenge was to take a picture of something that puts me in the holiday spirit.

Christmas music is what puts me in the holiday spirit. I could listen to Christmas music all year round but I don't think I would have a family left if I did....lol.

December Challenge - Day 1

2008-12-01T22:32:00.004-06:00

So today starts a month long challenge that I am doing with my online scrapbooking group. We just finished up a month long challenge on things that we are thankful for. It's been so much fun seeing all the different items we are thankful for....at first I thought we all would have mostly the same things .... even we did have a few of the same things, the majority of the pictures were different.

December is a photo challenge too but each day will have a different photo prompt with a holiday theme. Today, December 1st, the photo prompt was to take a photo of something red. Here is my photo:

I love this sculpture. Steffi made it for me as a Christmas gift in 2001 when she was in 7th grade. Good 'ol St. Nick always has a special place in the living room every year.

Latest Scrapbook Pages....

2008-12-01T22:07:00.007-06:00

After Prom Fun

I had these photos since 2006 and just didn't know what to do with them as far as a page. So this is a quick and easy page. I love Erik with all the balloons!

B's Little Riders

Again these are photos I've had for several years. I love this layout because I fit 14 photos on the 2 pages. I also found a poem about bikes and shawdows to use since a lot of the pictures have some sort of shadow in them.

Pumpkin Fun

Steffi and my friend, Laura, picked the materials I could use for them pictures. The gave me the cardstock, stickers, alphabet stickers, paint, and a strip of reddish orange cardstock and two squares of white cardstock for journalling. I have to mat my photos and I bunged when there wasn't any cardstock to mat the pictures....lol. I had to put on my thinking cap and what I came up with was to use the paint as a mat around the pictures. I love the look it gave....kinda like straw.

November 30 - Snow Blower

2008-12-01T21:44:00.003-06:00

After church this morning Paul and I ran over to Home Depot to purchase a snow blower. The weather forcast was calling for 3-6 inches of snow! Every year Paul has shovelled snow and this year he decided he deserves a snow blower .... which I quickly agreed. : 0 ) What an adventure this trip was.....we found the snow blowers and there were only 4 left....all different sizes and prices. When we arrived at them we were the first but within 5 minutes the aisle was filled with guys wanting to buy a snow blower too. It was comical however to watch these men hovering waiting to snag one of the 4 that were left. Both Paul and I had our hand on this one....we figured if we would have left or even moved someone would slip in and claim it....lol. I am thankful for being able to purchase the snow blower, for the no interest for 6 month credit, and for Paul having $75.00 in gift cards to use toward HIS new snowblower.

November 29 - Holiday Cheer

2008-12-01T21:36:00.004-06:00

During this time of year I love to have a cup of eggnog so when I saw that the grocery store was stocking up I purchased a bottle....so today I am thankful for that bottle of eggnog that is so rich and creamy and non-alcoholic (because if it were....I would not like the taste! lol)

November 28 - Christmas Lights & Scrapping

2008-12-01T21:28:00.003-06:00

Today I am thankful for our being able to get our Christmas decorations up before the snow hit (which it did on Sunday).....Paul was very willing to get them out and help. In years past we've had more but the daycare kids love the inflatables the best.

Today was also a scrap day for me and Laura. I'm thankful for a day to just scrap all day long and into the night

November 27 - Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T21:22:00.004-06:00

Today is Thanksgiving.....I am thankful for so much as I've shared throughout the month ....there are many many more blessings to give thanks to.

Because I did not feel well today...we decided to have our Thanksgiving meal on Friday. My friend Laura was over and she shared in our meal as well. I am thankful for her friendship.

November 26 - Daycare Thanksgiving Lunch

2008-12-01T21:09:00.005-06:00

Today was our Thanksgiving lunch at daycare. I am thankful for each child in my daycare but today at lunch I asked them what they were thankful for. Here is what they said:

Brian - I am thankful for my mom and dad, Patrick, and my grandma and grandpa coming to visit from Arizona

Ethan - I am thankful for "pops and nana" and Coda

Maggie - I am thankful for my blankie, my sister, and my mom and dad

Patrick - papa

November 25 - Warm Coats

2008-12-01T21:00:00.004-06:00

Today I was at the Jewel (grocery store) and noticed a huge box with coats for the needy. I was first thankful to see that box was actually overflowing with coats of all types and sizes that people had donated.....and I am also thankful for the warm coats we have in this very cold weather.

November 24 - Washer & Dryer

2008-12-01T20:41:00.002-06:00

Today I am thankful for having a washer and dryer that works....a real blessing because a few weeks ago it wasn't working and I thought I was going to have to go to a laundrymat....Paul was able to take care of the problem and it's worked just fine every since.

November 23 - Fun Day

2008-12-01T20:37:00.002-06:00

I am thankful today because it was just a fun day...we all need days like this. The highlight of today was going to see Steffi's puppy, Jezabel "graduate" from puppy class.

November 22 - Clean Scraproom

2008-12-01T20:28:00.003-06:00

Today I have a clean and organized scrap book room.....I am so excited and thankful....now I can start scrapbooking again. Steffi kept me motivated and focused on the task at hand....lol.

November 21 - Organizing Help

2008-12-01T20:19:00.003-06:00

Today I am thankful for Steffi offering to help me organize my scrapbook room. I also use my room for preschool materials so she also uses the room too and it was getting to hard for both of us to get in there and find anything...thank you Steffi for your offer to help me!

November 20 - My Home

2008-11-29T21:14:00.003-06:00

Today is a simple but very thankful item. I am thankful that we have a house that is a home. We haved lived in this house for almost 21 years....it has so many memories of each one of us...Paul, me, Erik, and Steffi.

November 19 - Mom's Night Out

2008-11-29T21:08:00.002-06:00

Once a month I have Mom's Night Out with the daycare moms. Today I am thankful for all the moms I have....we have become close and really enjoy doing things together. We meet at a local Panera Bread and eat, relax, and laugh. Thank you Suzanne, Tara, Nancy, Kathy, Jennifer, and Amanda for allowing me to love and teach your children....you all are the best.

November 18 - Preschool Fun

2008-11-29T21:00:00.004-06:00

I love teaching preschool! Today I am thankful for fun activities.....preschoolers that are excited to learn....and for Steffi who is excited when I ask her to do some preschool activities too. This picture shows Maggie doing an A-B pattern with fall colors.

November 17 - Christmas Music

2008-11-29T20:53:00.001-06:00

Christmas music....I love it! I am thankful for a really good station here that is playing it 24/7 till Christmas.

November 16 - Church Family

2008-11-23T22:29:00.003-06:00

Today, the Lord's Day, I am very thankful for a wonderful church and church family. I'm thankful for the freedom to worship my Lord and the freedom to live my life for Him.

November 15 - Ooey Gooey Workshop

2008-11-23T22:25:00.004-06:00

I'm thankful that today Steffi and I were able to attend a day long workshop for daycare...we got to hear the Ooey Gooey Lady and learned about a bunch of different creative art activities and messy mixtures that the daycare kids can get their hands in.

November 14 - Roses

2008-11-23T22:22:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful for the miniature rose plant Paul bought for me....The reason - just cuz! I love it.

November 13 - Full Daycare

2008-11-13T21:30:00.002-06:00

Today I am very thankful for a full daycare (three more not in the picture). With the economy situation that it is and people being laid off from jobs, I am blessed that my daycare is going well. My job is contingent on the jobs my daycare parents have. So, it's a blessing we all have gainful employment.

November 12 - Sisters in Christ

2008-11-13T21:08:00.003-06:00

Today was a very emotional and stressful day for me because of some family issues. I went to bible study tonight and the Lord spoke to me in so many ways. One thing I knew was that I needed to share what was in my heart. Two sisters in Christ, Shelley and Barb, were there for me as I shared. I was encouraged, supported, and prayed with....for this I am thankful for Shelley and Barb.

November 11 - Day Off with Brian and Morgan

2008-11-13T20:52:00.003-06:00

Veteran's Day was a day off from school for Brian and Morgan. I miss spending the day with them since they started kindergarten (although Morgan is with us for lunch, nap, and a few hours in the afternoon). So today I am thankful for being able to have them with me all day.

November 10 - Stephanie

2008-11-13T20:48:00.003-06:00

I am so thankful for the relationship Steffi and I have together. We have grown so much as mom/daughter since she was in high school and even more now as a young woman....I love you Steffi!

November 9 - Good News

2008-11-09T22:28:00.003-06:00

I don't have a picture for today because it was impossible to take it. My thankful item for today, November 10th, is son, Erik, and his girlfriend, Tiffany. Erik called me this afternoon all excited...he had some news, that if everything works out, this news will be fantastic news! There is a chance that they would be moving back to this area from Denver, where they have been for almost two years! The location of where they might be moving to would be in Wisconsin.....only an hour and a half from where we live. This could be a long shot but I have already started praying for God's will to be revealed. I miss them so much. I mentioned at the beginning I have no picture.....so I am using the picture I took of them the morning they were backing out of our driveway to head towards Colorado.

November 8 - Dinner and a Movie

2008-11-08T22:45:00.002-06:00

Today was a fun day! From going to breakfast at our favorite restaurant, Dean's Grill, to being able to scrap with my friend, Laura. I chose for my thankful item today our dinner and a movie for our supper tonight. Paul made is delicious chili and while we ate we watched the DVD, Get Smart. The temperature only made it to the high 30s today so the chili was a wonderful meal for such a cold day. The movie was funny and because I grew up watching the original Get Smart tv series...the movie brought back memories of Don Adams as Maxwell Smart and the slapstick comedy that made the show so funny.

Being able to enjoy chili and a movie with Paul and Steffi was such a fun evening.

November 7 - Morgan & Her Bible

2008-11-07T23:37:00.003-06:00

Today my picture of the Thankful Challenge came first thing in the morning. Morgan, my kindergarten/daycare child (she is the one with the headband) was so excited because she wanted to show me her bible. I told her I would love to see it. She had the biggest smile on her face when she brought me her Beginner Bible. As we turned the pages she told me all about the pictures and the story that went with it. I showed her my bible but she was as excited about it because mine didn't have pictures in it!

The picture above is Steffi reading one of the stories from Morgan's bible. After Steffi was done reading the story I heard Morgan tell her that she really likes her bible because it helps her learn about God. It truly was a wonderful way to start my day....it just took me totally by surprise and I am so thankful for the way God is working in little ways through beginner bibles and Sunday School class.

November 6 - Naptime

2008-11-06T22:10:00.004-06:00

Today I am thankful for naptime! I have been fighting a headache on and off for several days. All the kids, including the babies, all slept during naptime and I was able to relax in the quiet. My headache is gone as of tonight!

November 5 - Computer

2008-11-06T20:31:00.002-06:00

I took this yesterday but couldn't get it uploaded till today. I chose my computer as something that I am thankful for. I continue to be amazed at all that the computer can do and all the ways I can keep in touch with family and friends through email instant messaging, and Facebook. I love being able to use my computer more and more for preschool activities too.

November 4 - Voting

2008-11-04T19:41:00.003-06:00

Today I am thankful for the opportunity and freedom to have been able to go vote.

November 3 - Best Friend, Tamba

2008-11-03T22:22:00.008-06:00

Today I am so thankful for my friendship with my best friend, Tamba. Tamba and I met about 12 years ago on a Sunday when we visited a church that she attended. She was the first person to come up to me in the Sunday School class, introduced herself to me, and we've been friends ever since. She lives in the same town as I do. When you look at the picture.....she is just that CRAZY!!!!! She loves the Lord with her whole being and we have been there for one another through truly thick and thin.

Last week in bible study we heard about the seven types of friendships and a convenant friendship is what Tamba and I have. We have shared the good, bad, and ugly of our lives with one another and through it all we both know that the other still loves the other with unconditional love. We will be friends forever. Proverbs 17: 17 says, " I friend loves at all times...." I am so blessed to have Tamba in my life and I know she feels the same towards me.

Why did I choose her to be what I am thankful for today, November 3rd? She needed a "baby fix" today and she knew she could come to my house and hold and love all the babies and that's what she did. She surprised us with a visit and we spent from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. playing with the kids and holding babies. We invited her to eat lunch with us which she did. While Steffi and I were getting all the kids ready for naptime she jumped right in and did the lunch dishes. That's where I snapped this picture of her and her craziness. She is so free with her craziness that at times she calls me out of my comfort zone to be just as crazy. While the kids were napping we laughed, she "fixed" my hair after I cut it myself (lol), we shared some of what the Lord has been teaching one another, and the best part of the whole visit......we ended up in a time of prayer. Thank you so much Lord for bringing Tamba into my life!!!!!! I love you dear sister!!!!!!

November 2 - Fall Colors

2008-11-02T21:51:00.004-06:00

Yesterday I posted a picture of my bible to share how thankful I am for my relationship with the Lord. The rest of the month my entries will not be necessarily in order of how thankful I am but rather what struck me most in my day that I was thankful for. Today I am thankful for the Fall colors all around me. I realized that soon the color and leaves will be gone. Here is a picture of a tree on the corner of my street. I love the contrast between the three trees....red burning bush, birch tree with a lot of the leaves gone, and the huge maple (I think). This tree in real life is just beautiful. The picture doesn't really show the red, orange, and yellow leaves blended throughout.

November 1 - My Bible

2008-11-01T23:18:00.007-05:00

A friend of mine, Kate, is in my online scrapbooking email group, Christian Scrapbooking Sisters. She challenged us to take a photo each day in November of something that we are thankful for. I'm really excited to do this...I know for many (including myself in the "many") we take so much for granted and tend to forget the thankful/gratitude portion of all that is before us. I plan on taking the 31 photos when the month is over and make a gratitude album. I am hoping to share with everyone each day the thing(s) I am thankful for. So here is November 1st:

my bible! There are many things I am thankful for and I'm sure they will be shared here throughout the month. I, however, wanted to share my bible because first and foremost I am thankful for my relationship with the Lord. He is my all and all and I love Him with my heart. I am thankful that He died for me...my sins have been washed away. Isaiah 1: 18 says, "Though [my] sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;...." I am a prodical daughter of His. For almost 25 years I walked to my owns plans and desires and felt that I did not need Him. But through those 25 years my Savior never left me, He protected me as I made some very bad choices, and received me back with open arms when I realized that I needed Him. So I am very thankful for my bible because it is my LifeSource to Him.

Some Vacation Pics to Enjoy....

2008-11-01T21:43:00.010-05:00

Here are some photos from our trip through Indiana and Illinois.....I hope you enjoy them.....

Just a couple of photos showing the Fall colors on the trees....these were taken on the Indiana turnpike.

A picture from Amish Acres in Nappanee, Indiana......

A couple of pictures of Amish. I really would have loved to get pictures of the Amish face to face but out of respect to them I just shot pictures of houses, buggies, and farms. For some reason I love the two buggies passing each other on the road. I used my zoom on that picture.

These are pictures of the hotel we spent two days at....French Lick Resort/Spa & Casino. The hotel was just gorgeous. It has 443 rooms and is 150 years old.

These are pictures of the other hotel in the area. It is owned by the same owners of the French Lick Resort. The atrium of this hotel, West Baden Hotel, is absolutely gorgeous as well. To look at the pictures is nothing compared to standing there looking up. All of the 250 guest rooms look down to the atrium. I also had to take a picture of Paul next to the fireplace so you can get an idea of the size of the fireplace....it is huge!

Had to share a couple of pictures taken on our 25th wedding anniversary. The dessert was creme brulee

This is a house right in the middle of town in Arthur, IL....apparently a man from the town carves all these pumpkins and then at night they are all lit up. This was taken the day after he started setting them up.....I guess the whole front of the house is covered with carved pumpkins.

So all in all it was a wonderful vacation!

Vacation Wrap-Up

2008-11-01T21:01:00.010-05:00

Hi everyone......several of you have asked about the end of our vacation....I realized that I sort of left you all hanging on how the rest of our week went. I have to admit that by Thursday and especially by Friday both Paul and I were ready to come home. It was a wonderful week but towards the end it seemed like we were rushing to fit in all that we wanted to do....doing this we got to the point where we weren't enjoying things as much because of trying to fit it all in.....hope that makes sense to everyone. We were able to see that what both of us are really looking forward to is "retirement mode" instead of "vacation mode." Vacation mode you got to do it all within a specified amount of time. Retirement mode - we can do what we want, when we want, and for as long as we want and not worry about having to get back to our routines.....our travels will be our routines!

Thursday and Friday we visited two very small towns in Illinois (on the way back home), Arthur, IL and Arcola, IL. Both are amish towns with about 4,000 amish people living here. Again, it was so relaxing to walk around these towns and enjoy the simplicity of the life the residents share here. One of the highlights while being in these towns was a musuem dedicated entirely to the amish life. I was able to take some pictures while in the musuem. We were able to see room examples of an amish kitchen, bedroom, dining area, and the inside of a typical barn. Another very interesting fact I learned is that the amish have church every other week and they meet in different homes. They transport all the benches, tables, hymnals, prayer books, and such in large green wagons....so if you see a green wagon in the driveway of an amish house that means church will be there. When the service is over they all celebrate a huge meal together. Every house we passed had laundry drying on clotheslines....even with the temperatures in the 50s and 60s those days....the clothes were out!

Last Saturday we woke up, packed up, and headed for home. We were about three hours away and both of us were so anxious to get home. My behind was getting sore from sitting in the car so much and I must admit that I had seen all the corn fields I wanted to see for awhile....lol. Don't get me wrong I love being part of the Heartland of America but it just seemed like everywhere I looked there was nothing but fields and fields of corn. One thing though that I did enjoy while driving the back roads of Illinois was looking at all the different types of farm houses, barns, silos, and such.

So we arrived home Saturday afternoon around 3 p.m. and after being attacked by Jezebel and Steffi we collasped for a quite weekend at home .... sleeping in our own bed .... and looking forward to getting back to our daily routines of work and daycare. I really missed all the daycare kids and it was so exciting to see them Monday morning.

I have pulled all my pictures off of my camera and will make a separate blog entry with some pictures.

Vacation - Day 5

2008-10-22T19:53:00.003-05:00

Hi everyone....today is my 25th wedding anniversary! Twenty five years...it was a very good day today as Paul and I celebrated quietly together. We spent some time at the neighboring hotel/resort....West Baden......this morning. This hotel is also fantastic but a completely different design When I get home I will download my pics onto my computer so I can add some pictures to my entries.....but until then take my word for it.....lol.

Today we spent an hour at the casino....took my $20.00 and when that was gone we left. Before we did leave we sat and had a pop and watched people coming and going.....a great place to people watch for sure. Headed back to our room where I was able to take a short nap while Paul watched DreamGirls on HBO.

Definately though the highlight of my day has been this evening. We went to the high end restaurant here in the hotel to celebrate. Our meals were absolutely scrumptious and they even brought us three chocolate dipped strawberries with a lit candle...that was a surprise. Leaving the restaurant I asked a guest of the hotel if she would mind taking some pictures of us...which she was very happy to do. Their was an older couple standing near by and when the photo session was over they asked if it was our anniversary. Today is their anniversary as well but I find out it is their 48th wedding anniversary. There also was a woman waiting for the elevator near us and she said her anniversary was yesterday and it was her 30th.

Well I don't have much to say today.....it was just a wonderful day spent with my "honey bunny". We are back in our room for a relaxing evening.

Tomorrow we leave French Lick and head home. We are driving through another amish community...this time in Illinois. I will most likely post from there.

"See" you all tomorrow......

Vacation - Day 4

2008-10-21T19:43:00.013-05:00

What a lazy morning! Check out today from the Hampton Inn was 12 noon so both of us slept in a little...Paul till 7 a.m. and I till 9 a.m. We went down to breakfast and came back to the room till 11:45 a.m. It was fun to just lay around, watch some TV, and talk about mindless stuff....lol. This has been our vacation so far....spending time with each other knowing we don't have to talk about important or "heavy" stuff, i.e. work, daycare, retirement, the economy. Now we have had some really good discussions this week and I know we will have more but it was just fun to fit in the mindless, random thoughts. Both of us needed this time away and we are having a wonderful time.

As soon as we the hotel and on the road toward French Lick we came upon an awful traffic. A semi truck that was carrying one of those containers holding trash on its way to the landfill was on its side and the front of the truck was pretty banged up. Trash was everywhere. I first say a quick prayer that the driver was okay and then I was thinking boy if that happened in Chicago the expressway/tollway would be closed down for hours.....here in Bloomington the traffic continued to flow with the aid of sheriff deputies.

About an hour on the road we came upon a plaza with a K-Mart and Wal-Mart in it. We stopped as Paul was looking for a pair of slacks and I'm looking for a book to read. Well our search for both items was unproductive BUT guess what else was in that plaza that I spotted.......a scrapbooking store! Paul drove me over and said I had 10 minutes...fortunately the store was small so I was able to see everything and purchase a few things in 15 minutes. I got in the car and explained to Paul that the extra 5 minutes was for introductions and scrapbooking chit chat.

Back on the road and about an hour later we arrive in French Lick, IN and the French Lick Resort and Casino. This hotel is absolutely magnificant....100 years old and it has so much of the character and ambiance of 100 years ago. The floors, even under the carpeting, creek as you walk down the hallway, the murals painted on the ceilings and the ornate woodworking throughout the lobby all reveal the history of this hotel. I have been in a hotel such as this only once before.....several years ago myself and two of my friends, Shelley and Barb, spent the weekend downtown Chicago attending the Women of Faith Conference.

Once settled in our room we took a walk throughout the hotel....and we found the casino and went in. We went in with $25.00 and that was all we said we would spend today.....Paul took the $5.00 and he gave me the $20.00....we only played the slot machines It was extremely interesting to just watch the people sitting and playing these slot machine....I believe they say there are like 1,000 machines in this casino. We ended up staying for about an hour....our $25.00 was gone.....I ended up losing $3.00 and Paul ended up walking out with $202.25!!! I could not believe he won that much and all just from a slot machine. It was time to leave and we did,

That was the highlight of today...with that we had dinner, an ice cream cone, and enjoying the evening in our room. Paul is sleeping and I am on the computer.

Tomorrow is our 25th wedding anniversary. It should be a fun day with a very special supper in the evening....I will write more tomorrow along with my Top 10 List of Why I Love Paul Still After 25 years!

Goodnight......

Vacation - Day 3

2008-10-20T18:59:00.007-05:00

So it's Monday evening and day three is coming to an end. Paul is sitting with a menu in his hand trying to figure out what to order for supper....delivery to our hotel room of course! Once we get our order placed we are going to settle in to watch a movie, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. Well I guess we're not watching a movie as they want $14.00 to rent the movie from our room!

We left Amish Acres this morning and had a very nice drive to Bloomington, IN....home of Indiana University and definately a college town. This morning after about an hour on the road Paul was getting tired and needed some coffee. We came upon a really neat place called The Apple Dumplin' Inn and Apple Barn. The inn was a restaurant which was closed because of being Monday but the Apple Barn was open so we went in to see what it was all about. The door was open by a gentleman by the name of Mr. McClure. He offered us a cup of coffee or hot cider which Paul took the coffee and I took the hot cider. The Apple Barn turns out to be a delightful and spacious barn filled with all kinds of stuff....cool stuff.....Halloween, Fall, Thanksgiving themed decorations.....I was in decoration heaven.....and this was just the downstairs of the barn. The upstairs was all Christmas and my oh my I could have spent hours up there. We ended up leaving with some homemade applesauce, homemade sweet pepper relish, and a red/green Christmas garland and a second cup of coffee and hot cider. I found out that the McClure Apple Orchard has over 6,000 apple trees with 20 different varieties of apples. This turned out to be a wonderful break and opportunity to do some shopping.

As we continued on we drove through the town of Martinsville, IN. Cathy, one of my scrapbooking sisters, lives here. I wish I had known we were driving through Martinsville as I woud have written down her address and phone number. I did think of you Cathy and gave you a wave as we drove through.

So our driving came to an end when we landed at the Hampton Inn in Bloomington. We got settled into our room and then we did some driving around the town. Remember I mentioned earlier that Paul loves driving through different towns we stay in. With the university being right in the heart of where we are staying...we drove through the middle of it...kids everywhere! It's funny as we were driving through and watching hundreds of kids either walking to their next class or home it brought back memories of when I was attending Akron University many, many, many years ago. Happy memories and it's always good to look back and enjoy those happy memories. It seems like as I've gotten older more memories of the past have been brought to mind. One thing that Paul noticed as we were driving were all the pizza shops and then it hit him.....it's a college town with thousands of teens and young adults.....for them pizza is a staple!

Tomorrow we will arrive in French Lick, IN. Paul has reservations for two nights at the French Lick Resort. http://www.frenchlick.com/accommodations/french_lick.asp. Im excited to see this hotel.

So our supper is here and I'm going to say goodbye for now. Tomorrow I will share with you what the French Lick Resort is like.

Night everyone!

Vacation - Day 2

2008-10-20T14:19:00.008-05:00

Hi everyone.......

Day two of our vacation and all is going well! I started to write this entry last night but I couldn't even get on the internet....so I came up with this idea that I will type it in Word and then when I got to the hotel I would just cut and paste here......hahahahahahaha......well I was almost done with my entry and I hit something and the laptop shutdown....and yes my entry was gone. So this morning I'm thinking "hey while I'm in the car I'll just go to Word and type it then....hahahahahahaha......I turned the laptop on and it was so bright I couldn't see the screen or even the cursor. So here I am Monday afternoon in our hotel room with excellent internet connection and I'm very happy for that. Now I can share with you all about my day yesterday......

It was a very blessed Lord's day. I was so aware of the beauty of God's creation around me. The trees here are just so beautiful.....the colors are vibrant and in certain parts of the area you could say it was snowing leaves (so many coming down at one time). The sun was out and shining brightly and the air was fresh and crisp. I am thankful to the Creator for all that he gives us to enjoy and to be a reminder of His love for each of us.

We've spent a lot of time in the car just driving around the back roads. This is one thing that Paul has always enjoyed.....that of driving and seeing the area that we are visiting. The amish were gathering at different houses as we saw several houses with 5-6 buggies in the driveway. We also saw quite a few buggies on the road. I have several pictures of the buggies from the back. I so wanted to take pics of them as they were approaching us but I wanted to respect their beliefs in not being photographed. I did get a cool pic of two buggies approaching one another....I used my zoom on that picture so they didn't get in the picture .... just the horse and buggy.

In the afternoon we went to see the play, Kiss Me Kate. At first I much admit I wasn't to thrilled to see this play but I have to say it was wonderful!!!!! I was very surprised. The play lasted almost 2 1/2 hours. After the play we had our Thresher's Dinner at the big barn there. What makes up a Thresher's Dinner you might wonder...well let me share with you....the meal is served family style in that they just bring out plates of food and you serve yourself....and the foods are: ham & bean soup, fresh homemade bread and homemade butter, apple butter for your bread, relish mix, sweet & sour cabbage (which by the way was excellent), green beans with ham, beef and noodles, mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, chicken, and roast beef. If you get through all that your dessert is homemade pies made by the amish. Paul had chocolate cream and I had coconut cream. Before we left to go back to our room and collapse we stopped by the bakery and bought a jar of amish peanut butter for Steffi. For those that might not know what amish peanut butter is it's homemade peanut butter mixed with a marshmellow creme....I have to say it is extremely delicious!

Well that about wraps up day two! See you all on day three. Until then............bye!

Vacation - Day 1

2008-10-18T20:45:00.005-05:00

Hi everyone.....Right now it's 9:45 p.m. and I'm sitting here in the dark (Paul is sleeping) wanting to share with you about our first day of vacation. The interenet connection here in Nappanee, IN is pretty shaky as it keeps going in and out...I'm hoping it will stay on till I can complete this entry. I'm also chatting with my "surrogate daughter", Becky, and once again hoping I can stay connected until I'm finished. This is when we usually chat at night....everyone at her house is in bed and everyone at my house are in bed .... so we can both enjoy the quiet and one another's company

So as I titled this entry "Vacation Day 1" you can surmize that we are on vacation. Paul and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, 10/22,so we have taken the week off to go away and just be together.

Today was good. We had breakfast with Steffi at our favorite breakfast place, Dean's Grill, in Bolingbrook. With breakfast finished and goodbyes said we headed out for Nappanee, IN, specifically Amish Acres. The start of our vacation will be spent here...Saturday and Sunday....we will leave sometime on Monday and head to French Lick, IN.

The colors of the trees on the Indiana Turnpike are beautiful....I was taking pictures through the car windows. I was clicking away because there were so many different color combinations. We arrived at our hotel, The Inn at Amish Acres, about two and a half hours after we left home. Both of us were pretty tired....don't know why the tiredness was there but we were able to get a little rest before we visited Amish Acres. I was surprised that it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be....but then again we've never taken a vacation during the month of October. So with less people it was a pleasant walk around the village. They were having a scarecrow contest there with some very cute and interesting scarecrows. We went and bought our tickets for the play Kiss Me Kate that we will see tomorrow and after the play we get to enjoy the Thresher's Dinner .... a delicious amish meal. Tomorrow evening I will have to share with you all that we got to eat. The restaruant is right on the premises so the smells of this amish meal were everywhere. We would have had supper there tonight too but that is just too much food to eat two days in a row.

The highlight of today though was we both wanted a piece of pie to take back to our room for a nightime treat. Paul and I have always had this kind of tradition that when we are away from home and stay in a hotel we get a piece of pie from a local bakery or restuarnt. We went everywhere looking for a place to get a piece of pie....keep in mind that Nappanee is not a big town...as a matter fact...Amish Acres is most of Nappanee. We finally found an ice cream shop right in Amish Acres where we could get a piece of pie (the bakery in Amish Acres only had whole pies). So Paul got a slice of homemade blueberry and I got a slice of homemade pecan pie.

Well the internet certainly has not cooperated with staying connected while I type this. As I type the internet is disconnected and I'm praying it will come back on so I can save this entry....lol....or I will have to type it all over again. I'm not going to worry about that though because right now I'm going to enjoy my piece of homemade pecan pie.

Until tomorrow everyone........

First 5K Walk!

2008-10-05T21:05:00.011-05:00

This morning, 8:00 a.m., bright and early, Steffi and I participated in our first, and hopefully not last, 5K race! We were both excited to be able to be a part of the Family Shelter's 5K Walk & Run.....the shelter provides help and support for victims of domestic violence.

Awhile back a close friend of mine was collecting donations for the shelter as she was participating in a radio challenge for seeing how much money she could collect for a charitable organization in her community in just 24 hours. From that donation I have been receiving information regarding the work Family Shelter does for these victims of domestic violence.

When I received the information regarding the race....I was really excited. A little secret....one of my dreams and I guess I could put it on my "bucket list" is to participate in a race/marathon. Back in my early 20s I loved to run and of course life happened and that dream dropped to the bottom of all the other dreams....such is life....lol. But I look at this as an opportunity to move that dream further up the list.

Steffi and I walked the race with quite a few other participants and it was fun. I learned that a 5K race is exactly 3.1 miles, which I thought wouldn't be too bad. I was under the assumption that since we were meeting at Downers Grove North football stadium that the race would be around the track.....nope....when we got there and registered I found out that the race was through the neighborhoods surrounding the high school.

With never participating in a race before I had no idea what to expect. There were people everywhere! The first group to be called to start were the men that signed up to run/walk the first mile in women's heels. The theme of the race was "put yourself in their shoes". It looked like there were around 25 men that participated in this challenge. It was hilarious to see them start down the road in heels. The next group that was called were the runners and finally the walkers were called to the starting line. So off we went...Steffi, myself, and we brought Jezebel along too. I wasn't sure if dogs were allowed to participate but was surprised when I saw she wasn't the only dog there. Both Steffi and I thought at some point were were going to have to carry her because 3.1 miles would be a long way for her to walk. Can you believe it though.....she walked the entire 3.1 miles without stopping to lay down. She was tired when we got into the car to go home.....normally she is all over the inside of the car but this morning she just laid on my lap and did not move.

Coming up to the first mile there was the water station that we see in other televised races and of course we had to get our cup of water! Since we were not running and time was not an issue we just held on to our cups instead of throwing them on the ground but it was funny watching volunteers picking up cups that the runners had thrown done. Of course, Jezebel had to have her cup of water as well. With a water break done it was on to mile marker two and another water station/break.

Before we knew it we were at mile marker three and the finish line was in sight. Now remember I've never done a race like this before so we were two of about 10 that were the last to arrive at the finish line....I was certainly okay with that as I'm definately not in the best shape to finish up front.....lol. When we arrived at mile marker three I thought the race was over and totally forgot about the .10 of a mile that still needed to be completed. We turned into the first gate we saw to turn in our bottom portion of our number but had no idea where to go to turn it in. So here we are...Steffi, myself, and Jezebel just meandering around...looking at the stretching stations, posters, different sponsor booths and still trying to figure out where we turn in our tag. After about 10 minutes we realize we turned in before the finish line where there was a gal there clocking the time of each participant. So we had to go back out where we came in and walk up the finish line lane to officially be clocked in. By then the few participants that were behind us are now finished and clocked in. Turns out that Steffi and I become the last to clock in! My time was 107:54.....like an hour and 45 minutes from when we started out. I was very happy with that because I did finish! But the next race....watch out.....I will definately better that time. I know too that from now to whenever that race will be I need to get outside and walk.

Overall the experience was fun and certainly for a great cause. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year and I plan on doing some research online to see if there are other local races that I can participate in. One of the highlights for me was to see the women and kids with purple sashes with the word "survivor" on it. These are the ones and many more that weren't there that this race was for. I am so blessed to not have to deal with this in my marriage and family life but it makes me want to help so much those that are not so fortunate.

Long Time Ago.......

2008-10-02T21:52:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone......it's been such a long time since I've updated my blog. Matter of fact several friends and my own daughter (lol) have reminded me to update what's been happening. It was a busy summer, end of summer, getting into back to school routines, starting up preschool, starting a new bible study at church, and now enjoying the beautiful crisp fall weather.

I do want to write more but it is late and I need to get my beauty sleep....lol. I will most definately try to get more updates on my blog over the weekend.....thanks everyone for your patience!

June Highlights.....

2008-07-11T22:28:00.004-05:00

Once again the past month was a busy one but filled with some fun events and some medical appts. I'm finding that this year has been filled with all types of doctor appts and realizing it's tough getting older...lol. I began the month with getting my first bone density test.....I guess being over 50 the possibility of osteoporosis is there but I'm happy to say not with me.....my test came back with such high numbers that osteoporosis is not something I need to be concerned with. Next, an appt for a hearing test. Over the past year or so I've noticed my hearing decreasing....now it was to the point where I felt bad for my family when I had to keep asking them to repeat things or having to watch tv with me with the volume turned way up....the problem was never noise but with words...higher pitched sounds.....the daycare kids mostly. The hearing tests showed I have mild to moderate hearing loss, especially in the area of higher pitched sounds and voices....so I finally brought myself to say I need help and have been wearing hearing aids for almost a month now. I am amazed at the progress hearing aids have come.....it is all computerized and the aids themselves are so little....but what is wonderful about the whole thing....I CAN HEAR!!!!!! I had no idea how much I couldn't hear until I could hear.

The middle of June brought my annual scrapbooking weekend with my online email group, Christian Scrapbooking Sisters. We spent the weekend of June 20-22 at a hotel scrapbooking, scrapbooking, and scrapbooking. This was the fourth year of meeting together and as in the past we had a blast! This year there were 12 of us....mostly my CSS sisters but I also invited several local gals that I scrap with. We had ladies from Ohio, Michigan, Tennessee, and North Dakota.

I'm ready to start planning for next year's scrap weekend and I just heard that Becky has already bought the first of many challenge prizes!

On June 29th Paul and I went for a long motorcycle ride with several couples from church. We all met at 8:00 a.m. in the parking lot and our pastor prayed with us for a safe ride and a time of fellowship with one another. Several of us had not met before so it was a wonderful opportunity to meet new people. After the 8:15 service we left for what turned out to be an almost all day ride....we got home exhausted around 3 in the afternoon. The highlight of the day was being able to stop at a wonderful cajun restaurant. Now when we pulled into the parking lot I thought we were going into a biker bar....lol....but this restaurant was so unique and the food was absolutely delicious. It was a fun end to the month.

And now we are into July and Paul and I will be leaving for our first long long long ride as we go out to Colorado. We are leaving the morning of 7/12 around 10:30. My plan is to be able to update my blog every evening on the events of the day and how our ride went.. For now though....it is off the bed for me as tomorrow will be here in about an hour and I have a long day ahead of me.

May - What a Busy Month!

2008-05-31T17:53:00.013-05:00

This month seems to have just flown by. Over the past several years May has turned out to be the busiest month for me. In preschool we winded down our learning activities....this year was such fun....I had five preschoolers at the beginning of the year and in January Owen joined us. Out of the six, three were pre-kindergartners, Brian, Morgan, and Dominic They now move on to kindergarten and a whole new school experience come August. In addition to winding down activities I also prepared for and did parent-teacher conferences for the six preschoolers....that I spread out over three days. So, with activities done, parent-teacher conferences down the only thing left was the graduation of Brian, Morgan, and Dominic. Saturday May 10th we all met at Home Run Inn Pizza for a delicious buffet lunch and presentation of certificates to the three. Moms, dads, kids, and even Brian's grandma and grandpa were there to share in the celebration. Here is a picture of the three graduates:

On Tuesday, May 20th, I was part of a wonderful evening whatching a local dramatist present a 45 minute drama on the life of Amy Carmichael. This evening brought our women's ministry, Women of Grace, to the end of another blessed ministry year. We run our ministry year from September - May. I am blessed to be a part of the leadership team of Women of Grace. Maggie Rowe, the local dramatist, shared with us her love of Amy Carmichael and Amy's passion for the children of India back in the late 1800's. Maggie is also a wonderful speaker for retreats. She was our guest speaker several years ago for a weekend retreat we did. Maggie has a wonderful ministry of speaking and drama....she travels all over the country using the gifts God has blessed her with in the area of teaching, leading, drama, encouragement, and sharing her love of the Lord to others. Here is her website if anyone desires to find out more about Maggie .... http://www.maggierowe.com/. Here too is a photo of Maggie in costume as Amy Carmichael:

Over Memorial Day weekend Paul and I worked outside cleaning up the front yard. The weather was beautiful so we were able to get a lot done. I LOVE this part of gardening .... pulling weeds, uncovering the perennials, cleaning out last year's leaves from the flower beds, laying down new cypress mulch. My peonies are about to open...this year the plants are so big they look like bushes....lol. I'm thinking some time this week they should open.....Paul has to stake them yet or once they open and it rains the weight drops them to the ground. I also set up the bird bath right by the front door.....last year I had it over by one of the peony plants and it either was covered up by the plant leaves or it was always knocked over by a car door.....I really like it's new location. I also put out my summer flag...embarrassingly I admit that my fall flag was still out from Fall 2007. Paul also spent several hours cutting up and cutting up large branches from the two trees in our front yard. I'll tell ya, give a man a power tool...in this case a sawz-all and chain saw...and he becomes a little kid with a new toy. Steffi and I were concerned and laughing at the same time as he was up in the tree cutting down those branches. I still have a bit of cleaning out the front bed but that I can do a bit at a time each day. Now I need to get into the back yard and get that cleaned up.....as I said earlier I love the cleanup process but I struggle with the maintenance throughout the summer of my plants and beds. I also am looking forward to getting my tomorrow plants in this week. Here is a photo of my front yard:

May 26th and May 30th were Steffi and Paul's birthdays. Steffi turned 19! Somehow that just doesn't seem possible. For her birthday dinner she chose to eat at a sushi restaurant in town! Now for those that know me sushi would be something I would definately NOT east but it was her special day and that's what she wanted. So after seeing the new Narnia movie...Prince Caspian....we went to the Blue Coral restaurant and had sushi. I did try a few pieces and must admit I would try them again. Steffi was so happy that I tried it. She started a new class at College of DuPage on Wednesday....she changed her major from Hospitality to Eary Childhood Education....she is so good with the kids in the daycare....the kids absolutely love her in return. Paul turned ...... well he turned a number that just doesn't seem real to me ....... : 0 ) Sunday we are celebrating his birthday with dinner at Famous Daves....he loves barbeque!

On Saturday, May 17th, Steffi talked us into taking a trip to the new Petland store that just opened. We were just going to look at the puppies...lol. Well seeing those cute little puppies it was hard to resist getting one. It ended up that Steffi bought one....she is the cutest little thing....a lhaso apso by the name of Jezebel. Steffi has been doing a great job taking care of her .... although potty training isn't going as well as it should .... lol. She loves Steffi and she knows when Steffi is not around. One of my conditions for her getting a dog that would be in my house was that it did not shed....I was so tired of sweeping up Patch's hair when she was with us. Jezebel is considered a hypoallergic dog.....so the two weeks we've had her she truly does not shed but Steffi also has to keep her brushed. I will have to post a picture of Jezebel once I get one from Steffi.

As far as scrapbooking .... it was a slow month .... I only did 4 pages. The CSS Scrapbooking Weekend is only three weeks away and I will be spending the next three weeks getting ready for it. I really look forward to this weekend....this year will be our 4th weekend. I'm excited to see several of my scrapbooking sisters and spending the weekend catching up with one another, laughing, playing games, snacking, doing challenges, and just being girlfriends! Here is one of the pages I did during May.....I love this page of Steffi graduating last year. I did the page during a cyber crop challenge .... the challenges were to do a graduation page and use a scripture on a layout....I used one of my favorites....Jeremiah 29:11...."For I know the plans I have for you, .... plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I know the Lord has so much in store for Steffi's future....I can't wait to see what He unfolds before her.

So that's been my May. My June plans are to get ready for the scrap weekend, more gardening, and have fun outside with the daycare kids! : 0 )

NSD 2008 Layouts.....

2008-05-03T23:57:00.003-05:00

Tiffany's prom . . . 4/23/06

The guys having fun with a Bobcat!

It's National Scrapbooking Day!!!!!

2008-05-03T11:46:00.005-05:00

.....and I get to scrap all day today and I'm hoping for some scrapping time on Sunday as well. I have no idea when the first Saturday in May became designated as a national day of scrapbooking but I'm glad there is such a day. I love this hobby......I'm sure if I asked anyone who scraps why they scrap I would get many different reasons. For me, it's my therapy.....I love it. I'm certainly not a fast scrapper but that's okay. The therapy for me comes in the process of creating a page. Yes, I love to see the finished page but the process of creating that finished page is where I find relaxation and fun.

My family has gotten use to my taking pictures of everything. Just recently I took pictures of my daughter taking her first train ride out to Colorado by herself; a grocery shopping trip with my son and his girlfriend, my Christmas Eve stay at the hospital, and even pictures of my daughter registering for her first college classes by phone! Everything I take pictures of has a memory that I do not want to forget so that's why I take the pictures I do. I have so many pictures already I will never run out of pictures to scrap.

I started scrapbooking maybe 6-7 years ago. I did my wedding pictures and when I look at the album I created I laugh because my style and expertise has changed over the years. There will always be new techniques to try, embellishments to try out, colors to experiment with, and the list goes on. I'm seeing some older techniques making a reappearance after being put aside for some years.

I love scrapbooking with others because we each have our own style, our own signature on a page if you will. I have friends that love to use stamping on their pages, friends that love to distress their pages, friends that love the simple Creative Memories style of stickers and journalling, why, I even have a friend who doesn't journal at all. Does this make their scrapbooking style wrong because they do not follow a particular protocol of how a page should look.....heavens NO! Scrapbooking is about your own style, your own preserving of memories, and your own creativity. I love seeing everyone's own style and techniques. I love seeing their creativity in each one of their pages.

Scrapbooking is my therapy....yes, but it is also my hobby. I love it and I have had the privilege of meeting new friends through scrapbooking.....both in real life and over the internet....matter of fact, some of my internet scrapbuddies have become my friends in real life!

I'm off to do some scrapbooking now for National Scrapbooking Day.....I will share with you later some of my pages that I created today. If you are a scrapper, enjoy today. If you are not a scrapper, I truly encourage you to give it a try.

Some Thoughts on Patches......

2008-04-27T23:50:00.004-05:00

Well tomorrow starts a new week.....last week was extremely emotional with the situation with Patches and I was also sick the whole week. I still get choked up when I think of Patches...it's amazing how much she was part of our life and family. Steffi and I found ourselves "barking" when the cat was on the counter and was told him to get down....when Patches was around she would let out loud barks.....it seemed strange to not hear those barks. When someone knocked on the front door this past week....Patches are not there to bark behind the couch like she always did. Even Paul mentioned that he could leave his socks on the floor knowing they would be there in the morning. Prince is beginning to know something is different. I truly believe he knows Patches is gone. He has been more attached to me this week and I have found him going into the corner where Patches used to lay. I am sad that she is gone.....I still have my weepy moments when I think of her but I also know she is happy now and in no pain. Patches you brought us many moments of joy, unconditional love, and even frustration. I know we will have many stories to share with one another about what you meant to each one of us.

Is there a new dog in the future? I really can't say....right now I want to grieve Patches' passing. I must admit it's nice to not have the dog hair all over the carpeting, the plastic runners on the couches that kept her off the furniture are no more, not having to put up a gate so she wouldn't go down to the daycare everytime we left the house, or having to make boarding arrangements for when we went away each time because she wouldn't let someone come to the house to take care of her are little changes we are now getting used to after so many years.
You are missed Patches and always will be....there will be no other dog that could take your place. Thanks for the memories!

A Very Hard Day......

2008-04-23T20:49:00.004-05:00

Paul and I had to make the decision to put our beloved Patches to sleep today. It was a decision that took a lot of prayer and thought. The "what ifs" were overwhelming....what if she got better, what if it wasn't her time, what if I was making this decision for my best interest and not Patches'....the what ifs I'm sure are numerous. The fact of the matter however is that over the past several weeks she has been getting progressively sicker .... she couldn't get enough water to drink and then could not hold herself long enough to go outside......even with the advice of our vet to put her water up by a certain time each night she found ways to get water, i.e. licking the deck carpeting (from rain), licking the rim of the bathtub after someone took a shower.....it was never enough. During these past several weeks we have had her at the vet and the vet in turn doing test after test to see what the problem was....it was determined that she had developed Cushings Disease......a disease that affected her pituitary glands....it is incurable but could have been controlled with medicines, namely chemotherapy, to give her a bit more time with us.

We had to decide is this something in her best interest, the chemo. Patches was 12 years old.....she was almost blind from cataracts, she had arthritis, and a bad back....which Paul and I always thought it would be her back giving out that would be the deciding factor. The side affects from the chemo were not pleasant and I just didn't want her to have to go through them all in order for her to have maybe a year, at most, of time left with us.....to me that would be selfish on my part.

So after talking with the vet by phone this morning Paul and I took her this afternoon to give her peace. I have never had to be in this position before so I had no idea what to expect...I was very impressed with the compassion and respect shown by the vet and all the others that were involved with this process. The vet came in and explained exactly what was going to happen....she gave us as much time as we needed to say goodbye and then she gave Patches the injection....as I held her head in my lap and her looking up at me it was almost like she was saying "thank you"......I know she was in pain for awhile because of her back and arthritis.....I can't remember the last time I saw her run and watching her go up and down stairs has been taking longer and longer. So as I held her, she melted into my lap and I knew that she was no longer in pain. It wasn't at all what I thought it would be like....Patches always wanted to be a lap dog although being part beagle and australian shepherd and at almost 50 pounds that never was, but this afternoon she got to be the lap dog she always wanted to be as she just "melted" in my lap and layed there. I know she is happy now...

Patches brought our family many many blessings and memories over the past 12 years which I know we will share among one another for many years.

Spring Break Is Here.....

2008-03-24T22:00:00.003-05:00

Spring break is here.....well the break portion is here....lol. I'm still waiting for the Spring portion to arrive. This year has been a long one for winter and snowy weather. I'm anxious to get outside and start cleaning up my front and back yards. I love being able to get down on the ground and start pulling out weeds and old dead growth from the previous year.....I remember several years ago doing this and as I was pulling out the dead growth the Lord showed me I was holding on to certain areas of my life that was keeping me from growing closer to him. What He showed me was that in order for me to grow I must continually clean out the old to make room for the new areas of growth.....it's never ending! Now I still see areas of where I need to let go and let God have that control....it was been bittersweet watching Erik and Steffi grow into young adults. At times I still want to take care of their problems, I still want to make decisions for them, and I still want to look at them as children. I know I have to let God have them....some days it is easy to do this and other days it is difficult. I know that the Lord is their strength, just as He is mine. I know that He loves them more than I will ever understand, just as He loves me beyond my own comprehension. Ephesians 5:14 says, "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." I remember reading this verse as I was pulling that dead growth from the perennial plants I have....getting rid of that dead growth so the new growth can rise up and allow the [Son] to shine on it so it can grow to its potential. My children are growing up and I must allow the Son to shine on them so they can grow to their potential.

Sometime this week, Spring break, I am hoping to be able to get outside and start pulling out the dead growth of my perennial plants so the new growth can sprout and grow.

His Mercies Are New.....

2008-03-16T23:08:00.003-05:00

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

I love this verse! It has gotten me through many days when I needed to hear an encouraging word. I was chatting with an online friend tonight who had a day that was overwhelming at times....nothing major just life happening faster then she wanted it to.....how many of us have had days like this. She brought to mind that God's mercies are new every morning and that tomorrow will be a brand new day.....it made me think of my past week and at several times during my day today I was not looking foward to a new week. Work last week was stressful....family life at times was stressful.....now keep in mind these stresses were not major tragedies but just life's happenings coming at me faster then I wanted them too. Tomorrow is a new day....work will be there....my family life will be there but I want to be remined that because of His great love for me I will not let daily stresses consume me. My Lord is a faithful God and He is with me every moment of my day. Thank you Becky for sharing your day with me and allowing me to be encouraged by your reminder that His mercies are new every morning!

Can I Do This?

2008-03-10T21:43:00.005-05:00

Boy that question could have all kinds of answers. But, for me it means that I've made the decision to get my health in good standing and I CAN DO IT. Eating right now is my biggest challenge. I have made so many unhealthy food choices in the past that my health has been put in jeopardy. Last year was a big year health-wise for me....having two surgeries and being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. However, up to now I have been undisciplined to say the least. The Lord over the past several months has been speaking to me about this area of my life. This is an area that I have chosen to keep contol of and I realize now that must turn this area over to the Lord. My eating has become an idol of sorts....my eating is something that keeps me from giving my all to the Lord. Feeling not well and out of sorts keeps me from serving my Lord and King....and I no longer want that. So I have set 2008 as my Year of Health. How can I approach this "time" differently than past "times".....I want my focus to be on the Lord.....I want everything I do in regards to my eating and health to have the Lord as the center. My verse for the year is 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body." Isn't that a great verse! So that verse now appears on my computer screen, refrigerators, and dresser mirror.

So today I've done pretty well. I haven't had pop since the beginning of February and I think I am finally getting comfortable with that.....this month has been really tough not having it, especially since I was drinking 5-6 cans a day.....today I drank quite a bit of water.....I need to start walking for my exercise but did not get to do that today...this is an area of great challenge simply because I do not like to exercise. : 0 )....for supper tonight I had a 6 inch veggie sub from Subway....I love veggie subs from there....right now I am feeling tempted....I know there is ice cream in the freezer and I want to go get some but right now my small scoop would be 4-5 scoops in a bowl and possibly 2 bowls....so I am saying no and repeating my verse...1 Corinthians 6:19.

Will you pray with me that I can get myself in better health....There is power in prayer and with the Holy Spirit within me I can do this! : 0 )

I've Taken the Plunge

2008-03-10T01:01:00.005-05:00

Yep that's right....Since the first of the year a lot of my online friends have created their own blogs. Well, I have decided to give this new venue a try. Can I say I'm excited! : 0 ) I really am excited! I have no idea how this will play out in the days, weeks, and months ahead. However, with my addictive personality I am likely to take blogging to an addictive level as well. I hope you visit back often as I share my life with you. But that sharing will have to wait till tomorrow as it is already 1:15 a.m. and I'm way past my bedtime