The Next Tony Hawk

Bubb has been into skateboarding lately.  He's had the board for a couple of years now, but only recently has taken a huge interest in riding it.  

He's been on youtube watching skateboarding tricks (along with magic card tricks), and reading up on Tony Hawk's bio.  

We've got to get him some knee and elbow pads...and a skateboarding helmet.  He wiped out yesterday and skinned his knee pretty good!  That hasn't stopped him though!

Boundin'

Who would have thought that God would speak to me through a Disney Pixar animation...but He did!

Sometimes I just feel so stripped like this little guy (you will see after you watch the movie), or I feel like damaged goods. People aren't short on reminding us of our flaws either...too fat, a terrible mother, I'm unlovable, I'm an idiot, the list goes one...people can be quick to judge someone they THINK they know, but really have no idea about the insides of them at all. They make deductions based only on a few (of their perception) of the outward evidences. Or, they look for the bad, instead of the good in folks.

Can't wait to show this to the rest of our little family too. We all needed it.

David has been really down since his dad died, and so have the kids and I. Things going on with our loved ones can affect the whole family dynamics. We are all in need of a major rebound!!! What we don't need though, is people telling us how they think we should feel, or not feel. That is like pouring salt on the wound. God does the work!

After watching this, I cried happy tears...it was sweet. Of course, God was working on me last night as well...to lift my head up, pull myself out of the valley, and to remember that God really does care (even if it doesn't feel like it at all...i know i know, we don't go on a feeling-however, we do have feelings that God cares very much about!).

Thankfully, I had my good cry yesterday (and a little this morning), and I don't plan to stay there in the hard places.

I'm so praying for David. He is a good man, and has been through so much. He deserves the very best of encouragement and treatment. He has a caring heart. My prayer is that God will so bless him for all of His hard work...all of his struggles and pain. I'm not a name it claim it person. However, I believe it is his time to SHINE!! I want to see this happen for him...soon!

Thanks Andrea for sending this vid. Our whole family needed this reminder through something fun.  ;)

I'm just so ready to be "settled" somewhere...where we can dig in as a family with some staying power. Everything is always so up in the air. To think about packing up everything AGAIN, and moving and starting over again...well, I just don't want to think about it right now...It is in God's hands, and whatever He wants is what I will do. If David's time to shine means we move again...then I am definitely ready to go!

Anyway, Hope you all enjoy this cute vid too!

Boundin' by Pixar

Family Visit

This weekend our family from back home came for a visit.  Our time went by so fast! We had a wonderful visit though.

Also, David and I got to spend Fri night AND Sat afternoon...kid-less! I can't say when the last time was that we had so much time alone.  It was much needed, and we are so thankful.  J and J so enjoyed being with their Nana and Aunt!

Here are a few snapshots that I took with my 10d.  Several of the photos turned out hideous IMO!!! Below are the better ones...and they still have so many things wrong...too many to name. Not the subjects, but the photography!!! lol!   I'm learning this 10d, and realizing I have a lot to learn!  

However, I was beginning to get the hang of using the MF on the nifty 50, rather than the AF.  :)

Here is a photo of husband where I was practicing close up MF with the 50mm. I love the reflection in his sunglasses.

Just Thinking...in case anyone was wondering...

I've been blogging for a few months now. Originally, I created this blog for myself as a little test to see if I would be able to actually keep up...and then I tacked on 2 blogs for each of our children. (of which I have not kept up too well on theirs).

Turns out, I have totally enjoyed writing by way of the blog! ;)

Recently, Jordan and Josh have expressed wanting to open up their own gmail accts, and create separate blogs to keep up with themselves. So I am working on this right now (in between packing and school...they do not want to wait!). Jordan's is up now if you want to check it out. She designed the header herself. Good Job Jordie baby! Josh also would like a (separate) journal that he can access. So, he is next. I thought this would also be a good way for them to do their "journaling" assignments too.

Perhaps some may (or may not have) wondered why I don't have any pics of the fam but of me on the header??? No, I don't think I am "all that"...(actually, it has taken me until about age 38 to think I am "ok")... more about that on a secret Sat. (Great Idea Kalle)

Well, here's the deal. Our original plan was to each have separate blogs that are linked together. I had planned to create a ministry blog especially for my hubby to write his thoughts and encouragement on. He is a Chaplain and Ordained Minister, but also a tremendous grief counselor. Therefore he most often has words of encouragement to share. In addition, we both have first hand experience with losses of loved ones, and abuse that we have both been through our past too. Someday perhaps I'll share some of this further on a "secret Sat" too. I think I may be giving away my Secret Saturday material!

Anyway, this plan has not come to fruition yet...

Currently, my husband (David) has too much homework with his chaplain residency CPE classes, and truly does not have time to keep up with a blog. I've been busy working, packing for our move, and homeschooling...so I'm trying to still keep up. Some weeks are better that others concerning keeping up with my blog.

I really like change, so I at least changed my colors and created a fun header to get me through until I do the major overhaul!

I just got to thinking that when I do the "major update" of my template, I'll put the whole family on there in the header.

Unfortunately, my husband also HATES pics of himself (I'm not too crazy about pics of myself either, but I figure most would like to see what we look like-or maybe not...lol). So I don't have a lot of updated photos of him...or even us together. I guess I could use older pics of the two of us...yet we both have changed. He always says, "Take you and kids without me". He even did this last Christmas when I tried to take a pic of all of us for our Christmas card. He would not let me, so I ended up doing a "Charlie Brown Christmas" theme and I took a photo of them at the beach for our card.







If it weren't for my friend Cindy taking some action shots of us at Thanksgiving, I would not have had a family pic at all. The quality it not that great though. It makes me a little sad because I love to have photos of ALL of us together. Is that just a man thing?






Anyway, that is the deal. :) In case anyone was wondering...

Urgent Prayer Request...

Please pray for my brother-in-law in FL. His name is Doug, and he is my sister Beth's husband. He had a massive heart attack this afternoon.

The Dr. was unable to do stints. He has several blockages, and considerable heart damage. One blockage is in his main artery.

They are not walking closely with the Lord. They both need deliverance too. I think they believe in God, and that is where it stops. My sister called me and asked me to pray with her...

Please pray that God will show His power here, and that no matter what the outcome, it will draw my family closer to Jesus.

The latest update is that they plan to do open heart surgery after at least 24 hrs. Doug is stable, but apparently he also has a diseased valve...he must be losing blood because his pressure is extremely low, and they are pumping him full of fresh blood. So I imagine they will do the surgery either tomorrow afternoon or early Sun am.

Thank you all for your prayers for my Florida Fam.