School Progam

We kicked off the Christmas season with Kacey's school program. They performed in the morning at Chapel for all the college students. In the picture below the kid with the santa hat on next to her ends up leaving the program because he gets sick (he was not alone - it seemed somewhat epidemic) but Kacey got to pick up his lines and say both of theirs that evening when they did the performace again for the parents. She did a Super job and we are very proud of her!

This is Kacey and her sweet friend Madison. They are two peas in a pod! Kacey says she's happy to have a friend with freckles too because it makes her feel normal! Kacey is taller than this girl but not by this much.. they are standing on the bleachers. I should have had them swap levels!

Thanks to our guests, Aunt Wendy and Kinsley for coming to the performance. Paige came to the one in the morning but we didn't get to capture a picture at that one.

I know it made Kacey feel speical.

thanksgiving celebrations

We had a very wonderful celebration with the Soderquist Family out at Greystone.
A table set for a king (and his Royal Family)

It was so fun to have a table that would fit all of us!
Here is the Royal King and Queen with all their little Prince and Princesses!
We paused to enjoy some tasty pies before continuing in our play time
Wendy, Kinsley, Kacey and I planned a Medieval Mystery Game to play that afternoon. Here is Princess Kacey at her station where all the participants had to search for Queen Gwendolyn's favorite piece of jewelry in a bowl of cooked macaroni's!
This is the winning team that out smarted and outpaced the other teams in finding the missing Knight, Sir Culpepper!
Way to go Kai, Popppy, Dane and Jessica!
We also enjoyed a beautiful day outdoors taking a walk and playing at the Ropes Course.
We hope you all had a great day of celebrating all that you are thankful for.

Celebrating the Life of Breck

I thank my God every time I remember you!

Philippians 1:3

Today we paused to remember... to remember the flooding of emotion as we ran down the stairs not knowing what we would find after Breck fell out of a second story window in our home... We paused to remember the overwhelming peace that came once I saw him and felt God whisper - he's going to be okay... we paused to remember the ambulance ride and the multiple tests and that five hours later Breck walked out of the hospital on his own two feet. We paused to remember God's grace and His goodness and His power... that HE is the giver of life and how last year at this time we celebrated a miracle for our family and with many of you. I hope you can reflect on the past year with us and not only celebrate the life of Breck with us but the life of all those you love. May you give them an extra hug today!

Hallelujah! Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done. Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate His wonders into music. Pslam 105

We chose pink balloons in honor of that being Breck's favorite color!

This is Breck recently at his Thanksgiving Feast. All dressed up in a costume that belonged to his great Uncle Darold.

This year in school the children made turkeys and wrote on them what they were thankful for. Breck wrote that he was thankful for his friend Ava. And what a sweet friend she is! We too pause this year and are thankful for all of our friends.

On the boat in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Playing in the river in Colorado!

Playing baseball in the front yard

At Aunt Katy and Uncle Johns in Austin being his silly self.

Breck in the hospital after his fall. Today we remember him saying he felt a mouse tickle his back when he fell from the window and again in the ambulance. Today we remember and are thankful for our guardian angels!

Thank you Breck for the joy and the laughter and the love that you bring to our family. Today we pause to be grateful for you but also for the mercy our Heavenly Father showed us last year at this time.

He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,

Miracles that cannot be counted

Job 9:10

Happy Anniversary Dad and Mom

“Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends” Thank you for "sitting together" over the past 41 years. We love you!

Mom comes to visit

We had a fun week with mom! Thanks for coming to share in life with us. It is always a treasure to get to be with you. We miss you!
Learning new dances from Grammy is always a favorite activity!


Playing in the leaves! We could have buried ourselves a thousand times over. Jeff has blown, burned, or chopped up many of them now and the kids are missing thier piles to play in.

Celebrating the Lennon Sisters and Tony Orlando. I'm glad we got to go celebrate a piece of history with you. It was fun for all.

Fall blows in team spirit and LOTS of leaves to play in!

A brief update

Hi famiy and Friends.... I thought I'd let you know that my computer is "sick" and has not being usuable for over a week and is now in the shop. I have logged on to Jeff's computer to let you know I have not fallen off the face of the earth! I hope to get my computer back soon and will post new pictures. I had a wonderful week having mom here for a visit. We enjoyed getting to share life together! Hope you are all doing well.. it feels like Winter has hit here - it's cold and dreary.

The Blessing of Family

In the past couple weekends I've had the blessing of seeing family. Thank you to the building crew for taking a break and coming to see us. We enjoyed our time with you!

The cousins enjoyed a fun day together at Kid Zone - an event that was offered for homecoming weekend.

This past weekend I had a conference to attend and Katy came to hang out with me for a night which made my time there so much more fun. Thanks Katy for taking the time to come and to endure the city traffic! I loved our chats and the time to just catch up with no distractions.Hugs to all my family and I look forward to seeing each of you again soon.

The Party!

FINALLY..... I am posting pictures from Kacey's Birthday Party. It's been a couple weeks since I've had the time to sit down and update our blog. Kacey had a great party in the park. All the kids enjoyed the backyard olympic games and everyone got to be a winner atleast once! God blessed us with a gorgeous day for outdoor play.

Kacey and Isaiah making suncatchers with the gift the Wright family got Kacey. What a handsome fellow showing off his muscles and tatoos :)

Alyssa stayed the night with us on Kacey's birthday and the three of them had great fun playing Kacey's new keyboard. Musicians in the making!

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Today is our sweet girls birthday!

We have great plans for a fun party in the park playing "backyard" olympic games

She brings us such delight and I thank God for her daily.

Happy Birthday Kacey Girl

Butterball

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

There is no other sentiment that could better describe our weekend. On Friday Kacey took her shoe box with her to school with great anticipation that she would be selected out of her class to receive 1 of four baby chics that were being given to students with good behavior. The teacher picked names out of a hat and after the first three names were selected Kacey was still not one of the chosen ones and as she says -- she was very HOT and nervous hoping her name would be selected in which it was. She said the whole class clapped when the teacher read her name aloud. She was so excited about her new pet whom she named Butterball! And as her parents we were very proud of her. She is a good girl and deserved to get the baby chic! She and Breck both had such fun playing with Butterball over the weekend but on Sunday afternoon they were running around the yard with her and Kacey accidentally stepped on her. In Kacey's words she went cheep cheep like asking for help and then died. Such sorrow... such sadness... such loss and a first taste of death for my precious daughter. Something none of us will ever escape here on earth.

As mom, I have felt her sadness but also admired her growth as she has processed this with tears and wisdom. She told me she doesn't know why this had to happen, but God does and that God created Butterball special even if her life was only 3 days.

Bye Bye Butterball - we miss you!

Every ONE Matters

Below is a clip from a daily devotional that I get. I firmly believe that every single ONE matters - no one who crosses our path is by accident. It is an ordained meeting planned by God. This devotion captures the essence - that we do make a difference in how we embrace every one we come into contact with. I hope this finds you encouraged! The Evil one would want all of us to think that what we do doesn't matter but in God's eyes each one of us matters and how we love others matters as well. Enjoy!

One
Wendy Pope
“We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NIV)

Devotion:
What difference can one make? In a world of over 6 billion people, what can one do? In Jesus’ three years of ministry on this earth, thousands followed Him. Thousands needed Him. Out of the thousands Jesus ministered to, one mattered …

the one waiting at the pool of Bethesda.
the one leper who was healed.
the one woman at the well.
the one whose son died.
the one who touched the hem of His garment.
the one whose demon was cast out.
the one whose sight was restored.

One matters. One can also make a difference. One has power.

Sometimes it can be overwhelming to think of Jesus sending us into the world to preach the good news. But it doesn't have to be. When we reach out to just one person in Jesus' name, we change the world.

www.Proverbs31.org

Celebrating the Gift of Your Life!

Happy Birthday Kristi!

Today I celebrate you and your friendship.

Of two sisters one is always the watcher, one the dancer. ~Louise Glück

Thank you for being the Dancer in my life!
For being a person who celebrates life, who seeks out fun and laughter, who desires for life to be more than the mundane duties that we often catch ourselves living in. Today I hope you feel the JOY that makes you want to DANCE!

Hugs to you on your special day!

It's a celebration!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOVIE STAR!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY JOHN AND KATY!

you look like you belong in Redneck country!