tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20697227562196467162024-02-19T03:12:48.422-05:00A Lamppost Flickeringjodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-69611310531427321312011-03-22T00:54:00.003-04:002011-03-22T01:33:14.316-04:00Last Post on LampostPublic service announcements:<div><br /></div><div>#1: I have the best husband ever. More on that later.</div><div><br /></div><div>#2: This South Texas wind and humidity are brutal to this girl's already confused "Am-I-Straight-Or-Am-I-Wavy" head of hair. Haven't seen a good hair day in days, y'all.</div><div><br /></div><div>#3: Apparently, when I first started this blog several years ago, the source I used to check the spelling of "Lampost" was not inerrant. Yes, I, with my Bachelor of Arts in English Education, and as a former member of Triton High School's renowned Spell Bowl team, have been living under the dark shadow of a MISSPELLED blog title. Can you even begin to imagine my humiliation? The source I used has scurried away into oblivion, and I'm left with my mouth agape in horror as I face the accusing stares of every other dictionary and spelling resource who did not pass on incorrect information. My sister, who was also a Spell Bowl contestant, noticed, though she failed to red-ink me. She thought I had a good reason for the misspelling. Something quirky and mysterious. </div><div><br /></div><div>Nope. I just plain old misspelled lamppost. And then didn't notice for years. </div><div><br /></div><div>I hope we can still be friends.</div><div><br /></div><div>And this will be my last blog post at A Lampost Flickering. It is time to say good-bye. You can find me in better spirits at <a href="http://www.lamppostflickering.blogspot.com">A Lamppost Flickering</a> instead. In addition to the gross misspelling incident, Blogger has made new and improved updates, of which my old blog has not been able to partake, so I will enjoy the benefits of a restart. I've imported all my posts and pictures and comments over there in the land of Correct Spelling. Feel free to spell check them as well.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last announcement, relating to #1 is this:</div><div><br /></div><div>#4: My husband just gave me the BEST birthday slash anniversary slash Mother's Day present ever. All three of those special days fall within three weeks of one another, and the pressure is on every year round that time. He got an early start this year, and just couldn't wait to present me with his gift. </div><div><br /></div><div>Okay, so are you ready for me to untie the bow and lift the lid? </div><div><br /></div><div>A new camera! Oh, and it's not just any ol' picture-taker. It's the one I've been a-pining and a-longing for. I feel like a little kid with a big kid toy. I was so surprised. I may have squealed, "Are you kidding me????" I may have jumped up and down. I may have squeezed the stuffin' out of him. I may still be glowing.</div><div><br /></div><div>But....oh. I've been playing. And learning. I'm rediscovering the love of photography. </div><div><br /></div><div>He sooo got it right. I love him for getting me.</div><div><br /></div><div>So you're now invited to hop on over to <a href="http://www.lamppostflickering.blogspot.com">Lamppost</a> to see some of today pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div>Excuse me while I blow out this Lampost for good...</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-78895099299999708022011-03-13T21:01:00.000-04:002011-03-14T01:30:56.045-04:00What? It's March? You're Kidding Me.February has so few days--a whole two or three fewer!--so maybe that's why that mini-month slipped away so quickly. All I know is my head's dizzy from the speed at which the earth is spinning. Our last spring in Texas is here upon us now, and I'm trying hard to savor every mild breeze soaked in delicious sunshine before hot, hot summer, sears its mark, "S" for sizzling, on our backs and foreheads.<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>So before one more month whizzes past me, I'm unloading on y'all. Here's what you missed:</div><div><div><br /></div><div>*We started and finished a season of Upward basketball with Caleb and Gabe. (A quick aside: I can't say enough good things about the <a href="http://www.upward.org/">Upward</a> program. Our beginner athletes had a great season pushing themselves to do their best, learning basketball fundamentals, and placing God at the center of it all. I'm already looking forward to next year's season.) We're so proud of our boys.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>*We celebrated Lily's 5th year being a Fasnacht. What a privilege it is being her momma! As she gets older, she asks to know more details of the story that is hers alone, details that sting and create more questions than they answer. One question she asked that I will share with you: "Why didn't someone else adopt me?"</div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1j9xF3PmffXAMS2jXJdbI0oumEvJWaOIAzaCU6KqMqX_yxnrTVLLTOYDYzlp2j5bpVmngm1i1wrU5beaMT1Qr9tmYXA_6Qj4nnPzdSR46sw7_F3Zb8DP37Vd2_dDycIyRwuDRDO0KJMjI/s320/China_Beijing-2006-02-13-GOTCHA+022.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583781083123506946" /></div><div>She and I stared deep in each other's eyes for a frozen-in-time moment. What did she mean? Did she wish she had a different mom? She actually told me that recently. I tried to keep my heart steady as I asked her why she wanted a new mom. "Because I want to meet new people. I already know you." She is a social butterfly, but it's hard to think that she might see me as just a name on her dance card, both sides of which she hopes to fill. "Sweetie, mommies are forever. You can't switch mommies." "Oh. Okay. But I do like to meet new people." And then she went off to play.</div><div><br /></div><div>I searched the black depths of her eyes, this child that is so mine and so not mine at all, all the while speed-fingering through the note cards in my "Tough Answers to Tough Questions" file. I didn't have a note card for that question. What was she really asking? Was it: "Why didn't anyone else want me?" Or : "Why couldn't it have been someone else?" Or maybe: "Is it possible that someone else could have been my parents?" </div><div><br /></div><div>I felt such a heart-searing, painful kind of love at that moment. A tight, squeezing, breathless hurting love. I wish I could fully answer that question for her. She doesn't know that she only had two days to find a family before her file was sent back to China, perhaps forever nulling any chance at adoption. But I DON'T WANT her to feel rescued. The last thing she is is a damsel in distress. The only answer I had for her: "Because I'm the mommy God picked out for you. And you're the daughter God picked out for me." It's rock solid truth. And it's the only answer I have for her right now. I'm so, so glad He did, though the hurtful part of that truth is the abandonment and great loss that had to come before God brought us to each other. </div><div><br /></div><div>And the scary parts of that truth are like holding your child and looking over the edge of a cliff or at a busy road or at an angry, swirling river just on the other side of the footbridge and shuddering. What if I would not have checked that adoption agency's website until after the weekend? What if another family had chosen her first? What if we had thought about the financial battle and medical unknowns and hesitated? What if...we had missed those two days and somewhere in a sterile Chinese orphanage a little seven-year-old jewel, my precious Lily flower, waited day after day for what would never come? Shudder.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfgL3wOge96NvfQWwFj5PmR_S3JBF1mtQkuce7JpM0-evoAnhPom3oDC6NEFGLAVdH2uRfQHDXxg93Zpt8dhm8X4746_gLyH22I0DPX3npLC7_ITy9_eMjFKE3NN1kc0JD_IsYMXlJHkH/s1600/DSCF5861.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkfgL3wOge96NvfQWwFj5PmR_S3JBF1mtQkuce7JpM0-evoAnhPom3oDC6NEFGLAVdH2uRfQHDXxg93Zpt8dhm8X4746_gLyH22I0DPX3npLC7_ITy9_eMjFKE3NN1kc0JD_IsYMXlJHkH/s320/DSCF5861.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583793868454192370" /></a><br /></div><div>And so we celebrated Gotcha Day 2011. We did our usual dinner at a Chinese restaurant, Lily's choice. She took her choosing very seriously, and decided firmly on our old favorite, despite pressure from her brothers (and maybe a little from her mother) to try a new one that recently opened just down the road from us. She glowed with sweet resolve. We also gave her a gift that we had been saving from our trip five years ago, a beautiful tea set that I picked out in Guangzhou at a shop filled ONLY with tea sets. She loves it, much to my great delight.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XAGyUupqhRdWrMjffgNCtLIWODUzWuNUVjJnRs7IGI-GYcQiX_QHr0xtfIptgBnOp2DKJidLSpYm6-a-J3Q5YYmgwS5LV5ZbuIikRuK11M3R_BZkMco8z5hXzl0jDPwtQOJYGZrTXWgN/s1600/DSCF5857.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5XAGyUupqhRdWrMjffgNCtLIWODUzWuNUVjJnRs7IGI-GYcQiX_QHr0xtfIptgBnOp2DKJidLSpYm6-a-J3Q5YYmgwS5LV5ZbuIikRuK11M3R_BZkMco8z5hXzl0jDPwtQOJYGZrTXWgN/s320/DSCF5857.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583793863654248578" /></a><br /></div><div>*And immediately following Gotcha Day is Valentine's Day. Not much to say about that. Just a whole lotta love and card-makin' happened.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIy2GwI9x7X6mAZBB5shs30J5BluOZ3L7sWNB6mCqwVHNkvqdjU1LYRwukJuLdtUV9UpE17kY63WCWQ_885w9S8O3Ed-5XKSVDAyEn7dXspf9NUZ07yVXFQcqZkW2602dLj9JbeX33tu-/s1600/DSCF5850.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFIy2GwI9x7X6mAZBB5shs30J5BluOZ3L7sWNB6mCqwVHNkvqdjU1LYRwukJuLdtUV9UpE17kY63WCWQ_885w9S8O3Ed-5XKSVDAyEn7dXspf9NUZ07yVXFQcqZkW2602dLj9JbeX33tu-/s320/DSCF5850.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583793859499281618" /></a><br />(Card-making ideas courtesy of Family Fun magazine, found <a href="http://familyfun.go.com/valentines-day/valentines-day-cards/give-a-hoot-825188/">here</a> and <a href="http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/butterfly-card-664546/">here</a>, with a few modifications.) And we had to drop Rob off at the airport in the morning for his week-long chaplain conference in sunny San Diego. The day of red was a little blue for this lonely heart.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC_NSWCv41pSwZRewautnlWK5HKQT0NoceQ8OsFTfV-h8mBJCBSC_tLmcvXB0LmuMWJfGjIeqk4yIeMogaLTQocTRCq52H7-g6zbe8Y51m3FF88c0rVpaHWktZhqdsJW3kphMEqJHbR-z/s1600/DSCF5879.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC_NSWCv41pSwZRewautnlWK5HKQT0NoceQ8OsFTfV-h8mBJCBSC_tLmcvXB0LmuMWJfGjIeqk4yIeMogaLTQocTRCq52H7-g6zbe8Y51m3FF88c0rVpaHWktZhqdsJW3kphMEqJHbR-z/s320/DSCF5879.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583781086087080434" /></a></div><div>Oh, and I made cupcakes. With funky chocolate hearts. Only they weren't supposed to be funky, but it turns out they had already made up their mind to go the way of funky. I went with it.</div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC_NSWCv41pSwZRewautnlWK5HKQT0NoceQ8OsFTfV-h8mBJCBSC_tLmcvXB0LmuMWJfGjIeqk4yIeMogaLTQocTRCq52H7-g6zbe8Y51m3FF88c0rVpaHWktZhqdsJW3kphMEqJHbR-z/s1600/DSCF5879.JPG"></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>*Next on our backwards glance is Gabriel's 10th birthday on March 3rd. TEN. YEARS. OLD. I'm not sure I was ready for that one to hit as hard as it did. But his birthday came like a locomotive and then stayed in town for days. I'm talking parties and outtings and friends and more cake and cupcakes than perhaps all of his last nine birthdays put together. His gift from us was a trip to see the San Antonio Spurs play the Miami Heat with Rob and Caleb. He seemed to enjoy it. And the Spurs won, so it's all good. The heavy celebrating took the sting out of having to say good-bye forever to single digits, because we were birthday hung-over for like a week.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9I-8d5KTws2tipz0VwwhbaK0LXUHwR6Zi8r1j9TV_tIZepoGdU2d3EiLKpE7sHrXWuEuDJ5dwPhiksGsVGSqtdVUfvHRbcwYDxUXULupKUnISBBxZAhm7Y3qTS0B3pIvr0s4C6qUgyZR/s1600/DSCF5898.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX9I-8d5KTws2tipz0VwwhbaK0LXUHwR6Zi8r1j9TV_tIZepoGdU2d3EiLKpE7sHrXWuEuDJ5dwPhiksGsVGSqtdVUfvHRbcwYDxUXULupKUnISBBxZAhm7Y3qTS0B3pIvr0s4C6qUgyZR/s320/DSCF5898.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583796630178274386" /></a><br />Happy birthday, one last time this year, to my happy Gabe. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKsmtzkX1dyyKrvKKcEb8184qIlxIVMdR9ABl_BLx34JFfP1Vn5_u_KJgBTTk6D0ZUsi7UUTLHJiN1md-iEZLwbEX7e0iC_3mnpMXID2Jxm385gWYUDTZD-_26_sRJab8GO_2OpBfIbpn/s1600/DSCF5885.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSKsmtzkX1dyyKrvKKcEb8184qIlxIVMdR9ABl_BLx34JFfP1Vn5_u_KJgBTTk6D0ZUsi7UUTLHJiN1md-iEZLwbEX7e0iC_3mnpMXID2Jxm385gWYUDTZD-_26_sRJab8GO_2OpBfIbpn/s320/DSCF5885.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583796625168194850" /></a><br /></div><div>I think you're caught up, now that your eyes are burning and your brain is numb. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, and one more tidbit. My sweet sister started her first ever blog, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.alphabetmomma.blogspot.com">Alphabet Momma</a>, which is the absolute cutest title, considering she is a homeschool teacher and her six kids' names begin with the first six letters of the alphabet, even though abc order and birth order don't quite line up. Which means that they didn't plan it that way, until they discovered that baby six, Baby F, was coming along. Boy, were they happy she was a girl, because cute boy F names are a challenge to come by. Anyhoo. She has challenged me to be a more faithful blogger. I accept that challenge, Alphabet Momma.</div><div><br /></div><div>And, just for making it all the way to the end, I'm going to give you a hint as to what is coming soon...my very first ever blog giveaway!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned!</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHALwATvUxjCIj3MA_d_Bha3P5Pbh6RoGdChsFLjQTWBQQXbNJvrGkb_KeI5D5wZOH53O6Vqt9nuGssSyoGybIVr0ozjIK4BBv8cIjasF6CNUiJn9kQkGtIvBteV2_UktWsjDzLEa85_1y/s1600/DSCF5875.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHALwATvUxjCIj3MA_d_Bha3P5Pbh6RoGdChsFLjQTWBQQXbNJvrGkb_KeI5D5wZOH53O6Vqt9nuGssSyoGybIVr0ozjIK4BBv8cIjasF6CNUiJn9kQkGtIvBteV2_UktWsjDzLEa85_1y/s320/DSCF5875.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583798208123965090" /></a><br /></div></div></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-56057976377174322332011-02-04T20:15:00.002-05:002011-02-04T20:23:24.024-05:00"Depraved Indifference"<div>There's this blog I love to haunt called <a href="http://www.aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com">A Place Called Simplicity</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>This woman is a.m.a.z.i.n.g. She has such a heart for the orphaned child, so much so that she has filled her home with former orphans. She homeschools them all, God bless her. And she is a pastor's wife. Let's just say she sets the bar high, high, high for the likes of me. Oh, and she deals with M.S.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wanna be like her when I grow up.</div><div><br /></div><div>I dare you to watch this and not be moved to do something.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="640" height="390"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UWHJ6-YhSYQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UWHJ6-YhSYQ&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-70234354090997059972010-12-24T01:23:00.002-05:002010-12-24T02:23:27.906-05:00Christmas Newsletter Gone Digital<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmLhbwszFcu-Oxj8uI1oIt6i-DkyIpUnmuW2BP8iMhiXRD8yR-RI04HIvkGoDRG2TjBhCRXBhlpWy6uYpk9luq2MfqWIniSnqwYcogLgvk_CCEbI16-RmUt-qRCfpJEIP6a87zaqwUjm8/s1600/All+Four1.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvmLhbwszFcu-Oxj8uI1oIt6i-DkyIpUnmuW2BP8iMhiXRD8yR-RI04HIvkGoDRG2TjBhCRXBhlpWy6uYpk9luq2MfqWIniSnqwYcogLgvk_CCEbI16-RmUt-qRCfpJEIP6a87zaqwUjm8/s320/All+Four1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554143091151043010" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span>I think this year ge</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ts the award for “Fastest Flier.” Can you believe that it's alr</span><span class="Apple-style-span">eady Chris</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span">tmas? I feel like it was just last month that I was </span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">churning out our 2009 Chri</span><span class="Apple-style-span">stmas newsletter, and here I am, at eleven o'clock in the pm, reflecting over the past year and praying over what to share with you for 2010.</span></span> </span><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-weight: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span>We anticipate this being our last Christmas in C</span><span class="Apple-style-span">orpus Christi, as we expect to be moving to a new duty station next summer. We have been told that we will be moving to Jacksonville, North Carolina some time late next summer or early autumn, but as anyone in the military will tell you, until Rob's orders are in hand</span><span class="Apple-style-span">, there's just no guarantee when or even where we will rotate.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><span><span style="font-weight: normal; ">So we do what we have lear</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><span><span style="font-weight: normal">ned to do: enjoy </span></span></span><span><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal">where</span></i></span></span><span><span><span style="font-weight: normal"> we're at </span></span></span><span><span><i><span style="font-weight: normal">while</span></i></span></span><span><span><span style="font-weight: normal"> we're here. Bloom where we've been planted.</span></span></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><span style="font-weight: normal">We have loved our two years in Corpus Christi, TX, and although we look forward to the new adventures that await us, we will all be a little sad to leave our home on the Texas</span></span><span><span style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background: transparent"> Gulf Coast. </span></span></span> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span><span><span><span style="font-weight: normal"><span style="background: transparent"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p> <img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xTVflpnZ7zPcgDOmm9FBrIh4jdIOnDiYSE09M4n_f9vYTPuSpJfju5QcTntVVM-YFxglBt3tGOSyR8WUK_NyxnWX4QLgkh-4RrO9ad-9SuXpc0TF0JV0egnzg2ndYw-vfL45zb0wIWYn/s320/All+Four3.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554140916610823058" /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span">R<span class="Apple-style-span">ob and </span><span class="Apple-style-span">I have b</span><span class="Apple-style-span">een so</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> blessed this year. We can't begin to list all of the ways that God has tenderly and mightily moved on our behalf. We see His hand of mercy all around us, in the lives of our precious children, in our lovi</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ng family and friends, in</span><span class="Apple-style-span"> our church family.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">Rob's job as a c</span><span class="Apple-style-span">hapl</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ain in the </span><span class="Apple-style-span">Navy has stretched his faith and increased his desire to know God more. We have loved this ministry.</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"></span><span class="Apple-style-span">My job as a home</span><span class="Apple-style-span">schooling mom of four fabulous kids has increa</span><span class="Apple-style-span">sed my reliance on the God of all wisdom, which He so generously lavishes on all who ask of Him.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">2010 saw us:</span></i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>::serving in the music mini</i><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>stry of our church. Rob plays guitar while I lead the worship.</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span><i>::taking our first real family vacation in five years to Orlando, FL.</i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>::training for and running the San Antonio Rock and Roll Marathon in November. (Rob ran the full and I ran the half, and we both did our personal bests!) </i> </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span><i><br /></i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span><span><span><b><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpcraQ5YDdFbUJv1yZllZ8AeVyJweZVhLvO3mMN_4OhvApOuGvciO7GVSvmnllP94bHf4g3Tcjb0LLPHtMoPAfugoM4CI41BuPo28IV7FG2ZjZYmc-y_DOgh4mejosnGgxDLPdORS5NRe/s320/Caleb+5th+grade.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554134280557185874" /></b></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span><b>F</b></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>rom</b></span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>C</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>aleb:</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span">We we<span class="Apple-style-span">nt to Florida to see my best friend Jeremy in May. We swam in a pool, we played hide </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span">and seek, we played video games, and we played baseball. Gabe and I watched Jeremy play baseball, and I got to keep track of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span">innings and points for everyone to </span><span class="Apple-style-span">see with pride. We also watched a space shuttle launch! My new friend Nick has a new baby brother named Kaleb, pronounced Caleb, and he is about three weeks old.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"> Merry Chr<span class="Apple-style-span">istmas! I hope you get everything you want, and if I could give you a present, I would give you a hug! To me, Christmas means joy, because Jesus was born!</span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; color: rgb(126, 0, 33); "><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2xE3wKimFzfsToBl_fV4hTG72SzK5SDG72mGolPU3ePUfrvZBE1RHDE1JWP1CNO0bbruaQRJ_t53TZKj0-WEWsH2qeYyjUzhHf9PIhlI141966Uw2NePIeX1esLjtlCzmCMllokMpEF3/s320/Gabe+4th+grade.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554134284718371362" /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>From</b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b> Gab</b><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>riel:</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span">This year I g<span class="Apple-style-span">o</span><span class="Apple-style-span">t to </span><span class="Apple-style-span">see my best friend. He lived in Florida, and while we were there, we w</span><span class="Apple-style-span">ent to the pool almost every day.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">And here's Gab</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">e's gift to you, an original poem, by Gabriel Fasnacht:</span></i></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>Hang up your stocking, put up your tree,</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span">Christmas is al<span class="Apple-style-span">most here for you and me.</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>This year I'm going to give something to my brothers,</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>My sister, my dad and my mother.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>But why do we have it on this cold month of December?</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>Why not some time else, like in November?</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-style: normal">Well, the 2</span><span class="Apple-style-span"><span style="font-style: normal">5</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal">th</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal"> is when we celebrate Jesus being born.</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>December is also when coats have to be worn.</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i>His last line made me laugh, because he doesn't have to wear a coat on many of our South Texas December days.</i></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><br /></i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdivKFIANxA2-b5WhJK5GXg9wAnRBrAOLnktmW8TAtre5BnMgmZJw2mQJbAqU0M9ljdSr_TXak_Toun5jbuudhJx8sEtLU_lBuhqmhWxp3Ojb4aKYYyg_NUF5GUExKR5bRLYMr6fpHDP3W/s320/Lily+1st+grade.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554134276973076562" /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Fro</b><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>m</b></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Lily:</b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><br /></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>I love Jesus. He does things for us. This year we </span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>went on trips. And we also took beautiful pictures.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>Merry Christmas, family! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas!</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><i><span class="Apple-style-span">And Lily's gift to you is a verse from a song she sang in the children's choir for Christmas:</span></i></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span">“<span style="font-style: normal">Baby in a manger er</span><span class="Apple-style-span">e the break of day,</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>Baby in a manger sleeping on the hay,</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>Hear the angels singing joyful at thy birth:</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span>'Gloria! Gloria! Peace on earth!'”</span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span><br /></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTA32aGEhFmbmcmnWJNegwrcy0wN3LzcVxwQ8tMCWOZKIgA6oYfkc0G2RBSAIVQhyVR908B6fqReqHAob_YYmg08xWaIqMFSEI_q8QiSlueYsvP8r1272bkvSF4f2z5X6NdLaHaehW-1AX/s320/Seth+kindergarten.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554144319991660962" /><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>F</b><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>ro</b></span><b>m</b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span><b>Seth:</b></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"><span>In school we get to do crafts and we do math. I do not like math, because there's so much work. I like to hear stories.</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span class="Apple-style-span">Christmas means <span class="Apple-style-span">giving presents to all. God's Christmas present to us is: Jesus!</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; background: transparent; font-weight: normal"> <span><i>Seth's gift to you is his favorite verse from another song they sang in children's choir:</i></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span class="Apple-style-span">We got a chance to sing at church. I sang<span class="Apple-style-span">,</span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><span class="Apple-style-span">“<span style="font-style: normal"><span style="font-weight: normal">I did not live in Bethlehem that Christmas night of Old, </span></span> </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span class="Apple-style-span">Or travel with the wise men there to bring him gifts of gold. </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span class="Apple-style-span">But I can give a greater gift than any earthly gem, </span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span>For all my heart and all my love will be my gift Him.”</span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal"><span><span><span><b>From all of us:</b></span></span></span></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; background: transparent"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span><span>We pray your Christmas this year is full of God's gifts for you: hope, peace, joy and love. </span></span> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"> <span><span><span>With Love,</span></span></span></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal"><span><span>Rob, Jody, Caleb, Gabe, Lily and Seth</span></span></p><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1vdzlKylY9y64lrcYflDf-tdAzo5JgCaR3e-YQNqFQzBrI6ufgi3w2khez_Q21hDSBay6sQ3UsWTdSZHKLzo74L1gKG3-1GljY-0mq2UM9A22B9cc1ucWJOlYwfcOFcIovk4bxBZmdWI5/s320/All+Four4.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5554140908847999650" />jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-59185199589104821642010-12-01T10:37:00.004-05:002010-12-01T11:22:26.145-05:00The Evolution of a Camo-Cast<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQFpsyd1V_qklDqIxAqWK5wCvT2ZoDsxc_9lObcpYVra4ZlVukI2Ea1HIdhy4bshWbxKYA5-q8zuz2CwZpvFuQwD7JL4zpFyqqQTKwDMtokP7qyJ8agwg5YaNxB5SHA5JSf0nFYxA4onW/s1600/DSCF5214.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDQFpsyd1V_qklDqIxAqWK5wCvT2ZoDsxc_9lObcpYVra4ZlVukI2Ea1HIdhy4bshWbxKYA5-q8zuz2CwZpvFuQwD7JL4zpFyqqQTKwDMtokP7qyJ8agwg5YaNxB5SHA5JSf0nFYxA4onW/s320/DSCF5214.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545747358073118674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAuE4qNUTj7gZzfnfITrIUG4inHVHq0uc_gANs-wVswbvdMicUno3Qh6rJnvdrhOz1yHVPwIjfseVXoITTaJb4XpX0w5jimXqBvQpeaNrnfcVJz4RfEnFLRGufFtlF0H7EEq6suN-qBcq/s1600/DSCF5215.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAuE4qNUTj7gZzfnfITrIUG4inHVHq0uc_gANs-wVswbvdMicUno3Qh6rJnvdrhOz1yHVPwIjfseVXoITTaJb4XpX0w5jimXqBvQpeaNrnfcVJz4RfEnFLRGufFtlF0H7EEq6suN-qBcq/s320/DSCF5215.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545747346080822834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxAbnZs-rUS-0O-3Xpy0HU0ASmMXnNDF4QnNYO6kZbYI0i2iLJo9POrSvppHaxGC66mEygCz5_TMXvTKIuQe5_AEqHZdPvbdgjBWsqTba-E5d4eshpBB_Oft4WIi_mWc4I09aLkR40Fj1/s1600/DSCF5216.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLxAbnZs-rUS-0O-3Xpy0HU0ASmMXnNDF4QnNYO6kZbYI0i2iLJo9POrSvppHaxGC66mEygCz5_TMXvTKIuQe5_AEqHZdPvbdgjBWsqTba-E5d4eshpBB_Oft4WIi_mWc4I09aLkR40Fj1/s320/DSCF5216.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545747338416856738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYjvhxHzs1ZBVic61FCV_w6_4aiA2W5FoqYHFJOxK7tTczWkzgCK18ZQX9Kz1Fg8qHO6SrmW8dzJRyedSHf951dNr-f7_qUjTsY_kEWnXUIoE8J2-LIJ81PdGLBHPXgDOPnDz5IAGxjxl/s1600/DSCF5217.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYjvhxHzs1ZBVic61FCV_w6_4aiA2W5FoqYHFJOxK7tTczWkzgCK18ZQX9Kz1Fg8qHO6SrmW8dzJRyedSHf951dNr-f7_qUjTsY_kEWnXUIoE8J2-LIJ81PdGLBHPXgDOPnDz5IAGxjxl/s320/DSCF5217.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545744191682123426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_kYwa1HHc7O01kvGMXTq7w_4RY0QkRWrXxnqgOX6CvYgnPZfknFIMEZ6CjKiSf9kgfS5nkeZ9yendNpaSa-cIh0O_bpph4W5t2iZ7to7vXqSYhFInL5x5kYGrzWk0Kwx8Z-TFcebAR4i/s1600/DSCF5218.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_kYwa1HHc7O01kvGMXTq7w_4RY0QkRWrXxnqgOX6CvYgnPZfknFIMEZ6CjKiSf9kgfS5nkeZ9yendNpaSa-cIh0O_bpph4W5t2iZ7to7vXqSYhFInL5x5kYGrzWk0Kwx8Z-TFcebAR4i/s320/DSCF5218.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545744183081000610" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DCKTLSnvaMm2vCTEzUFDUfxMpCtYzq7_QoW2KHDd9a3fJPrGMUtGcjRI453BuEnxERNHpXO1M8opdnp43G_edVbUp5qEeXvRFn9J6yDwi2sUqkAuLeCkzk68A-TpbrnysE0GhU86KFqR/s1600/DSCF5220.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_DCKTLSnvaMm2vCTEzUFDUfxMpCtYzq7_QoW2KHDd9a3fJPrGMUtGcjRI453BuEnxERNHpXO1M8opdnp43G_edVbUp5qEeXvRFn9J6yDwi2sUqkAuLeCkzk68A-TpbrnysE0GhU86KFqR/s320/DSCF5220.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545744171340509042" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gvXkU2XCOxDNy9kyysDVJT30R6Bl70oWZy4xfzy_Vc9W-s7A9ovBhW1J97BphwQoMTJcd7G2Wa9ygltIx9327BRbJWM1mIJcyKrz9FORit6pHRfk2R28_B3CgrAPejQxZCWVHUFuHgAm/s1600/DSCF5221.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5gvXkU2XCOxDNy9kyysDVJT30R6Bl70oWZy4xfzy_Vc9W-s7A9ovBhW1J97BphwQoMTJcd7G2Wa9ygltIx9327BRbJWM1mIJcyKrz9FORit6pHRfk2R28_B3CgrAPejQxZCWVHUFuHgAm/s320/DSCF5221.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545744156946129458" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">I couldn't talk my all-boy boy into a Christmasy candy-cane cast. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The camo makes him smile. Which makes me smile.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And now his arm comes with a bludgeon. </div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-28631385274056885842010-11-30T13:56:00.004-05:002010-11-30T14:16:19.086-05:00Dx: Fractured<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DUyJWoAEHCs2EzpvJTXc5NpJDa3XdvHV2IMhNP0caaak9Z53bTpiFOfDH39uFnBw0On45ZybzG8hjfNceVvTaSWntUYUKWNk-N4Uy7gS2JBa4kMe-ER1dLSwrQzinM-78l4593ZVrbib/s1600/DSCF5209.JPG"><br /><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1DUyJWoAEHCs2EzpvJTXc5NpJDa3XdvHV2IMhNP0caaak9Z53bTpiFOfDH39uFnBw0On45ZybzG8hjfNceVvTaSWntUYUKWNk-N4Uy7gS2JBa4kMe-ER1dLSwrQzinM-78l4593ZVrbib/s320/DSCF5209.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545419212714624050" /></a><br /><div>Don't let Mr. Serious fool you. He's feeling fine. As fine as you can be with a broken arm. He says his arm doesn't hurt right now, and he using it to scroll around on some computer games as I type.</div><div><br /></div><div>Interesting tidbit: attached to his broken arm is his beloved sucking thumb. With the right cast, we may have stumbled upon a thumb-sucking intervention program. (Is that mean?)</div><div><br /></div><div>I do, really, feel bad that his arm has been broken for three days. But even the doctor was shocked at Seth's lack of pain...or his super-hero level of pain tolerance. Not sure which. He was laughing and smiling and teasing. I can't hang on to guilt too tightly. </div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-47622973013679529202010-11-30T00:26:00.006-05:002010-11-30T09:04:38.875-05:00What I Did Today: Play By Play3:36 a.m. I awoke to a feverish nine-year old tunneling under our comforter from the foot of the bed to the pillow end. He used to do this--as stealthily as possible--as a toddler. I knew something was up, and my Sherlock senses were affirmed when he proceeded to unstealthily leap out of my bed to puke.<div><br /></div><div>6:04 a.m. Gabe finally appeared to sleeping peacefully, this time on the couch with a puke bowl at his side, and I shuffled back to bed.</div><div><br /></div><div>6:05 until 9:08 a.m. Assylum-worthy dreams reeled through their crickety film projector behind my eyes, one after another. I would have rested better not falling asleep.</div><div><br /></div><div>9:10 a.m. I prayed a blessing on Rob for leaving me with some coffee, just enough to give me the clarity to brew another pot. Function level: minimum.</div><div><br /></div><div>9:20 until 11:00 a.m. I turned off the cartoons that kept the kids occupied while I slept in (don't judge!) and got everybody breakfasted and dressed and started with school. Gabe still felt sick, but he listened to a couple of books on tape as he sprawled on the couch. I rebooted the laundry. Showered. Made the bed. Pulled leftover Mexican Turkey Soup out of the fridge for lunch, except that it is too spicy for anyone but Rob and me, so the kids would just have to have pb&j. Old faithful.</div><div><br /></div><div>11:00 a.m. until about noon: Rob came home for lunch, at his usual time, and enjoyed his warmed up Mexican Turkey Soup, with fresh avocado and cilantro with me. It was fab. (There is a whole stockpot-ful to share; come on over. You'll have to BYOA, though, because we finished up the last avocado today.) Oh, and Rob, upon finishing his soup, took a look at Lily's 2nd loose tooth, and persuaded her to let me pull it out. Pop, out it came with barely a tug. </div><div><br /></div><div>And before I forget...AGAIN...I'll be right back. I need to make sure the Tooth Angel (Lily says fairies aren't real and therefore it's the Tooth Angel that brings her a dollar) has come. Sit tight...</div><div><br /></div><div>As it turns out, she just came. Whew, won't Lily be so excited that she wasn't among the last on the Tooth Angel's rounds this time. The Tooth Angel made it here before breakfast, before the very regretful and guilty looking momma finds Lily in her bed sadly holding her tooth instead of a new dollar. Before the momma must assure her that sometimes the Tooth Angel runs a little late and that she should check again after she eats her oatmeal.</div><div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYjO1CPHNg4uRBfhW1WSagotc7-Nhcm3yHhpp61YW08K4cyFdWWtMbnmKPtP9vpBfpzX7IguhFDav1kbmRr8gClx6-Kcw-QLQINrvejYZVh-JaIisbpi9WkwFJWlaVZsJCJf79mL-POw1/s1600/DSCF5204.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIYjO1CPHNg4uRBfhW1WSagotc7-Nhcm3yHhpp61YW08K4cyFdWWtMbnmKPtP9vpBfpzX7IguhFDav1kbmRr8gClx6-Kcw-QLQINrvejYZVh-JaIisbpi9WkwFJWlaVZsJCJf79mL-POw1/s320/DSCF5204.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545217147223260418" /></a><br /><br /></div><div>Noon until, oh, I can't even remember: Read to Seth and Lily, American history: our freedoms and our country's symbols. And we practiced saying the Pledge of Allegiance. We don't say it every day here, and I realized that my little ones didn't know it. Well, we'll fix that. Then they went off to work on something fun in the back yard, and I decided to melt some old candles and fill up some jars and votives with the melted wax. Surprisingly, I had a stash of wicks for just this purpose. I've probably had these candle wicks for seven or eight years. I can't even remember where or when I got them. They came out of a box that I just recently happened upon. I've never used them before today. Most days, I have no idea why I've hung onto something...and I'm a big sucker for anything crafty that I might be able to craft into something else crafty...but today, I'm glad I didn't give away the wicks, because look what I made:</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qW9f18iTacRW4q1edZMgPn0uaRC7RdJjv2shEAIqOAPRCgEwnTU4ycPytz0NEW_2R2HuiGX3TwT7InBISyCO-X1ChTDkNr3S2vrXhTlhUCpjKvAOtoo6YlQXvXX8mCM44cd2H9Gs6LZc/s1600/DSCF5206.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9qW9f18iTacRW4q1edZMgPn0uaRC7RdJjv2shEAIqOAPRCgEwnTU4ycPytz0NEW_2R2HuiGX3TwT7InBISyCO-X1ChTDkNr3S2vrXhTlhUCpjKvAOtoo6YlQXvXX8mCM44cd2H9Gs6LZc/s320/DSCF5206.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545218538074846642" /></a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>And what else? Oh, then I made dinner. (Lumpia rolls, fried potatoes and salad.) I worked off the lumpia with a two-mile jog in the dark, my first since the race; I felt pretty good. I showered--again--and then watched <i>Chuck</i> with the hubs. And now we circle back around to where I am, on the couch with my little netbook, updating my blog.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hasn't my day been exciting? This is actually the only day this week that I don't have errands to run, and that reminds me, I need to either renew my library books online tonight or turn them in to the library in the morning before it opens to avoid a hefty fine.</div><div><br /></div><div>Tomorrow will begin, hopefully not with puking, but indeed with a call to the doctor and here's why: Saturday, Seth fell down outside of the chapel and landed on his arm or wrist. He bawled, and he's tough kid. He has a very large bump on his bone, and though he doesn't complain of pain when he moves it throughout his day (and he seems to have full motion) he can't climb up his bunk bed ladder, and he can't hold anything, and he winces when the big bump is touched. The bump has not gotten any smaller since Saturday. We were hoping it was just a goose egg, but now doubts are creeping in. Time to call in the experts.. I will feel A.W.F.U.L. if it turns out to be broken. </div><div><br /></div><div>And if Gabe is still feeling miserable (his fever never fully broke all day and he ate very little) then we might as well make it a family trip to the doctor. </div><div><br /></div><div>Add to that tomorrow: speech therapy, children's choir practice, adult choir practice, and Christmas program practice. (In addition to more laundry, more schooling, more meal prep.)</div><div><br /></div><div>It's going to be a two-pot coffee day, I can tell! </div><div><br /></div><div>All of this day, all of tomorrow, all of the next day, I'm giving to God. It's His. What a relief that it's not about me, because of me, for me or to me. In that, I can find shiny nuggets of joy and peace, because they are there, let me tell you. </div><div><br /></div><div>Get your sifter out and shake away the sand and grit and find yours, too.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-54803821554289826612010-10-31T15:52:00.003-04:002010-10-31T16:03:11.999-04:00The 2010 Halloween Reveal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnEEYn2U7Uy29oJVqjHy6YeVv4tGrqw3ejYWhKYoZPSL69tWdbanOmlr9ZOmL_GYYAfRXLs7q4s1cONwHK-jCH40duAwBJ0sigum9Zc9JmdSp-Vufkg2kTgHd-oLM1LxbL9cCCVfOzU56/s1600/DSCF4931.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPnEEYn2U7Uy29oJVqjHy6YeVv4tGrqw3ejYWhKYoZPSL69tWdbanOmlr9ZOmL_GYYAfRXLs7q4s1cONwHK-jCH40duAwBJ0sigum9Zc9JmdSp-Vufkg2kTgHd-oLM1LxbL9cCCVfOzU56/s320/DSCF4931.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534302877432198338" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwi4muGRiBXEghCZcunZ5zpHUQdOCxFwv8fmivmhulCj2U5tF6gpAIxUPLh9Gx8zyVrQuaLYqYShBSHAfgnXxsz8YjgEGaAIEWbHlMP4yl59BJIYXrNSKEXD1af9-YJtCGCcreajk7W5v/s1600/DSCF4932.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPwi4muGRiBXEghCZcunZ5zpHUQdOCxFwv8fmivmhulCj2U5tF6gpAIxUPLh9Gx8zyVrQuaLYqYShBSHAfgnXxsz8YjgEGaAIEWbHlMP4yl59BJIYXrNSKEXD1af9-YJtCGCcreajk7W5v/s320/DSCF4932.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534302874497308514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pTA2-KOIIuAk4y8KnisYgHw5f3P6iU_XUPbq4tegYlqri-9j6dCxWQpocY9z7FXAK_dQW5IidaIegdjr8cKwIslGNywEhJwqhm8eBx8GoRetNIJdPxXZtNT3Ujyyu1xcWa4juprRMT94/s1600/DSCF4933.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-pTA2-KOIIuAk4y8KnisYgHw5f3P6iU_XUPbq4tegYlqri-9j6dCxWQpocY9z7FXAK_dQW5IidaIegdjr8cKwIslGNywEhJwqhm8eBx8GoRetNIJdPxXZtNT3Ujyyu1xcWa4juprRMT94/s320/DSCF4933.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534302869575393378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3R4fYCywrbDs8yjlf1kzP15ruxS6DufUVkMULjb5SsXRBbKIYObGsZyray_B8kBcn0oVWIl9fqXQfV8pVbp5JljZ2Co1xP9qVziyrcJxs4LUyDP9_pQRs_n_xWu_qcLjHM_vBcDvPNXI/s1600/DSCF4934.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp3R4fYCywrbDs8yjlf1kzP15ruxS6DufUVkMULjb5SsXRBbKIYObGsZyray_B8kBcn0oVWIl9fqXQfV8pVbp5JljZ2Co1xP9qVziyrcJxs4LUyDP9_pQRs_n_xWu_qcLjHM_vBcDvPNXI/s320/DSCF4934.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534302867539453906" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT_wC8Vez_5n_JjURy5jzLws5xFs5i7gNqfAdVLhq09uC369meixqqab7mXWAnz9yrjn5hyB4HHZv1Sg_eNvR5UjOHZes-WJPNykaimKc7KohV0Qc_33dVKkLXfHOg2tHXQnODVtiuB4S/s1600/DSCF4935.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidT_wC8Vez_5n_JjURy5jzLws5xFs5i7gNqfAdVLhq09uC369meixqqab7mXWAnz9yrjn5hyB4HHZv1Sg_eNvR5UjOHZes-WJPNykaimKc7KohV0Qc_33dVKkLXfHOg2tHXQnODVtiuB4S/s320/DSCF4935.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534301540158250674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6t1R0fS8jpzu_PFbS6WKciXMGvK_In4fiWwvLBJIu6xfgd7smOx28jTr_iC6B_tc0hgtWgioHTbbGBl2LD4tcNXMaqueAxhDljo4R5_qCXBk98bHG-wQQQFtwgI4xelGB-MbuTtPj9Z7f/s1600/DSCF4939.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6t1R0fS8jpzu_PFbS6WKciXMGvK_In4fiWwvLBJIu6xfgd7smOx28jTr_iC6B_tc0hgtWgioHTbbGBl2LD4tcNXMaqueAxhDljo4R5_qCXBk98bHG-wQQQFtwgI4xelGB-MbuTtPj9Z7f/s320/DSCF4939.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534301535848437714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0cJ97VhKy83LI3KQnHvRADDEQOqYTvL_1aU_hkp4B5YZGfDGWtFFSPQMXt7gVO6R3o5BJX6WbHhs0-O789nWTZrUn2hUGdDNOsmCcxsxRM92yxq0pdfqMTLffnPWhFHnRIWlUeFChf0e/s1600/DSCF4936.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0cJ97VhKy83LI3KQnHvRADDEQOqYTvL_1aU_hkp4B5YZGfDGWtFFSPQMXt7gVO6R3o5BJX6WbHhs0-O789nWTZrUn2hUGdDNOsmCcxsxRM92yxq0pdfqMTLffnPWhFHnRIWlUeFChf0e/s320/DSCF4936.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534301532165964514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAw9uUSxUTBNvBBdD1tCYJflvBcOzATP9pgzqSWhxJDQKtTnRHDJCL2Nv6KpW9BhYdxkofFIupOAIAlTpvQP0ELLymnKTeXZgDdMBlyoF-cO5TKVnnC3Fy3EMCcRB0uBlKV_ChB8TXyZlP/s1600/DSCF4937.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAw9uUSxUTBNvBBdD1tCYJflvBcOzATP9pgzqSWhxJDQKtTnRHDJCL2Nv6KpW9BhYdxkofFIupOAIAlTpvQP0ELLymnKTeXZgDdMBlyoF-cO5TKVnnC3Fy3EMCcRB0uBlKV_ChB8TXyZlP/s320/DSCF4937.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534301528191352818" /></a>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-55968451841221375572010-10-24T19:21:00.010-04:002010-10-25T13:54:41.697-04:00Dress-up<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.6px; ">Dress-up is serious business at my house.</span></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqX1rDarzYfQwUrMevnL0eFYgL7TRZMOBBRMIr8ZBBPFSGRfYE5bGTK65rNz2OyPeX5fADLqby7F2DQ37EZDyiXDZ-XNIFkqbSUYnSm2vkZqr-l2pLHq4GmMOEc7_IDFvr9KcYkh86BHY/s1600/DSCF0001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirqX1rDarzYfQwUrMevnL0eFYgL7TRZMOBBRMIr8ZBBPFSGRfYE5bGTK65rNz2OyPeX5fADLqby7F2DQ37EZDyiXDZ-XNIFkqbSUYnSm2vkZqr-l2pLHq4GmMOEc7_IDFvr9KcYkh86BHY/s320/DSCF0001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531758908991046898" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Christmas 2003, Caleb--4, Gabe--2 1/2</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It started early on.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy6IbYahGkVvlOiAfP4miZXxlqE2MCpQQRnVGOVpVeKm1hmqyJD0gAZJQr7_pbjgenIayQlh-ty1Fy2vws88mJ9Iz2UO-_xK7WyLgkU7FcoW7hq72ECx0tADj35ZUB9o6xQmhGBBne9xRD/s320/DSCF0004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531804682570418530" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dowagiac, MI, September 2004</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Caleb, tenderly aged five, played the part of a little orphan boy our town's reenactment of the Orphan Train Riders, which made its first stop in Dowagiac, MI in 1854. Caleb had one line, "Do you think I could go, too, sir?" He was so dang cute, and even now, I'm haunted by his little voice squeaking that haunting line, and I hear the phantom voices of the thousands of children who needed families. Most of the children who rode the Orphan Train were <a href="http://www.program-source.com/orphan_train_project.htm">never</a> adopted.</span></i></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGm8f2-bAVuLj5schj_Uy-fcUYsk7Q0B9lXmxyFFkpC3heJqVTBT6w0OOYsH63v5Uf0DHN7dFrhtHkBZy1VSDScc3plxpQ66sGTogyiTclgnSc3C2w36ebqijRdpNEwUFkVP7kSURqUNG/s1600/ChristmasParade3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGm8f2-bAVuLj5schj_Uy-fcUYsk7Q0B9lXmxyFFkpC3heJqVTBT6w0OOYsH63v5Uf0DHN7dFrhtHkBZy1VSDScc3plxpQ66sGTogyiTclgnSc3C2w36ebqijRdpNEwUFkVP7kSURqUNG/s320/ChristmasParade3.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531760213856637906" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Christmas Parade of Lights float, Dowagiac, MI 2004</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(Please forgive the poor quality of this photo: poorest of lighting and crappy camera. I'm surprised it turned out as well as it did!)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Seth's first role in a play. His role at two months of age? Baby Jesus. Please disregard Mary's out-of-character black gloves. She wasn't prepared for how bitterly cold it is atop a flatbed trailer on a windy, Michigan evening. (BTW, our tiny church's simple float won the Chamber of Commerce award for best float. I sincerely believe it was because of the little red face sticking out of the swaddling clothes. Good job, Seth!)</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjm3SCyXG2aehFKlV7owjhu-2_lyA6LupaueR5UX7YvEN5SGfywqT9I9of7Sx44sZO8oTyspeXiSkso9-r4t1eqhsBtDmIA8RIdHG_OE5Xz7NbzzaInSYltbpXJ0FlCwRaByo3ABWvPeo/s1600/DSCF0028.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCjm3SCyXG2aehFKlV7owjhu-2_lyA6LupaueR5UX7YvEN5SGfywqT9I9of7Sx44sZO8oTyspeXiSkso9-r4t1eqhsBtDmIA8RIdHG_OE5Xz7NbzzaInSYltbpXJ0FlCwRaByo3ABWvPeo/s320/DSCF0028.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531806071697380210" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>March 2007, Gabriel's 6th birthday party (Couldn't you just drown in the chocolate pools of his eyes?)</i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2SqA1JyHEEf2_U96gtzTDeZtg4GJCZoRSsDW9EiU__CgQSWwvj580bxK7kvF_PxwZicWiXZjZJe-F80N7xaBCd4m-XfKsjGmFVgLNCLz0h_5FWo5vaN-4VKP6zpqUm-bIfby2M00yWBE/s1600/DSCF0029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr2SqA1JyHEEf2_U96gtzTDeZtg4GJCZoRSsDW9EiU__CgQSWwvj580bxK7kvF_PxwZicWiXZjZJe-F80N7xaBCd4m-XfKsjGmFVgLNCLz0h_5FWo5vaN-4VKP6zpqUm-bIfby2M00yWBE/s320/DSCF0029.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531806066992556018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Autumn 2006...maybe.</i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6R0724-F0vZZtFfdZQ4xf1vE4AFdJ60h8exFtKn2kcmYd9yl-ODj_DflSyugPEiLc_oySdjhZ_7C095P4ein8i1WbJJJ09v3GNygAyWed7vXF83y9etDHo317M2cet-rmSEk3do7ot4j/s1600/DSCF0014.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6R0724-F0vZZtFfdZQ4xf1vE4AFdJ60h8exFtKn2kcmYd9yl-ODj_DflSyugPEiLc_oySdjhZ_7C095P4ein8i1WbJJJ09v3GNygAyWed7vXF83y9etDHo317M2cet-rmSEk3do7ot4j/s320/DSCF0014.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531804684092157026" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Lily turns three...so December 2006</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And I know she is in a princess dress in this photo, but for the most part, she has always been happiest dressing up in bizarre layers of gloves and armbands and belts and headbands.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9njEMUe0_jbMaGGJVP34iEkqWjec2K3ma2sJ1yajx5lpezWt5ylyjsuxWehGAEWYIhXou9LNGPtT4B7xnuOtklkcmpRPQVMnjVyDlcYyyzjHEKiPTO8dRdaa-0W7dpjOWaQcnFWPs17IB/s1600/DSCF0009.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9njEMUe0_jbMaGGJVP34iEkqWjec2K3ma2sJ1yajx5lpezWt5ylyjsuxWehGAEWYIhXou9LNGPtT4B7xnuOtklkcmpRPQVMnjVyDlcYyyzjHEKiPTO8dRdaa-0W7dpjOWaQcnFWPs17IB/s320/DSCF0009.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531799994358568562" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Michigan, 2006</i></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">These two cuties. Scrumptious, I tell you. How did they grow soooo fast? I thought those days were lasting forevah, and than zip. They were just gone.</span></i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; ">And sometimes, it's still fun to play dress up.</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; "><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7in1bjFBFkaQUNI4TzzmRtS41XO_tHSfma1Kmf6cZgHYCh5GVrDtNOgf3yC2viv9M6e95ZQCgjD0zGVD_QfiZG92ZODnNgud73uLlotTl6v84M7u_8uDcYWHzQCyXsjsJTreB0VLlWhq8/s320/DSCF4930.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5532039974939934898" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Corpus Christi, TX, 2010</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">All dressed up for the Navy Ball.</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And none of these photos are from Halloween. So you can imagine the excitement as we get ready for a time when they are not the only kids in the neighborhood dressed up. What are their disguises this year, you may ask? Well, you'll have to stay tuned until after this weekend!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.8333px; "><br /></span></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-42356142456831203942010-09-26T22:03:00.004-04:002010-09-26T22:28:24.192-04:00Wisdom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaf6a9-1aRJ-NZ1jbIScNhq_h9nUJRQtBi6dzqWy3trxPAFhpeLmGX8tNRuAjqP-Cc_wUN3NnD0tcI9-QQaBW2x3P8RbF0H4ZzHlNs9fgTem8z5zRVnrt0sYrWMwc0MJnt8-f5iDAarVR/s1600/DSCF4453.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 266px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaf6a9-1aRJ-NZ1jbIScNhq_h9nUJRQtBi6dzqWy3trxPAFhpeLmGX8tNRuAjqP-Cc_wUN3NnD0tcI9-QQaBW2x3P8RbF0H4ZzHlNs9fgTem8z5zRVnrt0sYrWMwc0MJnt8-f5iDAarVR/s320/DSCF4453.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521414068627604674" /></a><br /><br />"Give us wisdom." <div><br /></div><div>Recently, as our family prayed around the dinner table, three of the kids made this request of God. My heart flooded with love for these precious gems of mine who felt prompted to pray for wisdom before digging into dinner. I don't think they prayed for wisdom because school was a little hard that day, or because they wanted to impress Mom and Dad with grown-up sounding prayers.</div><div><br /></div><div>They prayed sweetly and earnestly. And God spoke to me through their prayers. At once He reminded me of this precious promise found in James 1:5: </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; "><br /></span></div><div>"<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; ">If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 19.2px; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I lack wisdom. I surely do. And I need to be like my kids, and remember to ask for it before the crisis hits, throughout the common parts of the day--like dinnertime. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i>Lord, I lack wisdom, and because I know that you are generous, I ask for You to bless me with wisdom. I also ask for godly wisdom for every precious soul reading this today. Give us the knowledge of God in Christ and protect us from depravity of mind. Amen.</i></span></span></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFSpybjODNKo0bdbX2s1yJJHnTj1ZG3JyZxrPZBJ5orjyV_FoP8gmQW8jpcf3DS20euWzZjdjc0yuoHf1DOX_Gkrg-z4NyxjIlg-X9_Ewdre_CP6Yi3bDvzzaDCwLerKK9BRkc_BYAnUs/s1600/DSCF4517.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 199px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcFSpybjODNKo0bdbX2s1yJJHnTj1ZG3JyZxrPZBJ5orjyV_FoP8gmQW8jpcf3DS20euWzZjdjc0yuoHf1DOX_Gkrg-z4NyxjIlg-X9_Ewdre_CP6Yi3bDvzzaDCwLerKK9BRkc_BYAnUs/s320/DSCF4517.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521414063872194402" /></a>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-32817770399728751802010-09-12T16:29:00.011-04:002010-09-12T20:13:32.927-04:00The Back-to-School Post, And It's as Wordy as the School Day is Long<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15.6px; ">School's been going on strong from my four little scholars for the past three weeks.</span></div><div><br /></div><div>This is the first year in six years of homeschooling that we "officially" started school before Labor Day. What was the difference this year? I don't know. Often the seat of my pants flies before me, and I just follow along. </div><div><br /></div><div>Actually, the local public schools started on the 23rd, two of our close homeschooling family friends decided to start up, and it's just too bloomin' hot here right now to do much else.</div><div><div><br /></div><div>I don't have any cute pictures of them climbing on the bus or dressed up with their oversized backpacks and squeaky new shoes.</div><div><br /></div><div>But perhaps a few candids from inside our classroom might stir-up some nostalgic back-to-school feelings. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So this is what it looked like in front of my chair for the three weeks prior to school:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAui6dsfj0Y24QhZCgTzHrHwBXGAonjl9Gm2C7aWD0C8OIaWkAJaz7NcFTc2zJzYHC3N178j76X0VMBEBAyzEW_L6KSsCWFujkdrJrtpTBaL1AWH2hrT3CGDC9wiGgO5W_9Ju58ZNogNAv/s320/DSCF4626.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Every year our school changes flavor a little bit to match our family. Or because something we did last year didn't quite work, or because one kid has this weakness, or because another kid as that strength. Or because our family has this schedule. Homeschool brings new, glorious meaning to the Individualized Education that public school routinely fails to deliver. It's hard enough in my class with one teacher and four kids, absolutely impossible with one teacher and 30 kids. This is not to say that every family should homeschool their kids. This is what God has asked <i>us</i> to do at <i>this time</i>, and we humbly and prayerfully accept the monumental task of laying a rock solid spiritual and academic foundation for our precious kids so that they can be the best at who God created them to be. I am NOT critical of those families who choose to the public education system for their families. My husband and I are both products of the public school system, and we're okay...sometimes!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">This is the first year that all four kids are doing school together at the same time, Seth in Kindergarten, Lily in first grade, Gabe in fourth and Caleb in fifth. In case you're wondering, we use the </span><a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/classical-education/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">classical approach</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">, with a large smattering of </span><a href="http://simplycharlottemason.com/basics/what-is-the-charlotte-mason-method/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Charlotte Mason</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> thrown in for fun. (Well, </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">think it's fun anyway.)</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">And back to the tour. Here's our main classroom, with students:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT34gFKVuJImERCsD5mXwjD93DdYIsQWp8W3686EMLVYQ1ocsZqxGaGMqgTt1Xq6-nZ5cTqFgGprGkrM6u4Ynr-wn8kInzRH1hO1YuJ21Do-EIfKyaLiNkPRmQXCwoaWLJDWIruURqTR_g/s320/DSCF4619.JPG" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I would LOVE to have a school room, but for now, the dining room table is it. I do love seeing all four kids hard at work, together. Our dining room has ditched the normal dining-roomness, and has become the backdrop for this:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Jh9MEq_CmuAqsA3f6JzGulP0f-r-eMt4dTlLh6eVKI3DrTsPGM4rhpiVEhi4BegMMRH3Kc_QWzu_6bIjBRQyW7Z60_MTJqBfFLt11mGZfaxB1iMKzo5tqE-FEl4W3kJqm7jVr6qmce6t/s320/DSCF4628.JPG" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">and this:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl6cX2x00X8aszPffmWgS3nEm_JzODV3VuAleNrW0Nu3rPtnNZObQ-nsNZf1UiPbfYnWkFacDPh1xpGOt51pJqUcjLYiqKr3qY262kj3F7MKAa1rNpr5e2QBis8XkLhjh49-RpmIT4RoeM/s320/DSCF4622.JPG" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and this:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4-Csz9NqqADNQ0CT9l58f-YmaN_3ulag9KxYLNAXirzE1alliccoUbfs-dSxUT8pjoW51nLhsNAN4GN0glD0aeQrsHWNNLzUrSITWx9rmY8aANZv0PHa1_XoE8nioqDRMygDqsl9L9a5n/s320/DSCF4621.JPG" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">and this:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraMwyqHfCzGbN9SrZuoUHgN8YmvJmcLh-2DGF_os1DhjcHZKkFJlmKu44RcGhIJxgaytws8m8MM_CYHzNxMDM0GrxnDZTikNvIDDgKXAoQ7znPhpSq-9Te3oAzn6KMPZk5SiHh4FbcUEC/s320/DSCF4650.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">(which is our verictal timeline of the Medieval Age using the AMAZING resources found on the yahoo group <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Hannah_hs_helps/?yguid=340883768">Hannah's Homeschool Helps</a> . Love her stuff, which correlates perfectly with the <a href="http://www.welltrainedmind.com/the-story-of-the-world-history-for-the-classical-child/">history component we are using</a>.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9r0oMika2j6EMCy3oQF_ECiuHJRBv3yagmoN6mtEU1TQrt1MqLakUk35kl3c2fBAbvCLmjE7nG7nXzmV8c_E57uoq_8sJtoerFNoAonBfZ9uPK4HRsxTDe5UD3-5FZmHyd8r8hCn4RNS/s320/DSCF4649.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And in our classroom, you will see a whole lotta this:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrugnqkdo4wQukp6LrHgZTG-U8zmFzeJK0zLdlYOkDd_a9HTLuchFxdSIs4YWJ41A0EU1YJuDVBnlCJRAk313MaLl3bZAusRozBsgqjQgQQSmB7Q-NJtVdFok7tUpvMADWWh1fJwaeBr2q/s320/DSCF4623.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Who knew our dining room could hold so much stuff? There is a downside to this arrangement. Do I have any volunteers to be my classroom aid who cleans up the dining room each afternoon so that we can use it for dinner? Anyone? Anyone? </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:15.6px;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> Seth's very first day of Kindergarten:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKHaMUjbIkJO1EZmC7BzY-oG-SuEwb_uic01yLUWSfOaBUj4ra-ea5fEoYr9M6FZmREJYMhmwuOOHBfKbyqW3XSa32giZD3kqxKofRGx6TcZWVEnRG7MbsdtyhyphenhyphenDYWGgZJC3OQ7CjrLQP/s320/DSCF4629.JPG" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">What a cute little student he is! And I couldn't resist one picture of his busy feet, momentarily stilled in study:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRuyQMHOTR84a9tuQzEsIgPGr7e0qNuH2Ni0Gb_gN0N1KS-VnmJSWZetae06JAFY-ihX2Hjngs-Fx7xtybSpVNpLcByps4MjK1Acm2iX3lWWvUjjzh8CTOEQ5Etd-fTWfSEZxnQHDXge6N/s320/DSCF4630.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let the awwwwwww's commence.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And because our week is filled with appointments for speech therapy and doctor's visits...mostly for Lily, we're gettin' pretty good at schoolin' on the go.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">In the car:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Ws_cPThaG2PDWk3y7oQXQqSYW4HO6jGUcHVmmf4O8D-kjs-GO3Aerr2RECIeaEI-KxxKiFiTVvTrLT-C5VovCQ9creZoDHpPW8Hf4MvnYEySdIZ5-83cVAoYoHGJvSC0AAS4f2NKy1r5/s320/DSCF4631.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and various waiting rooms:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVguRWHlGC7xn9-QN-dIKg5neXefrlkbQntqE9LFwhmW2Jirmiq_2inR8NgKXyKWILLDq_uo7aFRz6mZ9Rah79J-fTgZrKVUeSvARUAbCchtvPS-0FkRvjgLmck-RXZDsoLZ1pcAT9BD2_/s320/DSCF4646.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUZAjBCIIlianRU0afP-CQhu2oo6QSMJiIRowdNa8ZUHfRsi9124cWExKAnjtrNAm7mGWCbm4QhIGQpP0kZGA_6sS-1rj0wXzD1ngvzcWpttpjJQkzENFjfM2RcaDRZEKUMqUnFFLllrth/s320/DSCF4638.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVV36nCHGoKu37KwVDyuXYBDITOJXQDkLcgPJqXdrjLwW6BiB0JtSGn9SS533oObYfYQn1mzho0iuPwd3wE5P7USiq6LB2p3HXOLqn61re_uE96EEarlVVy0OqQqkCHyHNeGiGd1fR5hi/s320/DSCF4641.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCEEreZNJT-SRQ8Vxx7KPpPPO43x1FBvEuFNVtqFiusnG9YdWpyUWV_W_rNoPFNi8D07hrwVi2ErOoLoar6ssXwoRqzev3h9QnC4CWdFDjgCPtu6TWO-nD6-aZw_dK6g42IYtYhyphenhyphenTp2q16/s320/DSCF4640.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This is only a sampling of our school, and a small one, though if you've made it this far in today's post, you may be shaking your head in disagreement.</div><div><br /></div><div>But really, my favorite classroom exists outside these four walls. </div><div><br /></div><div>Take the ocean. We are blessed to be live ten minutes from the Gulf of Mexico. You can read stories and poems and articles about the ocean. You can watch documentaries about it on the Discovery Channel. But a week of reading and watching will not give you nearly as many clear lessons as standing on the sandy shore and feeling the cool water lap your ankles and the waves steal away the sand right from beneath your feet. And in what book can you taste the salt from the water and hear the rhythm of the waves as they stir up wonder and awe along with sand and hermit crabs. Can you imagine Jesus walking right on top of those waves? And then commanding them to be still...and they obeyed? God is...BIG. And He cares for you and me. And he has orchestrated the details of history and created order and beauty. That's worth spending a lifetime studying. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I hope to plant those seeds of wonder and love of learning in my kids hearts that they can take with them far into childhood and adulthood so that they will never stop learning and loving the God who created it all.</div><div><br /></div><div>So that's our school. For now. Time to prepare lessons for tomorrow...</div><div><br /></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-28445039109509669402010-09-05T20:14:00.017-04:002010-09-07T10:53:04.699-04:00Waving 'Bye to Summer<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">I took a bit of a bloggy break, but I'm back. I think. I'm sure all three of my readers (I'm counting my mom twice) will appreciate that.</span></i></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Well, Labor Day has come. Labor Day has gone. Gabe woke up yesterday morning and chirped, "Happy Labor Day, Mom! And I'm the only one who remembered." Meaning, no one else in the family burst forth with the greeting. I'm sure he hoped there would be some kind of gift exchange, but he contented himself with enjoying a day without formal schooling. (In a house of learning, I hesitate to say we had no school, because I firmly believe that much meaningful learning happens way outside the confines of curricula and lesson plans. But that is another blog for another day.)</div><div><br /></div><div>The kids have been memorizing a Bible verse each week, a verse to correspond with each of our 26 alphabet bits. Maybe the ABC mnemonic will help us to keep those precious jewels from God's Word hidden in our hearts for good. </div><div><br /></div><div>This week, <b>C</b> is for: "<b>C</b>ome to me, you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28." What a perfect, wonderful promise for the week of Labor Day. </div><div><br /></div><div>So Happy Labor Day! And God's promise of rest is His Labor Day gift to you.<br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Onto our summer farewell.</span></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">We've summered til we just can't summer no mo'. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTRdhnjq_DeUh3q692gPCHV4dtWYQL79upnlCouqFglTDtqrsTsLDXRCYbj1SzKH0j-T3ukZBXeRJpubB-Ii_NZHUWtjZ8KBeX0yeJFufo9YTF93cM4d0R0KQrd9KSwjUc57e7319Uo3q_/s320/DSCF4034.JPG" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 199px; height: 266px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513595387749326546" /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Except that summer just won't go away here in South Texas. </span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWyIEue7Zxbwj0Q76X9G5dvLUmHeh3kWg-bJzEdzU68YIJIOizWdi9K5yAwz7561US1BDj-wnkbfSTs-07wSIpxWhX0bKTPnu2fz6yxlXKdwMkPVOAgyIO2cXkHm_yOHoHXNvMpvdwQOK/s320/DSCF3826.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">At least not when I think I need it to. </span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bO2-x2BajVWreThLmOerL_f_ZbpwXvISsQWnnnKT8BsuW1LJs63SR9pWE_r4Edl8T6TA96SK4QQwbhIMyKbe4dKzGn4EQHz-bEyULc2-bZ85TsP3Va8AL95025TW3ptYN-yB8DcUrHMb/s1600/DSCF3834.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 198px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9bO2-x2BajVWreThLmOerL_f_ZbpwXvISsQWnnnKT8BsuW1LJs63SR9pWE_r4Edl8T6TA96SK4QQwbhIMyKbe4dKzGn4EQHz-bEyULc2-bZ85TsP3Va8AL95025TW3ptYN-yB8DcUrHMb/s320/DSCF3834.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513597102767918962" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">Don't get me wrong.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0mwhlXRTuY6kzh1HEsaYqQgx4o_7rAg9HHFtW4VV0VZhK4lyksFE_y1nQhebXrZvf4ZaHiDJ9EYOvqiOf1ux-T9bc1aB21BgxaHvit_M2nGDxIvNKBgZEM_mvZJHBcfUvqatgsIIayBL/s320/DSCF3859.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"> We summered good. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjxlyF-o55MaEFTbPGCeRWsYrm7WplYpmamHAS8TYblxrXkvIsQt0bKqByG2Fc1t7Pbc-Xse_0-Fl79EQmPdZMwP6s8iYPY9MFx0hiyQiDQGs8Dl-8zssN4Vqq0D-VG9OA226qF3BrzcX/s320/DSCF4492.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">And hard.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimA_gJnmLArW2eMSTdVakUh5Sr51WTEHR1esRY7-ww9B-Yfs5NcFCQy3LWPoLQUWH7cYeV1H-tKgq9SgaqOdTdwy1j8HUmz-ly_QK8yjmigbeV7XZEenxUqa-mjGI_7tuwROS16W02wrUV/s320/DSCF4186.JPG" /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">But all good summering...</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY1H5r1wnNffbBuJ2XDiZAyTrPK3ZgtW85V3aL8EPI0_dTbjWeaEjhnfwqMpCSs0OowTb96CLkltqnEopVffkiko-iO6LfGtjU717d8VPOqAQyVn1fM0ekw8LxxuZp0wTNAVDTmuP_AXdx/s320/DSCF3817.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-large;">...must come to an end.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnW_IMjzXS-FWd8C1EReTBj7FlJDJi3nLjbYblZ6bXS_IJuaoD23GXaPqJ52dD4XL2LkRlXNVa_hgBa2I-vrTWWPabsEiVjb2A3ph-2KfdiRo29eS1ERLlKvCUlWBEcIGw2rsK06koc2eU/s320/DSCF4184.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Bon voyage, Texas Summertime. You were a hottie. I've said my good-byes. I'm going to ignore you now and pretend you're not still here overstaying your welcome. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But I do like that you rub shoulders with winter on your way out of town and tame his blustery heart with your Texan warmth and charm. You can keep on doing that.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-18389965956002290802010-03-24T11:51:00.002-04:002010-03-28T17:06:50.799-04:00Cloudy Day<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3HWJTqH3RVt8ws8ZH80MX_qrG3pXrs65H-Ogb6bMtRdgs0viHY7PwCIo9mgko7p8vgXyFnufh_25ftlTYBwQu3FxieY-TJmqR6DAKIZnYn-xCiPUsC1w-vww0vns7mffQMU69139EERp/s1600/DSCF3337.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3HWJTqH3RVt8ws8ZH80MX_qrG3pXrs65H-Ogb6bMtRdgs0viHY7PwCIo9mgko7p8vgXyFnufh_25ftlTYBwQu3FxieY-TJmqR6DAKIZnYn-xCiPUsC1w-vww0vns7mffQMU69139EERp/s320/DSCF3337.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453791493704976626" /></a><br />I'm not usually one to dwell on challenges and depressions, especially ones that are spiritual or personal. I don't like to air dirty laundry. Writing that sentence on this spring day in South Texas does make me desperately miss my clothesline in Michigan and the fragrance of freshly laundered and country-air-dried sheets. Ahh. <div><br /></div><div>Oh, back to what I was talking about. Dirty laundry. Physical evidence of the day's/week's/month's toil. Oh, look, she had pasta again, I can see the marinara spot on her white shirt. Hasn't she had enough pasta? I mean, does she know how many carbs are in a plate of penne? This is all figurative of course. (And I did make a YUMMY whole wheat baked penne this week, with chicken, zucchini, red pepper, onions and garlic, but that's clearly an aside.) Oh, she's been grumpy with her kids? Feels distant from her husband? Lacking in her prayer life? Trouble sticking to her Lent fast? <i>The chaplain's wife?! </i>Dirty laundry indeed.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't like to only write about lollipop and cotton-candy kind of days. It may seem that way, because, when the days are hard and my heart is heavier than usual, I tend to slip away into an introspective grey cloud and try to figure out how to get that spot of marinara out by myself.</div><div><br /></div><div>I don't often call friends when I'm having a rough day. I don't usually want to talk about it. <i>I withdraw. </i> I hope it doesn't come off as snobbery and snootery. I just want to wait until the sun comes back out and I'm feeling better, and then maybe I'll talk about it in past tense. "Oh, man, last week was rough. But I'm doing great now!" It's a character flaw, perhaps, that I close up and slip away into my own cloudy corner during the stormy times. Oh, if you've got a problem or need something, I'm there, baby. I'm really good at avoiding the conversation about me.</div><div><br /></div><div>And I don't know how to change that. There's the dirty laundry for today.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm sure there'll be more tomorrow, but maybe I'll secretly tuck it into the hamper.</div><div><br /></div><div>So today I'm waiting for the wind to blow away these clouds. God has lessons for me in the series of disappointments and mini-rejections that have piled up and made a nuisance of themselves. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm reminded of God's constant love and acceptance and pursuit of me. I'm so glad He knows I need those things from Him. And He never fails to deliver. He doesn't wait for me to come through the cloud, though; He won't let me slip into aloneness for even one minute.</div><div><br /></div><div>Today, we celebrate Palm Sunday, the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, the "city of peace." In Sunday School, the kids and I read aloud Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem from each of the Gospel accounts. Luke's account in chapter 19 included a few details left out of the other three. When the people began shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!" the grumpy ol' Pharisees commanded Jesus to rebuke them. Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out." He is the true King, and he WILL be praised. I remember one song from church camp...I think I learned it as a counselor, not a camper:</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Ain't no rock</div><div style="text-align: center;">Gonna sing in my place.</div><div style="text-align: center;">As long I'm alive</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll glorify </div><div style="text-align: center;">His holy name. "</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That song is running on repeat through my head now.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Another detail that Luke captures for us: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he <b>wept</b> over it and said, "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace--but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of the God's coming to you."</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"> I don't know about you, but I want to know now what will bring me peace. I don't want to know later, after the time for finding peace has already passed, ya know? This prophecy from Jesus was fulfilled in A.D 70 when Rome besieged Jerusalem, using the layout of the land against it, but I also know that for us TODAY is the day of Salvation. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">This isn't the first time Jesus was heart-broken over the lost city of Jerusalem. A few chapters earlier in 13: </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!"</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: left;">So tender and beautiful is Jesus love for this people who would shortly after torture and kill him and refuse to accept His gift of salvation.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">So tender and beautiful now is his love for you and for me. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">That alone is enough to make these peevish clouds small and manageable.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Hosanna in the highest!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMb2ohBpkRyYpKsqkSBf7K4JXLJAuP_pPbeGkpAT4lcnbMo2tdtFPvRpCCZsjTIKAgxdGwpdl7tqoVZBpYkTsUj0QSrujMtV0G3LMduyo86QYZPGmPFGK34N-qedyDTRmpEmZSYEVso9_/s320/DSCF3348.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-25549413240549696932010-03-07T20:28:00.005-05:002010-03-07T21:43:00.357-05:00Beauty<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">"Beauty is visual but also exists in sounds, scents, tastes and touch." (Etched on a wooden sign at the South Texas Botanical Gardens.)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjYzi3qooukxK32hDmz0IgOAAQCmID30Pcwq7k3XVrb7-4m-TZe1WD1azkolTjhtw8EN33aoLVs2Hi4lEw-HFUkguGaAhDWJzZG1QPnvdtar3Swkj5dsjgVZh7_abtQ6957AD8zAzMbyE/s1600-h/DSCF3313.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqjYzi3qooukxK32hDmz0IgOAAQCmID30Pcwq7k3XVrb7-4m-TZe1WD1azkolTjhtw8EN33aoLVs2Hi4lEw-HFUkguGaAhDWJzZG1QPnvdtar3Swkj5dsjgVZh7_abtQ6957AD8zAzMbyE/s320/DSCF3313.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446078429636123442" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We journeyed in search of beauty,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0amHiRDn4vg8GNHmOTMnHIJ5nte-MrpH4rR6LgYHz5cgtiiBrc4bmYGJOIfo_2LwXFXJiYRk9hqUnho4ZyNaPpan1KTRtt7OFKSA1FGOfYE9xol5bfEFxG2Ma0qsUtlnP2DdhTk2KZxX1/s1600-h/DSCF3323.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0amHiRDn4vg8GNHmOTMnHIJ5nte-MrpH4rR6LgYHz5cgtiiBrc4bmYGJOIfo_2LwXFXJiYRk9hqUnho4ZyNaPpan1KTRtt7OFKSA1FGOfYE9xol5bfEFxG2Ma0qsUtlnP2DdhTk2KZxX1/s320/DSCF3323.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446078022205667282" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">vibrant color,</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUsBVlGCq3PWxdjQseVzEkxxBMnq323aJrIeAodgiiTcZ92YI6dLk3O5fNkjy_o1mbjjiYYbGoUo0eaGXxx57hRWE3cCsFErcN3ai5WOqHx2HF68twfzPvoW3FGRApPi1quEbNvz3nz1P/s1600-h/DSCF3322.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUsBVlGCq3PWxdjQseVzEkxxBMnq323aJrIeAodgiiTcZ92YI6dLk3O5fNkjy_o1mbjjiYYbGoUo0eaGXxx57hRWE3cCsFErcN3ai5WOqHx2HF68twfzPvoW3FGRApPi1quEbNvz3nz1P/s320/DSCF3322.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446077736232197154" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">signs of spring</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVLjQJcD11obzrejZTkS_Fc8Ezv4PNmB26nDXJrqIWmXY25yEyB_M4YI2Bgqu7JsKc3a3f-zbWOtqMsGyhDEFojJcZX3_TE5Q774z7XFUJiso2U4JkkCTg7ibUKGuzMohiRpGwVxQ0DbQ/s1600-h/DSCF3321.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbVLjQJcD11obzrejZTkS_Fc8Ezv4PNmB26nDXJrqIWmXY25yEyB_M4YI2Bgqu7JsKc3a3f-zbWOtqMsGyhDEFojJcZX3_TE5Q774z7XFUJiso2U4JkkCTg7ibUKGuzMohiRpGwVxQ0DbQ/s320/DSCF3321.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446077726052824978" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and new life.</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TKSkI1-PDksw52vhlci3lRafBuofmk0ZEu6D0C1YloX0qgSJUAFLCKqjl_6tGg4hVBNwgQ-ha6Arr2oQXupgI3QbwSXNb2OADDr9x-mjE45JwiDNiKbaehWUNrE8PQggJl-Z_7soMhTm/s1600-h/DSCF3319.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TKSkI1-PDksw52vhlci3lRafBuofmk0ZEu6D0C1YloX0qgSJUAFLCKqjl_6tGg4hVBNwgQ-ha6Arr2oQXupgI3QbwSXNb2OADDr9x-mjE45JwiDNiKbaehWUNrE8PQggJl-Z_7soMhTm/s320/DSCF3319.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446077721317245586" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">We found it, God's gentle breath of life in the wonder of His creation</div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_4B1CXmvA-91sVKRFKlsvQuAvFCisg3ZXLvYINIQMkNm-CH5j80lcp85QCjYSUVx_0aXTmIG-s2Zel0uyD_pVxJ5am6zhPvm0pD3B_BWm0DLBwMwS5SBxUlw3Y1S8qiRdLzCCPwZ_xEV/s1600-h/DSCF3318.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_4B1CXmvA-91sVKRFKlsvQuAvFCisg3ZXLvYINIQMkNm-CH5j80lcp85QCjYSUVx_0aXTmIG-s2Zel0uyD_pVxJ5am6zhPvm0pD3B_BWm0DLBwMwS5SBxUlw3Y1S8qiRdLzCCPwZ_xEV/s320/DSCF3318.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446077712136621266" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">as we gazed and marveled at colors found only in flowers and dreams</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtCL9yGuD3fXl-3mMZM1renELVl4KYQkd03rurgVlHt2DgzmvheXgavAMJj3yBjv7SMtI0L_zzm8VdYb4diZyVZNj5WYWIP6n-0KaygMHoDq7gicy_kH3XdsXiC1mGkeneQFun5LfuhgU/s1600-h/DSCF3316.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAtCL9yGuD3fXl-3mMZM1renELVl4KYQkd03rurgVlHt2DgzmvheXgavAMJj3yBjv7SMtI0L_zzm8VdYb4diZyVZNj5WYWIP6n-0KaygMHoDq7gicy_kH3XdsXiC1mGkeneQFun5LfuhgU/s320/DSCF3316.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446076693053059682" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and touched baby soft petals</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeJUsf3lqEW4XWRsQYSL-AqpdZcjE8vcZf40jxfvYM-2rlc7VdTN-fCD3W7atRYNLienX1-l_Z42Wluvg7eG8Gy1UxSf5W-xOkVmeKdiztobeA_wwlOK4kEXyDegs51qVx1Qa53Xf_x2H/s1600-h/DSCF3314.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeJUsf3lqEW4XWRsQYSL-AqpdZcjE8vcZf40jxfvYM-2rlc7VdTN-fCD3W7atRYNLienX1-l_Z42Wluvg7eG8Gy1UxSf5W-xOkVmeKdiztobeA_wwlOK4kEXyDegs51qVx1Qa53Xf_x2H/s320/DSCF3314.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446076683357623714" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">and inhaled crisp air dampened by rain and made rich by earthy spring.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0qkO_6lk9bCBv0J9Br_dQlZYOGxAV_9jWXj6AmGgc-BjaUbTzTBGo65xKBq1iNDGfHjDiipiF-ZkgBZd7NrhYOvkcMtHKkLelNsZBQot_onHtq4tnkw9DVCJIE3si_ePw3nPY5Qwxxix/s1600-h/DSCF3315.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 241px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0qkO_6lk9bCBv0J9Br_dQlZYOGxAV_9jWXj6AmGgc-BjaUbTzTBGo65xKBq1iNDGfHjDiipiF-ZkgBZd7NrhYOvkcMtHKkLelNsZBQot_onHtq4tnkw9DVCJIE3si_ePw3nPY5Qwxxix/s320/DSCF3315.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446076680550401906" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If this is only a shadow of the beauty found in Heaven, what glorious treasures await us there!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwECzxSwXd2B_-sLLtLTO_TWEsN59H5qVc2lJX5hrHqibU97WAusO0x1ehA4WslL0PhYMFygMzvjPPsVH3tYNo0TqSJ0ouc-tbcbemUKRHSJtELcAv9bIsEdMeLroL6NRGt7HvF9Y4CGQ8/s1600-h/DSCF3312.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwECzxSwXd2B_-sLLtLTO_TWEsN59H5qVc2lJX5hrHqibU97WAusO0x1ehA4WslL0PhYMFygMzvjPPsVH3tYNo0TqSJ0ouc-tbcbemUKRHSJtELcAv9bIsEdMeLroL6NRGt7HvF9Y4CGQ8/s320/DSCF3312.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446076669237779394" /></a><br /></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-26372025285636290152010-02-20T18:48:00.002-05:002010-02-20T19:42:34.107-05:00TalliesNumber of years we enjoyed our minivan: 4<div>Number of times I thanked God for a reliable vehicle: countless<br /><div>Number of months it's been paid off: 10</div><div>Number of carseats/booster seats it has carried simultaneously: 4 (down to 2 as of last month)</div><div>Number of miles we drove the green machine in the four years we owned it: 80,000+</div><div>Number of songs sung, giggles laughed, tears cried, reprimands given, naps taken: untallied</div><div><br /></div><div>Today:</div><div>Number of hours spent scrubbing and sweeping interior of van: 2</div><div>Number of minutes spent writing description on Craigslist (including everything I could think of that was wrong with it, in detail) and posting pictures: 30</div><div>Number of inquiries I received in the first fifteen minutes of posting: 2</div><div>Number of minutes later that prospective buyer was test-driving the van: 35</div><div>Number of miles I walked home vanless, with cash in pocket and license plate in hand: 1</div><div><br /></div><div>Could that be a record? My head was spinning.</div><div><br /></div><div>Goodbye little green minivan. May you press on for thousands more miles and keep all the babies who ride in your seats safe and sound.</div><div><br /></div><div>Hello, big white Expedition. It's all you now.</div><div><br /></div><div>I can't tell you how glad I am that the car searching, car buying and car selling drama are over.</div><div><br /></div><div>Number of times I've thanked God for a reliable vehicle: I've lost count again.</div><div><br /></div></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-66958748715237832252010-02-19T10:27:00.003-05:002010-02-19T11:12:29.841-05:00Lily's journal<div style="text-align: left;">Lily has been begging for a new journal since she filled her previous one several days ago. She writes some, she draws a lot. She scrutinizes and observes her world and the records it for her own reflection and inspiration. She is far more consistent with journaling than I have ever been. (This is a confession, ya'll. And a pledge to do better.)</div><div><br /></div><div>My dear friend Shannon gave me a sweet little nature journal for Valentine's Day. It's cute, and I'm a sucker for all things paper, but Lily was completely enamored with it. So I gave it to her. She danced and cheered happily, hugging her new journal to her heart. (I hope Shannon doesn't mind my regifting her gift.)</div><div><br /></div><div>As soon as she finished her happy dance, Lily took her journal, found a "perfect" pen--boy is she like her mother on that point!--and personalized it. What she wrote on it warmed my heart to its very core.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFSHU2OCQjtRhFk4i8j8hfw1EykAADUIbCooUc1f_f5IujsIPTF1gSt2NXS53aSm84JX6HTKl5IfkWfouNhwY4UTFSSXBmwZG9B3fBL2UfABXtChTiZVlV-J5Re3Zr-npBQaWTvwQGc2d_/s320/DSCF3289.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, fills me with more joy than when my children spontaneously express their love for Jesus. And I love how she writes her love note directly TO him, not just ABOUT him. "I love you, Jesus." And she signs it, "Me." So tender and personal. She knows he knows her. She trusts him to accept her. I don't have to sign a note to Rob, "Sincerely, Jody Fasnacht." I can sign it, "Me" because he knows who "me" is. </div><div><br /></div><div>How much more so does her Savior know her? I know it, but now I know that SHE knows it.</div><div><br /></div><div>My heart is glowing with love for her and for the Jesus we both love.</div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-46851300095015436622010-02-18T08:26:00.006-05:002010-02-18T09:22:49.083-05:00The Under-Appreciated Carnation<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVL05k9fTVs1YTrDtb7fM6DXbP3Q30rRFwy1IIO47ZvrbIilNRtw0G9Mf3p_l7wjq3OLZXULZpafgdJ5SzlOo0ExB_kRzony89SASj_5xw5Cdnw-bd3hI0-3uyZyP4LhBmbNzFp2SLivjs/s1600-h/carnation1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVL05k9fTVs1YTrDtb7fM6DXbP3Q30rRFwy1IIO47ZvrbIilNRtw0G9Mf3p_l7wjq3OLZXULZpafgdJ5SzlOo0ExB_kRzony89SASj_5xw5Cdnw-bd3hI0-3uyZyP4LhBmbNzFp2SLivjs/s320/carnation1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5439587467571452722" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u><br /></u></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; ">You are delicate yet resilient.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; "><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; ">You bend with the wind and the rain in silent submission yet raise your face to the morning sun with delight.</span><div><div><br /></div><div>You take no notice of your under-appreciation. While lovers head straight for the regal rose, you wait contentedly for just the right person who needs the joy you bring.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO4x5VYypZ1G6Hc5V9cFJ9KpWksDEjv7mgtAW9jPD1F0nTiT5S8iKkKmmJ8ziO19JPj5TMYtYB6W-nTgdKLFU00E8QxxDIMkr3nJpuWLsqdiAAUP8o0suKWWmHG0E4l_n5O92MRdELTyOz/s320/DSCF3278.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>You are beautiful, but simple and humble. You give full credit to your Creator for your beauty and trust Him to meet your needs without toil or worry.</div><div><br /></div><div>Little carnation flower, I want to be just like you.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQi8y5iQJayrqtdXufosl_Dhac0iixejt5RosgQRetXsyaqYgkkIu22JCZlmaYXonqvm1Qor6o3RJKqCYGET65L499m1JI8jd1ciRBGwPF8s9Vj69pJPdvg40blAqtGHSbhuypAMdIu8T/s320/DSCF3280.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-18336053929148478372010-02-16T10:31:00.004-05:002010-02-16T11:17:13.947-05:00Fasnacht Day Revisited<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div>It's true. An entire day of the year is named after our family. Or your family, too, if your last name is Shrove.<div><br /></div><div>Last year I actually made Fasnachts, and I wrote a photo essay to document the event. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418661_604.jpg" /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;">Step one: Find a couple of cute guys to be your sous-chefs.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418662_880.jpg" /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Step two: Mash some 'taters. Lots and lots of 'taters.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 18px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418663_1147.jpg" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step three: After all the mixin' is done, think, "This is way too runny." Reread the recipe. Add another cup of flour.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418664_1407.jpg" /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step four: Melt several galoops of lard. (That is an official culinary measurement.) Feel your arteries harden and your waist begin to bulge. This is the authentic frying agent of choice, for the whole point of fasnachts on Fasnacht Day is to rid your pantry of lard before Lent begins the following day. Of course this really is a moot point when you actually have to go out to the store to buy lard for the first time ever just for the sake of the donuts and never, ever keep it on hand.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418665_1668.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step five: Decide that you don't need to follow the recipe which says that you must roll out the gooey dough and cut it into squares or rectangles. Surely, you can just drop them into little dough puddles in the lard.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418666_1957.jpg" /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step six: Realize when fasnachts come out raw in the middle that perhaps recipe writer knew what she was talking about after all and make the big, big mess needed to roll out gooey dough. Cut into squares (representing the four Gospels) or triangles (representing the Trinity). Holy mess.</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418667_2232.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step seven: Sigh with relief when the next batch comes out golden brown and fully cooked.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><img src="http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418668_2497.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step eight: Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar so that your blood sugar will rise and your heart will race, pumping your blood at a high pressure through the arteries, thereby counteracting the effects of the lard.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeQwomfgD6dySMWvdcY3HicsLnSG2OKp-jjY4UN6xC2PpTTTDMD1mKSCi8Pa-VX4rV_sd_Be0KVouZLCQiy6e12a2rRi0ROmJf25-ZEYjwCSPF6UoqOgs-svIHgAOuR0I85zg1E8vkdfYg/s320/Fasnachts.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:-webkit-xxx-large;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step nine: Distribute four fasnachts to your Four Fasnachts.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418670_3061.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step ten: Fry up all your dough until your kitchen smells like a truck-stop and your shirt and floor are covered with flour and lard and you are left with a donut mountain.</span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2425/21/41/566186543/n566186543_1418671_3368.jpg" /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;">Step eleven: Wonder where in the world the sous-chefs ran off to now that it's time to clean up.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 18px;font-size:13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:130%;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px; font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 21px;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">So what to do this year? After revisiting my essay, I'm fairly certain that we're going to skip the authentic fasnachts this year. Are you disappointed?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">It's all about pastry, right? Why limit yourself to just one kind?</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:medium;">This year's pastry of choice: cinnamon rolls for lunch. And then to complete the day in Fasnacht style, waffles and authentic maple syrup for dinner. And a trip to the gym tomorrow.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; font-size:medium;">Hey, Fasnacht Day only comes once a year! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 15px; font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; font-size:11px;"><br /></span></span></span></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-35735612062520171472010-02-14T15:32:00.005-05:002010-02-14T17:20:12.432-05:00Lily's Special Day<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjONBM1EdCjhH1xAkRQ0j1t6ii-le_nhrcEu7d4phpSrA1d4RjsDoaOKXY2pSg94E5f2wkIVBBXFB0WxS9SyEWl6XedLb4rCxjgLVopzkIyHofbtZ3g1atP1Op5qVAjCiUXOymRZxU5EeMV/s320/China_Beijing-2006-02-13-GOTCHA+011.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Four years ago, a two-year-old walked into the upstairs room of a government building in southern China and changed our lives. Those years seem like a whole lifetime. Not because they have been difficult, but because they have helped to define my life, a life that would be incomplete and gray without her. <div><br /></div><div>We celebrated Lily's Gotcha Day anniversary yesterday. I asked her what she wanted to do to celebrate her special day and she requested to walk the dog to the park. So that was certainly high on our priority list. "And open presents." Well, it is like having two birthdays when you celebrate such an important day as becoming part of a family. Much to Seth's dismay, who is NOT happy right now that he was born in mommy's tummy and his Gotcha Day and birthday are on the same day. "I NEVER get a Gotcha Day," he cried. It's been a rough weekend for him with all the attention Lily has gotten. I've been extra patient and cuddly with him. </div><div><br /></div><div>Lily and I also went to the salon to get haircuts together, her first salon visit. We went from all one length to short bob with bangs for her, and a haircut that wasn't quite what I had in mind and feels much too short for me. Lily's looks adorable! She looked at herself and said, "I'm a Japanese girl!" Her cut does accentuate her beautiful Asian features. I wonder if she thinks Japanese is more Asian than Chinese. </div><div><br /></div><div>I do know that she has to work hard to find her unique place in this world. I do everything I can to guide her on her own personal journey. Not an easy job for a white mom and dad with three white sons and one Asian daughter. We met a Korean family at the playground this week. She really wasn't overly interested. Should I be concerned? I can only offer her opportunities and choices, and it's her own job to find her own path among them. I will be with her every step of the way.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7By-jpQSLbIz7wuoCHlSBx3XFmmcWG0eaJjA9gvHxSsbLq6PMZRUU2gDbSglF-LMleNaeiNP3eFhStZHJ3F_WX1u5VALJG78ObixvUf9wIz0FNH02ld5MGkmk778EFMb2urhxwzRap1AD/s320/DSCF3260.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Later yesterday, we all went out for dinner at our new favorite Chinese restaurant, China Garden, the same name as our favorite restaurant in Michigan. A little taste of what used to be but no longer feels like home. Not only did we celebrate Gotcha Day but Chinese New Year as well. There are no local festivities in our corner of TX, so we just spent the day with our own little family.</div><div><br /></div><div>We also gave Lily a few gifts consisting of several books about China and children in China and the *last* silk dress that we purchased for her when we were there. I guess it's time to go back. I would jump at the chance, believe me.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hrvicNoh9Wt4bvuQnBaihkR6s8T7y6ZMANtKF-2P_0N8y3rUL2EByoe1VZRy99klMBbsJ_s4XxCD4BiqYwiCLxzOXxLMvOMc_9DpHso2IUNcTFy1EfPfAo-XX_bYCrZPdYqL5PAxtRsp/s320/DSCF3266.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Happy Gotcha Day, sweet Lily. You are a gift in every perfect sense of the word. You are amazing, and I hope someday to be as brave and smart and beautiful as you are. We love you!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx6Slu4ZYkRK21XsOWDYakUPwnfMxOsrO9mx0GkYiUTtrASZGK2kjYVlaVy4FZKJUT3Ex_EHr9QBJjCBq1e4kW1oeR8WSleAAjWdr5IKhelB6Ws2nCG5AeZfzyAj3F_xfxv8I2-MbVh9uo/s320/DSCF3270.JPG" /></div>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-1199524594945742072009-12-29T11:31:00.019-05:002009-12-30T02:52:05.148-05:00A glimpse into Christmas 2009--LONGEvery year I say I'm going to have a simple Christmas. I really do try. I want God's Gift to be the radiant star that shines down from the top of the season's Christmas tree.<br /><br />I decorate a little. Since we live so far away from most of you friends and family and I don't get to have you over for coffee and sugar cookies, here's a tiny Christmas tour.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTo0iNDobAHhBsatvOCgDkwZY0JtE6Ge9JUIXa88ijTNuKCuqDRd2MF9jtEKd902Pt4NbaJRTyW5Ee-_jO-Cs1CgmzrYusqHYB2puEsn7bSJzZsiQbiZJWKg6nk-R-qlFvmrXBlOWxQgKt/s1600-h/DSCF2918.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTo0iNDobAHhBsatvOCgDkwZY0JtE6Ge9JUIXa88ijTNuKCuqDRd2MF9jtEKd902Pt4NbaJRTyW5Ee-_jO-Cs1CgmzrYusqHYB2puEsn7bSJzZsiQbiZJWKg6nk-R-qlFvmrXBlOWxQgKt/s320/DSCF2918.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420885264012087938" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I love to give and receive Christmas cards, and I display them joyfully. This year, mine were sent out in batches. Um, I'm still working on getting that second batch out. I know. It's a splurge, but please don't stop sending Christmas cards just because you can just more easily FB or txt or email or digitize a greeting or because it costs more in postage than the card itself! Christmas cards are very special. I even love receive the late ones!</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtJEgIKSo6xkIAlnzvYLfTPW3211LwN79m1xXZz0xcZ0OxdnlC4BaXQeDMVx2nWuiliQsOoRLIhsnd-ZGkSYct2FZfcvZ1rB8Jwi3xxB_dfoMNhkJrQ8_ZUnJgp9_YnhDQPK_a_7qCCXh/s1600-h/DSCF2928.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMtJEgIKSo6xkIAlnzvYLfTPW3211LwN79m1xXZz0xcZ0OxdnlC4BaXQeDMVx2nWuiliQsOoRLIhsnd-ZGkSYct2FZfcvZ1rB8Jwi3xxB_dfoMNhkJrQ8_ZUnJgp9_YnhDQPK_a_7qCCXh/s320/DSCF2928.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420885281078038898" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A few sprigs of green with a few merry berries.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YNE900ezWMD5cbdITWwJ9JMck5LeFBfNof1NoB8Pa0ccf4CSGVf6xqI6GntHJpjnP4-BC390GQJzMJL_U9XzOzmgMuVUCnZZVY9-Djmy94jErACWKeK7cOnd_mrpAy9N49xzCZ1ixCDx/s1600-h/DSCF2927.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5YNE900ezWMD5cbdITWwJ9JMck5LeFBfNof1NoB8Pa0ccf4CSGVf6xqI6GntHJpjnP4-BC390GQJzMJL_U9XzOzmgMuVUCnZZVY9-Djmy94jErACWKeK7cOnd_mrpAy9N49xzCZ1ixCDx/s320/DSCF2927.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420885276920376802" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">A surprise poinsettia from a friend. I no longer have to worry about toddlers eating the beautiful yet poisonous leaves, though I can't remember any of my toddlers chowing down on any of my plants.</span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOAuOgHgnv3cMmuIUHyOAdgDGno19KyhoA2RluCXo6AW0PWR1WZyQQcWm8F-J3X37nabPGw-9I-LoWqwcTsaYdgIbegjRvDYSW-CSHuhixPVYo2c7W4hPWR-bO1k-t2CCP8PYXEVb8y0H/s1600-h/DSCF2920.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDOAuOgHgnv3cMmuIUHyOAdgDGno19KyhoA2RluCXo6AW0PWR1WZyQQcWm8F-J3X37nabPGw-9I-LoWqwcTsaYdgIbegjRvDYSW-CSHuhixPVYo2c7W4hPWR-bO1k-t2CCP8PYXEVb8y0H/s320/DSCF2920.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420885268616057090" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-style: italic;">I love homemade ornaments, especially ones the kids have carefully crafted. Our tree is as eclectic as I am. I like to have red-beaded and white-pearl</span>ed<span style="font-style: italic;"> garlands draped around it. And no matter how much the kids beg, I just can't bring myself to string on multi-colored lights. Gotta have the white ones that do NOT move about or twinkle or do anything to make me feel dizzy while I'm basking in their soft glow in the living room with my cup of hot coffee/tea/cocoa.</span><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcV0WZDEWjDppRr0hLwtGrpYGl9Rvbtueu68b6at6BI9zpc5bYoD2runpp8Wu7wGY3F0y2WdGhfit9U8u9tlFUXgz0JahX6rpeYGC_fJLU68ajtHHCHFRiqFzB93Iv4Mzr-CymNmvzuw1R/s1600-h/DSCF2938.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcV0WZDEWjDppRr0hLwtGrpYGl9Rvbtueu68b6at6BI9zpc5bYoD2runpp8Wu7wGY3F0y2WdGhfit9U8u9tlFUXgz0JahX6rpeYGC_fJLU68ajtHHCHFRiqFzB93Iv4Mzr-CymNmvzuw1R/s320/DSCF2938.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420890974496216562" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I even put a sprig of merry around the oil painting Rob's mom did of my kids. Don't they look festive? Have I ever shown this painting to you? Isn't it gorgeous?</span><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45qqBkBk1GGL0Tl3rEoTJoWjtdOGC3TQBXhwoIN_fI-Ad55l8T3RKwDw2tFDg-6TN9oDZ1Dvztu25u3n5df9mt90z2yXx-oOIUcJBhi1nJvCetDhHB3s_O8MHCCzEGqmnbzSXDWQh3p-M/s1600-h/DSCF2936.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg45qqBkBk1GGL0Tl3rEoTJoWjtdOGC3TQBXhwoIN_fI-Ad55l8T3RKwDw2tFDg-6TN9oDZ1Dvztu25u3n5df9mt90z2yXx-oOIUcJBhi1nJvCetDhHB3s_O8MHCCzEGqmnbzSXDWQh3p-M/s320/DSCF2936.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420890966964247346" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The entertainment center gets a little holiday makeover as well. Just a little. Nothing over the top. I really like bringing in a bit of red to my spaces. It's only for a month. It makes me happy</span>. <span style="font-style: italic;">Our Nutcrackers were especially appropriate since the kids and I got the opportunity to see the ballet performed here this year. It was as wonderful as I imagined. </span><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlCb3cYYWHXy7Ew4BZ86S046fud6lEJHGpNZ_vCX9mPvmYkByowUtWg_pfC-T6kXHrGl_g8-2yMieAYK0bYrV4gZ93VHixtSsFGmydHbGIZ1kiNEKUgAPcmgrmGmrZ9XGTKb8fAStbXgh/s1600-h/DSCF2940.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYlCb3cYYWHXy7Ew4BZ86S046fud6lEJHGpNZ_vCX9mPvmYkByowUtWg_pfC-T6kXHrGl_g8-2yMieAYK0bYrV4gZ93VHixtSsFGmydHbGIZ1kiNEKUgAPcmgrmGmrZ9XGTKb8fAStbXgh/s320/DSCF2940.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420900291005472850" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Even the guest bathroom gets a Christmas kiss.<br /><br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlipj2W4mVoIsechd33Dt-u6m-JvepIA28B6Aw3bJXgyXf57YG0rWbdQEL1QOhON4LnHcLV0_nDO1xB4TQowgSNSSpmVYb3nhSS9zvRyNB_Ct1DeH-CXrWCZRqYZD0IExYONln31mobsWG/s1600-h/DSCF2939.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlipj2W4mVoIsechd33Dt-u6m-JvepIA28B6Aw3bJXgyXf57YG0rWbdQEL1QOhON4LnHcLV0_nDO1xB4TQowgSNSSpmVYb3nhSS9zvRyNB_Ct1DeH-CXrWCZRqYZD0IExYONln31mobsWG/s320/DSCF2939.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420900297863236306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Isn't he cute in his fancy sleigh? My sister Jamie made him for me from a wooden post and an old sock. He's adorable, and he promises not to peek.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMsanHaXh-p_9jQW1ZOBJpvMj_tRWoneGGM_-EgPUzrpXKFj_tKF7q0yYgVW88jLRdKfQq1OSo3QwQPHZW4F6apVwWt9i7T0BdQxHNBWwKLjt9v_iZtnGG3bVJPs1QCgRHu8UmTp2Vk6L/s1600-h/DSCF2985.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMsanHaXh-p_9jQW1ZOBJpvMj_tRWoneGGM_-EgPUzrpXKFj_tKF7q0yYgVW88jLRdKfQq1OSo3QwQPHZW4F6apVwWt9i7T0BdQxHNBWwKLjt9v_iZtnGG3bVJPs1QCgRHu8UmTp2Vk6L/s320/DSCF2985.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420917215730862706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Okay, I have to say that creating a massive gingerbread house, er, church, is not even on the same side of the planet as "keeping it simple." Believe me, I know this full well. But by the time I discovered it, I was well committed to the project and had to see it through to completion. We had fun family moments assembling this beast, and all of the kids and the hubby want to make this a new tradition. I'm still licking my wounds and cleaning sugar off my kitchen floor. Ask me in a couple of months.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Right now the smell of ginger makes me throw up a little in my mouth.</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbROGC0052Sob9RuZwIEPsVMrQBRYWajK36zOtslB8IkqOtNjRhfAIUGmBRI6cSgK1-z5FyB0M01JRmtx9JAoWHL_PQxKjhOgK-40_5GeZkXz_KB4_CiKZDKZlBAVmEY3iVzwLDj_JIRh5/s1600-h/DSCF2988.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbROGC0052Sob9RuZwIEPsVMrQBRYWajK36zOtslB8IkqOtNjRhfAIUGmBRI6cSgK1-z5FyB0M01JRmtx9JAoWHL_PQxKjhOgK-40_5GeZkXz_KB4_CiKZDKZlBAVmEY3iVzwLDj_JIRh5/s320/DSCF2988.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420917219233338466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">My favorite part was the little gingerbread and fondant Nativity. Sure the stained glass windows, peppermint stick fence and ice-cream-cone steeple were cool, but this is the only part of the whole humidity-sagged monstrosity whose lack of permanence I'm sad about.</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHJFtTENbuHpeN935H0WpDasswuPVMdbfI4GVu1m86Kx5WlzySaK2GRcivFS0vS4moYoS1maD7ezCeOkLhi3RRRX5WkjM41d9C59zhk-QmULXX7A542lt3iVzFpFRJ9eWYy0ie4TRGbMz/s1600-h/DSCF3047.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWHJFtTENbuHpeN935H0WpDasswuPVMdbfI4GVu1m86Kx5WlzySaK2GRcivFS0vS4moYoS1maD7ezCeOkLhi3RRRX5WkjM41d9C59zhk-QmULXX7A542lt3iVzFpFRJ9eWYy0ie4TRGbMz/s320/DSCF3047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420923140811038018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Okay, okay, this isn't simple either. But Lily was really concerned about how Santa was going to come down our chimney...if we didn't have one. So we made a fireplace out of corrugated brick pape</span><span style="font-style: italic;">r and taped it to the half-wall separating the kitchen and dining room. Caleb crafted the log and fire. You can almost hear it crackling and feel its warmth. We needed a place to hang our stockings anyway, right? A stocking for each of us six, one for the dog, and one for:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY85xScrQHDdXUaHNe5Zef3Ixs2DHGvbwIj2ZhVXEXKj9lhLfRsFT-33Z6gCe7Glo5IMF44l_Xb7h0EXL7GqCpCYOluaGyJdjxvek_aMsVdAlB_Equ7bZt1ly4jcxyBTTbhqtla6jH6aSq/s1600-h/DSCF3049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY85xScrQHDdXUaHNe5Zef3Ixs2DHGvbwIj2ZhVXEXKj9lhLfRsFT-33Z6gCe7Glo5IMF44l_Xb7h0EXL7GqCpCYOluaGyJdjxvek_aMsVdAlB_Equ7bZt1ly4jcxyBTTbhqtla6jH6aSq/s320/DSCF3049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420921909657332738" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LnXTcJXlViovJtO9Movyjjyx_1Pr_VLYiQpFrmPnc-XrYjJnIF4Nl8AJJk4OqigSB6C4eT7e359qPgce899WN7iQYoE7gYPyhSlq6tBW09Z9Yq4q-0XVHQqrpq4tKX9Ze_7XarU1MtZR/s1600-h/DSCF2934.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_LnXTcJXlViovJtO9Movyjjyx_1Pr_VLYiQpFrmPnc-XrYjJnIF4Nl8AJJk4OqigSB6C4eT7e359qPgce899WN7iQYoE7gYPyhSlq6tBW09Z9Yq4q-0XVHQqrpq4tKX9Ze_7XarU1MtZR/s320/DSCF2934.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420896371693345922" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Right inside the front door. Baby Jesus shows up at first and then...goes missing. I wait for the kids to notice. And then we talk about how Mary had to wait for his birth, how God's people waited thousands of years for a Savior, how we're still waiting for him to come back.<br /><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas2B9AIdr33FkIOwZlgJFLMyPwRYFD9sQFCK266WGJGkQJ5hi9MQdPNXv7rMBRenI_vPZQdx2dBHN1JvycPMK9SDyVgYA4D_6Tnq9jAR_nsosgFZ-qyVVQx6ebFJyYR95MLG3uQDbg75S/s1600-h/DSCF2941.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas2B9AIdr33FkIOwZlgJFLMyPwRYFD9sQFCK266WGJGkQJ5hi9MQdPNXv7rMBRenI_vPZQdx2dBHN1JvycPMK9SDyVgYA4D_6Tnq9jAR_nsosgFZ-qyVVQx6ebFJyYR95MLG3uQDbg75S/s320/DSCF2941.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420896374813340386" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Meanwhile, I wrap him up in a tiny brown box, and he becomes the first present opened from under the tree on Christmas morning.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I think I did manage to keep Christmas simple this year. At least here in our home. Our schedule flurried with activities, from homeschool partying, Christmas caroling--which comes with cookie and cocoa making, field tripping to the Nutcracker and the museum, more cookie baking and giving away, Christmas carding, post-officing, budgeting, shopping, children's choir concerting, and planning for the Christmas Eve service, in addition to all the other responsibilities we are already blessed to keep. I'm sure you all experienced similar surges in your schedules. I hope your homes and hearts were able to find joy and peace and simplicity in the midst of it all.<br /><br />Christmas Eve we led a candlelight worship service at our little chapel. No one caught the old hymnals on fire, not even Seth when he bent down with his candle over the hymnal pocket. The service was lovely. Then kids performed in a nativity play, whose purpose was two-fold: 1.) Tell the story of Jesus' birth, 2.) Allow parents to take adorable pictures of their kids.<br /><br /><br /></div><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq5LHbqWa-kqUqZQJ_0Gdjqly09D0zwS7ZoLRxJis_1Del55rA8SXGbGbhxUg7Yb52FLHFzAMkAZZf-cvETLhxJaNVyotRhC0YWRqsBLpsbqjKRsopsvpqPvUOBTJI29cNE2Z3xXd8H5T/s1600-h/DSCF2973.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyq5LHbqWa-kqUqZQJ_0Gdjqly09D0zwS7ZoLRxJis_1Del55rA8SXGbGbhxUg7Yb52FLHFzAMkAZZf-cvETLhxJaNVyotRhC0YWRqsBLpsbqjKRsopsvpqPvUOBTJI29cNE2Z3xXd8H5T/s320/DSCF2973.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420908548349643778" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Seth, the happy wise man.</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRp8y1knfvxPDCRNiPfv11SihyIaEtQT-Qbn4OsYtkxyNTwpd0iKHkWDhhGj2-Qmhtvuj3SFs4Fw-EPt-VS3KAkdT6cXIuw82Rl1NSHnNKwWhO7ZvAEQ_i_KXRkArnm9-7EMw_aTLAcR9h/s1600-h/DSCF2956.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRp8y1knfvxPDCRNiPfv11SihyIaEtQT-Qbn4OsYtkxyNTwpd0iKHkWDhhGj2-Qmhtvuj3SFs4Fw-EPt-VS3KAkdT6cXIuw82Rl1NSHnNKwWhO7ZvAEQ_i_KXRkArnm9-7EMw_aTLAcR9h/s320/DSCF2956.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420908531797580610" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">An angelic Lily. I could just eat her up. I know she must taste like spun sugar and caramel.</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQjPi0IxOj-B1bnIfudaBgOll6TSBQF5N2nNiOaBPIHcMAFQhUnx5hFQANoKTYU32n50VSvAxWT6A7Zolc0xHdlw2vgmEpFqU1iBGZr2IdFKY2doPLoHnzw7yUWbo8lK039gtOd-5aGkX/s1600-h/DSCF2959.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhQjPi0IxOj-B1bnIfudaBgOll6TSBQF5N2nNiOaBPIHcMAFQhUnx5hFQANoKTYU32n50VSvAxWT6A7Zolc0xHdlw2vgmEpFqU1iBGZr2IdFKY2doPLoHnzw7yUWbo8lK039gtOd-5aGkX/s320/DSCF2959.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420908542749666338" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Gabe, the reluctant narrator. He had a lot of reading for his part--which he was at first excited about--but when he found out he had to stay behind the podium and did not get to interact with the other characters, he wanted to be a shepherd instead. I didn't let him back out of his commitment--tears were cried--but he was allowed to dress up like a shepherd. He was only slightly mollified.<br /><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68XgDoJRQOkluBY3pbQLNvxmEBIr44qOMAk16I2Thtk6ba9XHIUJgPDS1Iwxna9McQeqoBLLR8KUhyphenhyphen0EntluH8IpFKWxjIkgkJYid7AMqFG1m8zduUHBkgQS0xsPlcZ4RE4gjIJLfaRd7/s1600-h/DSCF2958.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh68XgDoJRQOkluBY3pbQLNvxmEBIr44qOMAk16I2Thtk6ba9XHIUJgPDS1Iwxna9McQeqoBLLR8KUhyphenhyphen0EntluH8IpFKWxjIkgkJYid7AMqFG1m8zduUHBkgQS0xsPlcZ4RE4gjIJLfaRd7/s320/DSCF2958.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420908538148784530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Caleb, the gentle shepherd. His favorite part was the shepherd's staff, which he gleaned from "favorite sticks from Michigan" from our back yard...in TX. Yes, folks, we brought a walking stick with us from MI, packed with all our outdoor toys. I'm sure it wasn't the only thing the movers shook their heads about.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtas-X2fNgYMzaLSgsehyphenhyphenKhUJfT9BXKkVPlx5QfMSDhEhfR-tOQXousmDFuA6o-ca89J0GxhVkeU9HEOy6_7ndypthumXltv4T8bWona8sSZdET1VhmjKTtXrU9Nx5wDwn4peiGfbpxwYw/s1600-h/DSCF2963.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtas-X2fNgYMzaLSgsehyphenhyphenKhUJfT9BXKkVPlx5QfMSDhEhfR-tOQXousmDFuA6o-ca89J0GxhVkeU9HEOy6_7ndypthumXltv4T8bWona8sSZdET1VhmjKTtXrU9Nx5wDwn4peiGfbpxwYw/s320/DSCF2963.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420912857828306290" border="0" /></a>"Glory to God in the Highest!"<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZ4sBVB9HOryP2IlBsvypgheyvpNBwIOp-Y1Dwnda3wub_DRCm9YWGO5tGb2MFIjMz5u0_KHCpoNic0zNgqSWOvUfqRTbF-CIiClSTOpjfoyRxtGdag2sYFRNwAmFwNpSm5sRP_GmRnyQ/s1600-h/DSCF2967.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHZ4sBVB9HOryP2IlBsvypgheyvpNBwIOp-Y1Dwnda3wub_DRCm9YWGO5tGb2MFIjMz5u0_KHCpoNic0zNgqSWOvUfqRTbF-CIiClSTOpjfoyRxtGdag2sYFRNwAmFwNpSm5sRP_GmRnyQ/s320/DSCF2967.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420912851762366642" border="0" /></a>The cutest little wise men worshiping the newborn King.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMuVQRv6ljHHMpb11dZNDxCs_nxGphjGABcLTFM9NjXXiuvGSYM5w3g5DkxJujKmIO-8mHgUZguE-DB8RIQ9Bt77k4Enhajnb1F_BHDsMwAxqgMrZCR7kIm88Z4O8BjM_rQbj1qOvxPf3/s1600-h/DSCF2970.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMuVQRv6ljHHMpb11dZNDxCs_nxGphjGABcLTFM9NjXXiuvGSYM5w3g5DkxJujKmIO-8mHgUZguE-DB8RIQ9Bt77k4Enhajnb1F_BHDsMwAxqgMrZCR7kIm88Z4O8BjM_rQbj1qOvxPf3/s320/DSCF2970.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420912866639235714" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;">"Joy to the World!"<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;">After the Christmas Eve Service and Nativity play, we delivered 300 cookies to various commands around the base who had servicemen and women on duty Christmas Eve and Day. Then we dressed the kids in their PJ's and headed out to Rob's aunt's home, 30 minutes away, where she hosts an annual Christmas Eve open house. Lots of merry-making, and we enjoyed Rob's uncle's original Louisiana style gumbo.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0fGM12h_kNtaiMgzxFgLIBRXtl5RuAcPpWZQ7lt0SuQxitwmjSiX4Eg3Snft7d8Lw6_k3D1OXFwcyPYSp4lVxLJZg4pLTDbukGLc5gfo8Az8kQO3CE9ITTFUq3WPBC_eoEBT2rBo_pBi/s1600-h/DSCF3012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV0fGM12h_kNtaiMgzxFgLIBRXtl5RuAcPpWZQ7lt0SuQxitwmjSiX4Eg3Snft7d8Lw6_k3D1OXFwcyPYSp4lVxLJZg4pLTDbukGLc5gfo8Az8kQO3CE9ITTFUq3WPBC_eoEBT2rBo_pBi/s320/DSCF3012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420926239290120658" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Hang in there, you've almost made it through to the very end of this post, which is as long as the month of December. Christmas morning, we enjoyed our usual homemade cinnamon rolls and stockings and giggles and torturing the children by making them wait to tear into the gifts. I'll leave you with just a few images from our Christmas morning:<br /></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFml4dfS3QZHYtHsMx1UhDYnV5jd9gsO7T2BWTs3CiGXmEaGK4-aeoJQzW840-9uQNrim3KVF0sxZW3Uc3SoXKDs9dXkqjnK8FnRc3OmxIiS1h_2AROwxROvXj5UXv04Y-NDqy7zaiNVQD/s1600-h/DSCF3021.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFml4dfS3QZHYtHsMx1UhDYnV5jd9gsO7T2BWTs3CiGXmEaGK4-aeoJQzW840-9uQNrim3KVF0sxZW3Uc3SoXKDs9dXkqjnK8FnRc3OmxIiS1h_2AROwxROvXj5UXv04Y-NDqy7zaiNVQD/s320/DSCF3021.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420921897571165186" border="0" /></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-tpRbc1yeo60E6GORUhSx156jQe1_U_B0beITG60rY29jiMO-rVhsyaZP7IZnxcNh_b5P9nth4VNXN9X4KM5TiKK6f_DbmUgb2psXaiR4Q_cOUGrniKW5zf8OQ9pbr2emEQ8IwYkASUO/s1600-h/DSCF3028.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-tpRbc1yeo60E6GORUhSx156jQe1_U_B0beITG60rY29jiMO-rVhsyaZP7IZnxcNh_b5P9nth4VNXN9X4KM5TiKK6f_DbmUgb2psXaiR4Q_cOUGrniKW5zf8OQ9pbr2emEQ8IwYkASUO/s320/DSCF3028.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420926232256097474" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTazRmdp8628NPHzugbLCk45_orhAI3dW6bf52Ck1WRWAFcH0TpQ9fFyjX3as3R-VHSOvmkymzjAdytLoFDdHLLZPnfAMflu3OurenG2XVsZIzBNd31tO_nBcCEi6CR1gqZ1OVpbhtWtL/s1600-h/DSCF3027.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGTazRmdp8628NPHzugbLCk45_orhAI3dW6bf52Ck1WRWAFcH0TpQ9fFyjX3as3R-VHSOvmkymzjAdytLoFDdHLLZPnfAMflu3OurenG2XVsZIzBNd31tO_nBcCEi6CR1gqZ1OVpbhtWtL/s320/DSCF3027.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420926219087574610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibH2RfpZH3BYkaQbq_GZNuwQnqMgd_YAsg3_ZZo6yvYDaT65Y1Ud7LJvffevRTiTHzNOqYd8BsQEQLmvzWj07vnr76WgwPq3mwfaZVtSYukl560nN2i2GpO3wTEbYY1F2DXsQxDib1l5-J/s1600-h/DSCF3025.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibH2RfpZH3BYkaQbq_GZNuwQnqMgd_YAsg3_ZZo6yvYDaT65Y1Ud7LJvffevRTiTHzNOqYd8BsQEQLmvzWj07vnr76WgwPq3mwfaZVtSYukl560nN2i2GpO3wTEbYY1F2DXsQxDib1l5-J/s320/DSCF3025.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420926210152990562" border="0" /></a>We didn't get the kids very many gifts, just three: a gold gift to treasure (something they've been wanting); a Frankincense gift to help them to know God more (devotionals, Christian-themed books); a Myrrh gift, something for their bodies (jackets, sweatshirts, slippers.) We didn't want God's Gift to get lost in the piles of wrapping paper and shiny new toys.<br /><br />I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! God bless you! (And if you haven't gotten a Christmas card from me and you usually do...batch #2 will go out soon!)jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-46139127815765272132009-10-17T12:48:00.005-04:002009-10-17T16:31:30.701-04:00Soccer SeasonWe're blessed that the base offers a decent soccer program for kids ages, 4-9. That left Caleb as too much of an old-timer to play, but Gabe, Lily and Seth are playing, Lily and Seth for the first time. There's something about little kids in baggy soccer shorts, long socks to the knees, and cleats that radiates cuteness.<br /><br />Since there are a few too many miles between most of your houses and mine, and you probably won't make it to any of the kids' games, here are some video snipits so that you can cheer from the other side of the computer screen. These first four show Gabe in action...or inaction. Whichever. :o) He's on the gray team, "The Sharks," number six.<br /><br />*I apologize for the poor quality video. <br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwg99WcAyOfBF4iBYF93eIZTVtMrGaRv6tcKRLBKtRzt_A9Hpx1IFgGyrTKbLWCIwS5emyZPnxiJRsS4UC5cw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzOC8pah5-I3z9QnbtTtyPZjMBi-wTN22xHE0D3IQs0UJRyRSBQ2Q4mYm1SuSSEsoz_JoJP0YD0FrRW3NIqjg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyTs-ULsZbSsNGE5Y8sv35nN-GsCwOdKiA9solRgSl9JhQgEXwYbPfhWvEY1ZdRrLJeb5Jm4uJ2qcuUGRqf' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw6UmP_6xntI4ZzGzhmQfVOZkEGTZkSucpQwCKt0y4FAMHiBERwg4fGIe4oupOW1vNjnjFt_Z5T0cI38cdaKA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br />And on the Navy blue team, ironically also, "The Sharks," we have Seth, number one, and Lily, number ten.<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxs1HYdWrcQ0T_WFY8XM3YF0bcUm5UZdozhRDKdIZCTUWt_fKpJTaNTuTSl0NTkZY5KhGanlq6pPABpoKu4Qw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dx-jl6MmS2ehT1ULJ0I1bc-n8qQpwGCBAslvt7jsm1xGRv1CcDSwZXWbaxdKM8BFe8FHUUDyXRJqJwqGdtYqQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwSe9ByKodk855orWo8_0uJj-YerSH-CaHqio68wkbNZ303sY9K2uJWl5v4DmFSZGIr8u9ZpIKAjjqHIcKJ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Today, Lily ran down the field, dodged many obstacles, and scored a goal! The funny thing is, it was such a little deal to her that she didn't even remember after the game that she scored! She was more impressed with a big save she made as a goalie. Seth also scored a goal, but he was so excited about all his defensive blocks and goalie saves. Of course, none of this is captured on any of the clips above. Gabe does a great job playing defense, but he doesn't like it as much as playing goalie, which he isn't particularly great at, which he readily admits. <br /><br />We're very proud of our little soccer players, for their good sportsmanship--Seth did wiggle his bootie at one of the opponents after he blocked a shot...we discussed why that's not okay after the game--for their discipline and for their endurance--a couple of the games and practices have been played in 100+ heat index weather.<br /><br />Go Sharks, all of 'em!jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-16228698561169373312009-10-04T22:50:00.008-04:002009-10-05T00:47:31.592-04:00Five years ago...*God surprised me with a brand new, red-headed, warrior-spirited, gentle-hearted son.<br /><br />*God blessed me with wonderful home birth. It was a beautiful autumn day, and I was surrounded by my favorite people in my home. It was perfect.<br /><br />*I became a mom of three sons! Three!!! I felt like I'd just won the jackpot on a slot machine! Three sons in a row!<br /><br />Today, he left babyhood behind forever. Five. <br /><br />Here are some pictures of his journey so far:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRwStxK4ObY5kHXtTExNitN65Wgpk1AZnsBl_l7ZtHya7uzEu_osfSm59ACCOnNEnSypgyU5O9D1vBuNdsMhugGgAIuvaB2PfYWUdmShyphenhyphenNL3-9kSkTiabWwQyLomcs68eYXnLHW9ca384/s1600-h/DSCF2354.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrRwStxK4ObY5kHXtTExNitN65Wgpk1AZnsBl_l7ZtHya7uzEu_osfSm59ACCOnNEnSypgyU5O9D1vBuNdsMhugGgAIuvaB2PfYWUdmShyphenhyphenNL3-9kSkTiabWwQyLomcs68eYXnLHW9ca384/s320/DSCF2354.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388948369584258514" border="0"></a>Labor day. I got to meet Seth face to face about two hours after this pictures was taken.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn5gYXg6uIMubG4J6sNk6wUzxE9S8li1sbDOCk70tj24nY1676xBRP85p-3eStq9vuxKHxzN2x4pvu3fZ6baG44YiiD1eq8arjVEVNSxWJ06mWUcD85XjKLBmea6PJVlwNxJX00Cj0Avj/s1600-h/DSCF2355.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCn5gYXg6uIMubG4J6sNk6wUzxE9S8li1sbDOCk70tj24nY1676xBRP85p-3eStq9vuxKHxzN2x4pvu3fZ6baG44YiiD1eq8arjVEVNSxWJ06mWUcD85XjKLBmea6PJVlwNxJX00Cj0Avj/s320/DSCF2355.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388948382949414882" border="0"></a>First snuggles with daddy.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKArxF1E-0seqFc-fSnxrQuHrzIQmzN3eZPN-6DniDuFN3ap2Uxga5dAn4xPyylnZ8a_sEX2FWtakt7sXHeaAFBH9KY3KgHNEkUNhbo1RBpF3OUVva7FdL5bQByHitm7TPCKO4j3ga_5DG/s1600-h/DSCF2356.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKArxF1E-0seqFc-fSnxrQuHrzIQmzN3eZPN-6DniDuFN3ap2Uxga5dAn4xPyylnZ8a_sEX2FWtakt7sXHeaAFBH9KY3KgHNEkUNhbo1RBpF3OUVva7FdL5bQByHitm7TPCKO4j3ga_5DG/s320/DSCF2356.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388948392431615970" border="0"></a>Here I'm getting my first real good look at him. I'm in love.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSuMHzLQS3Dv8UGywLWGQ9oxlYAWsMjQSLbDCgHUDY83GF5Xw7OEYVkTVryIGzM52e9I53_sdJ4kCsaZN71QsUu9uK6wLxIyKjsJmNN6LNSKlVd0UomvYm0kKxRsHEMk-_g5nXX7aoAgJ/s1600-h/DSCF2357.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqSuMHzLQS3Dv8UGywLWGQ9oxlYAWsMjQSLbDCgHUDY83GF5Xw7OEYVkTVryIGzM52e9I53_sdJ4kCsaZN71QsUu9uK6wLxIyKjsJmNN6LNSKlVd0UomvYm0kKxRsHEMk-_g5nXX7aoAgJ/s320/DSCF2357.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388948401039032866" border="0"></a>Caleb and Gabe meet their new brother just moments after he was born.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpHZjInOTK8zVNe2Llp08yftMNwnFxW7mM9GnM4-POaRIdQe8hLYKMq8S1sA5sTDTzoMzpLaHCmd-BNFaia0ScxLXt3VTvsL22I1dbinL-8sJ1PLCh4C6hDVWp6-hlJNspHK-EdBE4rg_/s1600-h/DSCF2359.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpHZjInOTK8zVNe2Llp08yftMNwnFxW7mM9GnM4-POaRIdQe8hLYKMq8S1sA5sTDTzoMzpLaHCmd-BNFaia0ScxLXt3VTvsL22I1dbinL-8sJ1PLCh4C6hDVWp6-hlJNspHK-EdBE4rg_/s320/DSCF2359.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388950337778425490" border="0"></a>Three days old.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotUYiACXp20dR-5T-RqC4RpsSEAZVG5R8pkRNdkig7kdvk6tgTgNlfK2PmfwpET74_sS9gJY3nB5LKgQBp9oHfQuImv1YSSwwY_mo4wrQwdJ4BkkwDih9eqd3Ql0oLlpReSQyGGGJ2Tyq/s1600-h/DSCF2364.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhotUYiACXp20dR-5T-RqC4RpsSEAZVG5R8pkRNdkig7kdvk6tgTgNlfK2PmfwpET74_sS9gJY3nB5LKgQBp9oHfQuImv1YSSwwY_mo4wrQwdJ4BkkwDih9eqd3Ql0oLlpReSQyGGGJ2Tyq/s320/DSCF2364.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388950332062046530" border="0"></a>A week old. This is my view of him in my sling, where he spent about the entire first year of his life!<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcB-rvGvSI8Xbrh1VZt8a_YJsqk1sRCADQ5nEhEabgdiZR3C17dggBxA6BFByERiJ8in5JUriDBU4IM2RxuGgBNpEDcjVt3B4e3hRL11aaunHX8juCd0ckZ6Xs298JCbvI0la4MKwiM82/s1600-h/DSCF2363.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOcB-rvGvSI8Xbrh1VZt8a_YJsqk1sRCADQ5nEhEabgdiZR3C17dggBxA6BFByERiJ8in5JUriDBU4IM2RxuGgBNpEDcjVt3B4e3hRL11aaunHX8juCd0ckZ6Xs298JCbvI0la4MKwiM82/s320/DSCF2363.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388950324881521602" border="0"></a>My little pumpkin.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzVdNBe6xs8eUL7ZgPJ65ZdrVdpD0yrMhMUy1ajdMb436dAYsHOa_jt6h43l6iZcYTej6iscYlGsKXwy3Bq1P2vc7MpIhpvP2YhdTwBaI9SIXDhNjxrVC5THml1IbN_qufybHyGa7hwHu/s1600-h/DSCF2361.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgzVdNBe6xs8eUL7ZgPJ65ZdrVdpD0yrMhMUy1ajdMb436dAYsHOa_jt6h43l6iZcYTej6iscYlGsKXwy3Bq1P2vc7MpIhpvP2YhdTwBaI9SIXDhNjxrVC5THml1IbN_qufybHyGa7hwHu/s320/DSCF2361.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388950318983842674" border="0"></a>One month old. I caught a cute little sleepy smile.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_rL8lODiKrZxCxbyyPddT0ZT9NmniidrdFM3YmmDfN_Gfc-nGepa5y5ema_UxiHr6ZtF8m4OATXoH8oWkvYT2dku1uPvurpIzDAJj7Ek9GhnDxyLcuqsgoST-zlWDxz0fxKsmU6A8HeY/s1600-h/DSCF2362.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_rL8lODiKrZxCxbyyPddT0ZT9NmniidrdFM3YmmDfN_Gfc-nGepa5y5ema_UxiHr6ZtF8m4OATXoH8oWkvYT2dku1uPvurpIzDAJj7Ek9GhnDxyLcuqsgoST-zlWDxz0fxKsmU6A8HeY/s320/DSCF2362.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388950311723393618" border="0"></a>Two months old. A gift from above.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwHBTzHUDdFgt3sCewYCJbFPCHhBRHvgf8d9UypkzxCgJN6qthtdI95yt1RzQVCtDUFACUvUZgwJ3ltaA5mwlJAaCiL7jUdfo8pk45Rg9nxPXiNYIv0z8yU9P6LsySuUZ6H-xeCWtyuWE/s1600-h/DSCF0009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKwHBTzHUDdFgt3sCewYCJbFPCHhBRHvgf8d9UypkzxCgJN6qthtdI95yt1RzQVCtDUFACUvUZgwJ3ltaA5mwlJAaCiL7jUdfo8pk45Rg9nxPXiNYIv0z8yU9P6LsySuUZ6H-xeCWtyuWE/s320/DSCF0009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388955754656443954" border="0"></a>First Christmas with three boys!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM_FpXbAGky2abHOzJRXUmPx4kZNZ6nREl71b92nZX3hBkvjquA-rI-7Ig3Dyd2DfjLG41142AIB1GZPSyqo5NFTuhbNWM3ezk6OxOiNFy3P38f2d-N22LcAwolhQVP4iNfJsOunQRa9Q/s1600-h/DSCF0016.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNM_FpXbAGky2abHOzJRXUmPx4kZNZ6nREl71b92nZX3hBkvjquA-rI-7Ig3Dyd2DfjLG41142AIB1GZPSyqo5NFTuhbNWM3ezk6OxOiNFy3P38f2d-N22LcAwolhQVP4iNfJsOunQRa9Q/s320/DSCF0016.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388955755353484050" border="0"></a>One year old today!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTR-vFlwuG7zNEMkPJM0Ezz2HEj1ZECNlepbvpAbHtz8gD_ImfdeTE1vMFmUNAFToLYCeQs5ex9QVHzu-M-TUYhLcFzqeNH6dPHXkkeIrdA6U6hVjJjYK6SM7L7brDT5SEyTTbO34Wh2F/s1600-h/DSCF0009.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxTR-vFlwuG7zNEMkPJM0Ezz2HEj1ZECNlepbvpAbHtz8gD_ImfdeTE1vMFmUNAFToLYCeQs5ex9QVHzu-M-TUYhLcFzqeNH6dPHXkkeIrdA6U6hVjJjYK6SM7L7brDT5SEyTTbO34Wh2F/s320/DSCF0009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388955764460544658" border="0"></a>Two!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzLsP0InjX8ELq0FtdAZNLKYkg-MP7ugASRnOBs8O-8Xo3WqoUdr0tYY8v3LcZSuv6WlNf4MXt18jaWvz_8aKjIWTA_sFvQn2PrENYByUTzqIpdCAJD0xyBArYJb-AZ2KFPsw3GW0AweX/s1600-h/DSCF0049.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijzLsP0InjX8ELq0FtdAZNLKYkg-MP7ugASRnOBs8O-8Xo3WqoUdr0tYY8v3LcZSuv6WlNf4MXt18jaWvz_8aKjIWTA_sFvQn2PrENYByUTzqIpdCAJD0xyBArYJb-AZ2KFPsw3GW0AweX/s320/DSCF0049.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388955775163005538" border="0"></a>Almost three.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepZ6xtrX8DZRmZTPHvN5BkE11RRsWcNQi2z50MYKAVZ2bKM7csDZUzlmGaaYe_g-BP_UkTGADL4_eO_ux9UugL40-Ce4KFBg2vpCga5M5bdc7cwdWj1M2G_PN7NhPFqf8o1DZ5XbTQ2zZ/s1600-h/DSCF0089.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiepZ6xtrX8DZRmZTPHvN5BkE11RRsWcNQi2z50MYKAVZ2bKM7csDZUzlmGaaYe_g-BP_UkTGADL4_eO_ux9UugL40-Ce4KFBg2vpCga5M5bdc7cwdWj1M2G_PN7NhPFqf8o1DZ5XbTQ2zZ/s320/DSCF0089.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388955777217094754" border="0"></a>I'm four years old!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />And today:<br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDZLB9TLaQtTRzGJNxG4VCpmm8yz-nxJwF227qKwVFR2FvkF1aXBJrf4DRdEISQDhnjhHYEU-rbOrk6W1vjX0GvLzIv8CcpjH_bifDLzlCSpTPELJkSUgy0Liit5lJ9mhoJXSVBPxD8uG/s1600-h/DSCF2335.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRDZLB9TLaQtTRzGJNxG4VCpmm8yz-nxJwF227qKwVFR2FvkF1aXBJrf4DRdEISQDhnjhHYEU-rbOrk6W1vjX0GvLzIv8CcpjH_bifDLzlCSpTPELJkSUgy0Liit5lJ9mhoJXSVBPxD8uG/s320/DSCF2335.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388959474499284930" border="0"></a>His wish before he blew out his candles: "I wish to be a worker when I grow up." <br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7qGJWek6WCgx6JbnQKL-2HRdzbPXhQvHD2jEnzZq85PaOy8AL2qVzQhZQxNGsk9l0bc0JeUGHWBPOfaxXlEauwOQzDyS7dJXgQTvg1ir4ojI7Qsi-FtAiibbs-h8lKDgxW-tz3BY2OOv/s1600-h/DSCF2345.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn7qGJWek6WCgx6JbnQKL-2HRdzbPXhQvHD2jEnzZq85PaOy8AL2qVzQhZQxNGsk9l0bc0JeUGHWBPOfaxXlEauwOQzDyS7dJXgQTvg1ir4ojI7Qsi-FtAiibbs-h8lKDgxW-tz3BY2OOv/s320/DSCF2345.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388959485348407906" border="0"></a>Today is all about him.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgt-WIdBjqkBgvB7XGBHFmB90eKIQugyQtZnGLn-J7WnMueH2X6g26UTg4nwlxcFo_TVNcS7fcVKx_0s7HuWHWk9F6iCQHk5iswQg3x5Lo5tDEOEp7vIueuFv_s2sSbwD8w6Fr8Y0HwjZ/s1600-h/DSCF2328.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgt-WIdBjqkBgvB7XGBHFmB90eKIQugyQtZnGLn-J7WnMueH2X6g26UTg4nwlxcFo_TVNcS7fcVKx_0s7HuWHWk9F6iCQHk5iswQg3x5Lo5tDEOEp7vIueuFv_s2sSbwD8w6Fr8Y0HwjZ/s320/DSCF2328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388959469024216114" border="0"></a>Happy birthday, big guy. I'll never, ever, ever, ever, EVER stop loving you. (These sweet words Seth exclaims to me almost every day.) Sigh. I'm the most blessed momma ever. <br /><br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzPtF2tRH9dUN5PEFRgCLD9rgAjRlsygkxgiY-lRkdgp853fDqYq-BNLHylvR4TzDJxg0E18IYEg2GVHuf7Mw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-83429738305810245872009-09-23T16:07:00.003-04:002009-12-29T23:12:16.820-05:00Living DangerouslyI'm grabbing life's bull by the horns and taking no prisoners! (Do you like how I just grabbed random cliches that are completely unrelated and mixed them together with my bare hands?) <br /><br />In the past two days:<br /><br />**I mowed the lawn...with an electric lawn mower...in a thunderstorm...by the ocean. Yowza! Can you feel the adrenaline?!<br /><br />**I allowed my kids to paint for hours at the dining room table. Seth and Lily included! My heart was a-racin' indeed.<br /><br />**I baked 5 dozen cookies and one loaf of beer bread...and I only ate one cookie. I washed it down with a glass of Slim Fast. Bring it!!<br /><br />Now I'm on fire to see what other damage I can do!<br /><br />How have you lived dangerously this week?jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-17995339334883644272009-09-21T14:09:00.000-04:002009-09-21T15:13:12.394-04:00What I Did On My Summer VacationOkay, so this update is long overdue. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">June:</span><br /><br />Beach Days<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9z3gQKWZSPbjCHIN9J2IjnBbwEMKzFt854YF9d_Akbi1rZEkRIx8TN8DAmvXisGKe3pbi5Xn77PC8lNTlD742VHx3CqgLUp-zYEz1PNvMIkmhTjJ_Qj22x63O8j2ptJVCnDWYXhvPQhUE/s1600-h/DSCF1551.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9z3gQKWZSPbjCHIN9J2IjnBbwEMKzFt854YF9d_Akbi1rZEkRIx8TN8DAmvXisGKe3pbi5Xn77PC8lNTlD742VHx3CqgLUp-zYEz1PNvMIkmhTjJ_Qj22x63O8j2ptJVCnDWYXhvPQhUE/s320/DSCF1551.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383257246086786594" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibS0IyJpeOyvzvtRY0BjJaGWYBqj00BguCBpERm50wq3tk5TXSIAdQJiG8ghOFpZSCUGZIqK4IzqWQWMZ3DDy3mH4j8V5GH676QZQg4RAzLPPaUN_Rw6-Vbd7wdmBZbSZZ-oi933orulLA/s1600-h/DSCF1555.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibS0IyJpeOyvzvtRY0BjJaGWYBqj00BguCBpERm50wq3tk5TXSIAdQJiG8ghOFpZSCUGZIqK4IzqWQWMZ3DDy3mH4j8V5GH676QZQg4RAzLPPaUN_Rw6-Vbd7wdmBZbSZZ-oi933orulLA/s320/DSCF1555.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383257242233799122" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhW77ykiFR3Oz2-Dik8cmlHRK0aoF9mgDAPtQtw-ZccNlrOl6QtIi5Uk3K14CpP0Obh_x43jdWwSgf6P6exB_1MlL2CYVWWak1GRWguSSH6EuEfpyq5Ky446g95dzbtRCaNOGIRNY27Y7/s1600-h/DSCF1572.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyhW77ykiFR3Oz2-Dik8cmlHRK0aoF9mgDAPtQtw-ZccNlrOl6QtIi5Uk3K14CpP0Obh_x43jdWwSgf6P6exB_1MlL2CYVWWak1GRWguSSH6EuEfpyq5Ky446g95dzbtRCaNOGIRNY27Y7/s320/DSCF1572.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383256440405345298" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy5-mfUMnxychypV0ZoVOGH8HETdW6d_TkmuefjURCl-0wK2HYCEfHGNUF2r3Yo20-3mkVr7TPJMk3Bbr0AIgJdAuEFtdW28CgbRIBSipUkDu1RrtxLJfVt8zrvvSgU8aGH6fvZn_7VGm/s1600-h/DSCF1567.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy5-mfUMnxychypV0ZoVOGH8HETdW6d_TkmuefjURCl-0wK2HYCEfHGNUF2r3Yo20-3mkVr7TPJMk3Bbr0AIgJdAuEFtdW28CgbRIBSipUkDu1RrtxLJfVt8zrvvSgU8aGH6fvZn_7VGm/s320/DSCF1567.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383256430425832178" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoypORy1TyzHqvirsguCCbswwc12mEEp-kszA3fDTWUXaJ7zaxkKylYJ22dqiiAmM_eY-S03vtg7nZCA7M93yDQEE2sky6E29KC7FrRGle7fKktENZr9yWICKCkPRQZ9mAT286N50HS4P/s1600-h/DSCF1549.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXoypORy1TyzHqvirsguCCbswwc12mEEp-kszA3fDTWUXaJ7zaxkKylYJ22dqiiAmM_eY-S03vtg7nZCA7M93yDQEE2sky6E29KC7FrRGle7fKktENZr9yWICKCkPRQZ9mAT286N50HS4P/s320/DSCF1549.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383256419462364818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbgKoE7_dToLR6O3vVCl_SJO_v022iL7oZF7XccBGV_HvNVzZ2oOEGu-nH2vFooCvQe-RnfbPLbV865vqqW3cZk4hHUQKWQJnKbxtwllC3L44Qlev0e_D3KhGE3WOz0CVPrd9TalaAhW4/s1600-h/DSCF1540.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbgKoE7_dToLR6O3vVCl_SJO_v022iL7oZF7XccBGV_HvNVzZ2oOEGu-nH2vFooCvQe-RnfbPLbV865vqqW3cZk4hHUQKWQJnKbxtwllC3L44Qlev0e_D3KhGE3WOz0CVPrd9TalaAhW4/s320/DSCF1540.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383256415565931410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v4U0ZRm8DpgT37cYdaJjaac9W9UnmwzxwwrCeFMcaJe8lpxvp2H6nw5350ciYFRpPEDZIUlJzamAZ4k3BB1e5i1vUs2LZX7Az3zqpdEbO450QUNdoMUJGpxRHaq5HzxlQXMola5M7VDq/s1600-h/DSCF1497.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3v4U0ZRm8DpgT37cYdaJjaac9W9UnmwzxwwrCeFMcaJe8lpxvp2H6nw5350ciYFRpPEDZIUlJzamAZ4k3BB1e5i1vUs2LZX7Az3zqpdEbO450QUNdoMUJGpxRHaq5HzxlQXMola5M7VDq/s320/DSCF1497.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383260080938137266" /></a><br /><br /><br />Swim lessons<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X8k6y1Y04F_AADuJ1eq2jChEA4r90m7i-ITIvsDTwt2vuI5UvWqIv2gd7nuanMBmccI1wgOgKRSZRlJWmRqmcrsG8YW7DmftIspKdgN0jkIv5u9GqdR8hfBw6zghMfX28Cfe5CEW8o-a/s1600-h/DSCF1600.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4X8k6y1Y04F_AADuJ1eq2jChEA4r90m7i-ITIvsDTwt2vuI5UvWqIv2gd7nuanMBmccI1wgOgKRSZRlJWmRqmcrsG8YW7DmftIspKdgN0jkIv5u9GqdR8hfBw6zghMfX28Cfe5CEW8o-a/s320/DSCF1600.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383265805557259218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOb1C8sHI6jrdqHpxU3p26HMCzyfpyAmomeWWH3s-BI-hi-iLas0cWxtMxEmSE4q73E98nAhdJdQcrZockDk49GQNu9TqpuxfVpaZLlYcrfIwKH1hbb6Gil2pxX8kEt6UpxVdZjxyytjSG/s1600-h/DSCF1582.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOb1C8sHI6jrdqHpxU3p26HMCzyfpyAmomeWWH3s-BI-hi-iLas0cWxtMxEmSE4q73E98nAhdJdQcrZockDk49GQNu9TqpuxfVpaZLlYcrfIwKH1hbb6Gil2pxX8kEt6UpxVdZjxyytjSG/s320/DSCF1582.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383265802934985682" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZu8SaZtzAEPxt9i6jvb2h5IMaBgA7iJ_BGOA847ds-zfY45C4UaP-cSvWcrnyU8mMCTpirJF61nAjgduGUwveysZa3xKT1rByR1Ww822Q4hKGRATvP5XV5uR_G1qWFvAjKFtoAnmxedQ/s1600-h/DSCF1521.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwZu8SaZtzAEPxt9i6jvb2h5IMaBgA7iJ_BGOA847ds-zfY45C4UaP-cSvWcrnyU8mMCTpirJF61nAjgduGUwveysZa3xKT1rByR1Ww822Q4hKGRATvP5XV5uR_G1qWFvAjKFtoAnmxedQ/s320/DSCF1521.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383265793794685922" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCIKXgO0J4qxmo8dep_vK3QimNKIuQNqyuGCLJriTCIHQ9S32XHZK0lanwkMnVRJNn11ZiPJzIEH7n8TpoEG24AerOgX2ZP0jqLGUSdoRxiIgbEXYfh4xlAyigoJkw1UoU-PugNpzByAo/s1600-h/DSCF1509.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHCIKXgO0J4qxmo8dep_vK3QimNKIuQNqyuGCLJriTCIHQ9S32XHZK0lanwkMnVRJNn11ZiPJzIEH7n8TpoEG24AerOgX2ZP0jqLGUSdoRxiIgbEXYfh4xlAyigoJkw1UoU-PugNpzByAo/s320/DSCF1509.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383265785313676690" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">July:</span><br /><br />Independence Day<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN58fvBxUUYm8k07bnTf3Yj8Qq22uIZ1vhHqSsCCn6wtjJELIe7-0gcnUHi0wxapSmIQYzRw7hw1WlzhUTVVRxlLaC2WwLDSVzxko6fYWmrbS3FIRS77XnvDpJzaJLfPcJfNFAWTJ9zA8L/s1600-h/DSCF1706.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN58fvBxUUYm8k07bnTf3Yj8Qq22uIZ1vhHqSsCCn6wtjJELIe7-0gcnUHi0wxapSmIQYzRw7hw1WlzhUTVVRxlLaC2WwLDSVzxko6fYWmrbS3FIRS77XnvDpJzaJLfPcJfNFAWTJ9zA8L/s320/DSCF1706.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383924480687270514" /></a><br /><br />We adventured on a three-week vacation from Texas to Missouri to Indiana to Ohio...back to Texas. We survived. Thrived. And I have pictures to prove it.<br /><br />Oh, and Rob had to work, so the four kids, one dog and one mom drove up without him. He was to fly up and meet us in IN the second week. I feel like I accomplished something significant in simply getting us all there in one piece. And...the first leg of the trip was without A/C. It was 107 in Austin when we drove through, if that gives you any indication of the heat factor. But, good news was in the works.<br /><br />First stop, Denton, TX to crash on my sister-in-law Stacey's house. Great things happened here. 1.) I saw my awesome nephews Bill and Kelly. They are great. 2.) I got to meet Stacey's kind and handsome boyfriend, Sean. 3.) Kind and handsome boyfriend finished fixing the A/C on our van, making the remaining hours of July travel far more enjoyable.<br /><br />Here's a picture of Stacey and Sean:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xycHp5-C7bENvBLHOqrJ6Ju52W-yQvehwM6uYKVONVNvqiBXN_Ln5oeGiabYlXTJfqs8A4gHZMpGWtqJ7-NF7ATfgQ8eyVeC42lT-0rtF6SL-I14A8eRt7_XzYmgsyKypZvQwIMLbJTA/s1600-h/DSCF1725.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0xycHp5-C7bENvBLHOqrJ6Ju52W-yQvehwM6uYKVONVNvqiBXN_Ln5oeGiabYlXTJfqs8A4gHZMpGWtqJ7-NF7ATfgQ8eyVeC42lT-0rtF6SL-I14A8eRt7_XzYmgsyKypZvQwIMLbJTA/s320/DSCF1725.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383925890043851154" /></a><br /><br />Next stop, Halfway, MO, my place of birth, and where my parents, paternal grandparents, and a few aunts and uncles and cousins live. My mom had to work the evening we were to arrive, so we just stopped at her restaurant, grabbed dinner there with my dad, and visited while she finished up her shift. <br /><br />Isn't she the cutest waitress?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCmnY2Jq2RbGFjd-IzSjBoJUh-UMix-i9jsVW9VP_fY-nU0oPeHy-DcGyYbzheJDcGk26xO7qB4TzZN1dLy8TgFCTjcyxu_mU3EhkGlIFro9ZyCKfsFZjk2zZzEZcN8Zxpb-lHXXXza7l/s1600-h/DSCF1726.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsCmnY2Jq2RbGFjd-IzSjBoJUh-UMix-i9jsVW9VP_fY-nU0oPeHy-DcGyYbzheJDcGk26xO7qB4TzZN1dLy8TgFCTjcyxu_mU3EhkGlIFro9ZyCKfsFZjk2zZzEZcN8Zxpb-lHXXXza7l/s320/DSCF1726.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383954267405381330" /></a><br /><br /><br />Then we visited with my parent for three days. We relaxed, played, visited. Great times were had by all. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydJjYHjZnlTpJ18LtvZBg6NKXoY76Ax0DTYoE7MC7oSwuYajow4cEu-WMTeiUFXXFvNBj2nEzwsWehHtmvZAD01LblKp-rXC3k1YnWDAM5rZW8av5nmlKNRhW93GtpBxwvENQcCGUcLyd/s1600-h/DSCF1768.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydJjYHjZnlTpJ18LtvZBg6NKXoY76Ax0DTYoE7MC7oSwuYajow4cEu-WMTeiUFXXFvNBj2nEzwsWehHtmvZAD01LblKp-rXC3k1YnWDAM5rZW8av5nmlKNRhW93GtpBxwvENQcCGUcLyd/s320/DSCF1768.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383959498803816658" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4HHhA28F1xWKLK1YDAWVFdFLJ1M3iiDLjwADmC6eDcMmVqZJk4yzOGMTZd16bdYhCb05C4BhRrSYo1SQ5d31EQnGHou_quHoI_0xBD1lYVCTLfoKWyAWmuNd5lX_iSOy3N1kVdz3zAMm/s1600-h/DSCF1798.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4HHhA28F1xWKLK1YDAWVFdFLJ1M3iiDLjwADmC6eDcMmVqZJk4yzOGMTZd16bdYhCb05C4BhRrSYo1SQ5d31EQnGHou_quHoI_0xBD1lYVCTLfoKWyAWmuNd5lX_iSOy3N1kVdz3zAMm/s320/DSCF1798.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383959488368191250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDt6KsJD30ny_K5Isibv6CBhoFuBYnLW__0H2DstWl0kbBBXGRZBMcFr5greC8Yxzb47kdzcwESxReHkie_rU9VSlNW_q0sSSu1T3z7W3LPoUoIryBeM-wBOY96A9xFO_gHCYfeNP-Ju8_/s1600-h/DSCF1796.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDt6KsJD30ny_K5Isibv6CBhoFuBYnLW__0H2DstWl0kbBBXGRZBMcFr5greC8Yxzb47kdzcwESxReHkie_rU9VSlNW_q0sSSu1T3z7W3LPoUoIryBeM-wBOY96A9xFO_gHCYfeNP-Ju8_/s320/DSCF1796.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383959483142190306" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulNnvrLPM2ewvpbr8vAf5Er-yri-NnyDciH3H_KhVa0wSdChr7SFNhmmF1O_xt0-4AFHEwn-NGd1wIzr66CrYlg_uM7TL2uOnufOwxnEBMTwstJo1U6N3L1dTA0Mkv4-DO3wAyh17RjUk/s1600-h/DSCF1783.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulNnvrLPM2ewvpbr8vAf5Er-yri-NnyDciH3H_KhVa0wSdChr7SFNhmmF1O_xt0-4AFHEwn-NGd1wIzr66CrYlg_uM7TL2uOnufOwxnEBMTwstJo1U6N3L1dTA0Mkv4-DO3wAyh17RjUk/s320/DSCF1783.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383957841483424578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXyGRwpcWKvnni2G-tMAx6tnCstWHWIjc0dJe1zRIemym1L3wYFWEnM7fktMBdXmAxerDByVkBl6PF8c9-ZDQnZXLRDwhUmYhgwFSHR0PdKBCMhnaIMCZtbBgtkZLjDdwAHmURJ5zcUu0/s1600-h/DSCF1769.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcXyGRwpcWKvnni2G-tMAx6tnCstWHWIjc0dJe1zRIemym1L3wYFWEnM7fktMBdXmAxerDByVkBl6PF8c9-ZDQnZXLRDwhUmYhgwFSHR0PdKBCMhnaIMCZtbBgtkZLjDdwAHmURJ5zcUu0/s320/DSCF1769.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383957830285432370" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCrvOTf2m1aVeDpckfPedNBOBDrLPKtxv5Xwm9IlxenoEO1mhmoZccNahnzKoAg2yCSsvH3wSlrL9YOHbKD4WCwyA8Vb8UrXpj9o8meE_41d0a_mMIr62ugID66UQNT_QbydmJI3AUDab/s1600-h/DSCF1739.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCrvOTf2m1aVeDpckfPedNBOBDrLPKtxv5Xwm9IlxenoEO1mhmoZccNahnzKoAg2yCSsvH3wSlrL9YOHbKD4WCwyA8Vb8UrXpj9o8meE_41d0a_mMIr62ugID66UQNT_QbydmJI3AUDab/s320/DSCF1739.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383957825273072386" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBVP2D3CbaEZnJCGRAzmRZ_JhXb3w44d7LrjaiScruNKzYjc3DNEzvGn41fephaK48kDp3f6stYozGUrKrA7Nd4zx0L7hA_niiSxuhXEnfBgf9taYQh7lC_N80mTCsTfTZjE7t4E3LZNF/s1600-h/DSCF1735.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqBVP2D3CbaEZnJCGRAzmRZ_JhXb3w44d7LrjaiScruNKzYjc3DNEzvGn41fephaK48kDp3f6stYozGUrKrA7Nd4zx0L7hA_niiSxuhXEnfBgf9taYQh7lC_N80mTCsTfTZjE7t4E3LZNF/s320/DSCF1735.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383957814551179874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJl7vKdKu2dLQctT-VYi9_V8ZX50ShjkUrdpyDPoJX5WZtlR5bmqjTcmme_g4gAexFMssAIraxM6rjPCBtFKPzqX9yEVnt7ShbIUzlrtVXMLDX7HjsJk26rOuLVhy79jZnUSWGUXOV1Uix/s1600-h/DSCF1829.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJl7vKdKu2dLQctT-VYi9_V8ZX50ShjkUrdpyDPoJX5WZtlR5bmqjTcmme_g4gAexFMssAIraxM6rjPCBtFKPzqX9yEVnt7ShbIUzlrtVXMLDX7HjsJk26rOuLVhy79jZnUSWGUXOV1Uix/s320/DSCF1829.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383961019285677730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8mFtzDYGYVa5iW87ApLqNRt5SOswEAa7rvhMb1J_7WDl7DQZUz7PzRH3mJR2ZfV-e2LQ32n53cCKZWtD28yetZCZjhboXxt6zKr3v4jbKyJjX6V1GE-OmEg2ewuzEJKOjUtgqWF4ctOU/s1600-h/DSCF1833.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8mFtzDYGYVa5iW87ApLqNRt5SOswEAa7rvhMb1J_7WDl7DQZUz7PzRH3mJR2ZfV-e2LQ32n53cCKZWtD28yetZCZjhboXxt6zKr3v4jbKyJjX6V1GE-OmEg2ewuzEJKOjUtgqWF4ctOU/s320/DSCF1833.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383961010971407330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxzl9m1ECdM1s-aoLoEhf-7EX_cb6MLCs00Ptnr01Hm1UTdBZsJhdPWk1r5gDti8xdk0WIHeXLkrvj6YYyu3mtzGiTzSazHabfgEHFB9YBzL7SMHV8HlTZclA4k6gcU3L3AImdhP7rVHx/s1600-h/DSCF1839.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqxzl9m1ECdM1s-aoLoEhf-7EX_cb6MLCs00Ptnr01Hm1UTdBZsJhdPWk1r5gDti8xdk0WIHeXLkrvj6YYyu3mtzGiTzSazHabfgEHFB9YBzL7SMHV8HlTZclA4k6gcU3L3AImdhP7rVHx/s320/DSCF1839.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383961004939830402" /></a><br /><br />My favorite picture of my dad:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpG9mIj32SDUL3-396VknE99KUMLQmmVsSUp0RIMZpJI5k9EfrmqzlV-89E0qyNElgu0VRHUGlru-upN9mBSJ-4Xr32ipIyilMfiise7WlBYH-dGK3eSE73ksxSdMO2Km0huJLshI6nnF/s1600-h/DSCF1784.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUpG9mIj32SDUL3-396VknE99KUMLQmmVsSUp0RIMZpJI5k9EfrmqzlV-89E0qyNElgu0VRHUGlru-upN9mBSJ-4Xr32ipIyilMfiise7WlBYH-dGK3eSE73ksxSdMO2Km0huJLshI6nnF/s320/DSCF1784.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383963138605829874" /></a><br /><br />It was hard to say good-bye to them. I have been gifted with very supportive and loving parents. They are a great blessing to us.<br /><br />Next stop 12 hours later: Etna Green, IN.<br /><br />I saw siblings, nieces and nephews, friends, more friends, and my precious maternal grandparents.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj0UMkc_tv-GaYNBUPT0XdEBQo6BmhlYxNwHa2YwRBTeGzw_SU0zw1IfmUhEzPPrjD_ba1AnSGphz6M280XrdRNex1YwPkc71L2hij1ybpYcN7XO81g9NruSOPs0cMIuQJkWcL5on7Ica/s1600-h/DSCF1872.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDj0UMkc_tv-GaYNBUPT0XdEBQo6BmhlYxNwHa2YwRBTeGzw_SU0zw1IfmUhEzPPrjD_ba1AnSGphz6M280XrdRNex1YwPkc71L2hij1ybpYcN7XO81g9NruSOPs0cMIuQJkWcL5on7Ica/s320/DSCF1872.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383965191015281330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUc1MZAOWtnOp4uD7KYx3m6ZXfw31S-1IQqzFFA9G78NEpah0hI1mo6n03M6Ht0HRR7qcNvZprJM_4qPtDFmdJTM0ZTo76mvQvxUH6A8199lCS0BcjzvCAFOZNSZaTxnyru3cVg55Hn91/s1600-h/DSCF1854.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUc1MZAOWtnOp4uD7KYx3m6ZXfw31S-1IQqzFFA9G78NEpah0hI1mo6n03M6Ht0HRR7qcNvZprJM_4qPtDFmdJTM0ZTo76mvQvxUH6A8199lCS0BcjzvCAFOZNSZaTxnyru3cVg55Hn91/s320/DSCF1854.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383965180443261426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiua8S4P11qPoflyB9JCag0tWFTVK4egV38Li_I85qhjxYmC5HX6KLitG62wl4ETeIhuPLuC1YEhG5Zo1t_fBqEoXxEsuqFpnQr8A4W-EJRxtsVNpBczYhU7YDTq6Juz4IZveW507hyphenhyphenr7ct/s1600-h/DSCF1849.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiua8S4P11qPoflyB9JCag0tWFTVK4egV38Li_I85qhjxYmC5HX6KLitG62wl4ETeIhuPLuC1YEhG5Zo1t_fBqEoXxEsuqFpnQr8A4W-EJRxtsVNpBczYhU7YDTq6Juz4IZveW507hyphenhyphenr7ct/s320/DSCF1849.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383965173362026146" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGOuIpYoVDEbl1fpWXF1I5Obaijz8aGTOWX_IDtGQSkDadvrVnfkaMen8cSts56zkdgawCv1M2kPeyDN631vgQI6n9BQ_mu6fPV8a9iYTzfPoaQK7DUp_D1shv8PRNRZ3c2xWnX4EybhW/s1600-h/DSCF1844.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGOuIpYoVDEbl1fpWXF1I5Obaijz8aGTOWX_IDtGQSkDadvrVnfkaMen8cSts56zkdgawCv1M2kPeyDN631vgQI6n9BQ_mu6fPV8a9iYTzfPoaQK7DUp_D1shv8PRNRZ3c2xWnX4EybhW/s320/DSCF1844.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383965164757196594" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXhzFSGsCgiOb4p9V8SRT9lR93pL-YIObT-1TPsZzlpsEzWDRMpSrWOicO2IoLzROmrBHE1sZfp_ILk2VZJBlso1iKoxTvamKlBYk37lBWdeccXjGjYADXZBzPeAUowqTObefZtp6w7ux/s1600-h/DSCF1903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXhzFSGsCgiOb4p9V8SRT9lR93pL-YIObT-1TPsZzlpsEzWDRMpSrWOicO2IoLzROmrBHE1sZfp_ILk2VZJBlso1iKoxTvamKlBYk37lBWdeccXjGjYADXZBzPeAUowqTObefZtp6w7ux/s320/DSCF1903.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383966660296653730" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5VuleYOs19VYR9MUurgd2yUfoOxaUId43c-8_zyRVIK6P2Ma7t_5JKEWyGWFp-6HJC31tBQ8cBZpCjD5FbDHkgbBTGm28NeCnp1avbqpGBASsUrcVCLbKoXqSW75mKNz1vPBTEVn-NV3/s1600-h/DSCF1882.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_5VuleYOs19VYR9MUurgd2yUfoOxaUId43c-8_zyRVIK6P2Ma7t_5JKEWyGWFp-6HJC31tBQ8cBZpCjD5FbDHkgbBTGm28NeCnp1avbqpGBASsUrcVCLbKoXqSW75mKNz1vPBTEVn-NV3/s320/DSCF1882.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383966647980388146" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhksxXyidt47_qZ17WczSGYDeXU9EkXmao8H3whrzhJSL2rMJKVtyaBnVRl6eDc897-2O4QOpS20kFESDWLLKXwuTel5aMnsrVw-Cy26fS5iRhyzR3WC39WQhcV14Y54uX_Xo8xW7bnefJ/s1600-h/DSCF1874.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhksxXyidt47_qZ17WczSGYDeXU9EkXmao8H3whrzhJSL2rMJKVtyaBnVRl6eDc897-2O4QOpS20kFESDWLLKXwuTel5aMnsrVw-Cy26fS5iRhyzR3WC39WQhcV14Y54uX_Xo8xW7bnefJ/s320/DSCF1874.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383966645682660786" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-FmywKFXcbXU_Q-wQYXWAVMViVs8JUnJfV5KIfMy1TxDW32iyoIpdxB3ShRutGB9bUF2MeGc6kUKwtrWyA0L894KcN8h02pfeKCRp2KvsjJv10vIdNwBwhAJq5f4RnSZZRPVf0VR37cr/s1600-h/Grace,+Brookly,+cow.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-FmywKFXcbXU_Q-wQYXWAVMViVs8JUnJfV5KIfMy1TxDW32iyoIpdxB3ShRutGB9bUF2MeGc6kUKwtrWyA0L894KcN8h02pfeKCRp2KvsjJv10vIdNwBwhAJq5f4RnSZZRPVf0VR37cr/s320/Grace,+Brookly,+cow.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383992032587854642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UR7W7TXklH5hLzgNFi75LdTysfxN_TyAGw2lp8YTkIf0oQ3gKPCTf0851JKkE7wkOIHcSB4MYPiVLzafRzo5H01OSIqZrc1mex0Hwpm3_yzOB4I3wfRrAtmFcrwLakOrN_VXMyE6DR-Y/s1600-h/Mom+and+daughters.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-UR7W7TXklH5hLzgNFi75LdTysfxN_TyAGw2lp8YTkIf0oQ3gKPCTf0851JKkE7wkOIHcSB4MYPiVLzafRzo5H01OSIqZrc1mex0Hwpm3_yzOB4I3wfRrAtmFcrwLakOrN_VXMyE6DR-Y/s320/Mom+and+daughters.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383993838846956050" /></a><br /><br /><br />After Rob's conference, we headed out to Ohio to visit with Rob's family. Lot's of R & R was had by all. Just what we needed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOsZXIHKDQAH7D6Apq-3O5EBnY6QAcCkuxFtkookQGNSWaoGELnUBDciVj5SF8F_Rt0Sk5qtKefgq_Iv-l4cRy4zTKzy9YVAaXncQOfOZfglNs9ZRHPv50S8XOZsgyQ1k85TPQLorHFLW/s1600-h/Seth+at+Flat+Rock.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLOsZXIHKDQAH7D6Apq-3O5EBnY6QAcCkuxFtkookQGNSWaoGELnUBDciVj5SF8F_Rt0Sk5qtKefgq_Iv-l4cRy4zTKzy9YVAaXncQOfOZfglNs9ZRHPv50S8XOZsgyQ1k85TPQLorHFLW/s320/Seth+at+Flat+Rock.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383992026593686930" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO10xNfGPS1nvz0RsHnWQl0Zpp5O0ar86JoZQzzsq2dLydj87_A75ULi290bRn87VSaUTsh6pRqw7JYWaHavJ_ZDMIU5ahJ169rpj-d3U_6McLqxCmnbpym1vFeN5_hTj2hR5bf2ok7ODg/s1600-h/Boys+and+Max+in+Flat+Rock+creek.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO10xNfGPS1nvz0RsHnWQl0Zpp5O0ar86JoZQzzsq2dLydj87_A75ULi290bRn87VSaUTsh6pRqw7JYWaHavJ_ZDMIU5ahJ169rpj-d3U_6McLqxCmnbpym1vFeN5_hTj2hR5bf2ok7ODg/s320/Boys+and+Max+in+Flat+Rock+creek.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383992016245857858" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDeB3QjsIdBEqlQMIzr05ZJPULSAChrskVi1OS_6xWdlx98P1YjX5whyG7XSUHgGJqxEkoSr9B1tdTx0hSYMXMJwOb7oU-j0pDzqpleE1G7WaML7bPKV1HmYrIKSK2Xckk3KoX0Kzbgw-/s1600-h/Nikki+and+kids+on+Flat+Rock.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDeB3QjsIdBEqlQMIzr05ZJPULSAChrskVi1OS_6xWdlx98P1YjX5whyG7XSUHgGJqxEkoSr9B1tdTx0hSYMXMJwOb7oU-j0pDzqpleE1G7WaML7bPKV1HmYrIKSK2Xckk3KoX0Kzbgw-/s320/Nikki+and+kids+on+Flat+Rock.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383992009758312722" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB_h91xwXhQEy7wca47_GWcrvDyk0kFkq-YQI2wEr8XICRfQLA29a2jtKFDCyVq0EB73AkcdyHKdiPbI-AetgA5dX80sr_nydwNFtvAioyNqITkrATQfKRbaEvGkD0V_dNcaKXJNlNKeO/s1600-h/Bob,+Carol+and+Lily.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdB_h91xwXhQEy7wca47_GWcrvDyk0kFkq-YQI2wEr8XICRfQLA29a2jtKFDCyVq0EB73AkcdyHKdiPbI-AetgA5dX80sr_nydwNFtvAioyNqITkrATQfKRbaEvGkD0V_dNcaKXJNlNKeO/s320/Bob,+Carol+and+Lily.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383994696302494834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hmay3gyrU0zjcs39o-ItFiYehXZIpd109RKbgNcOmzOvCRlai8zIPskZWIoEC9vWUwq8E-9wFeCGl7sjUBHouI9T3FGDlGm7FX6zmPVAL6_P36JHbUGASAn6TngCkMfYB1HZLNazqWFU/s1600-h/Rob+and+Viv.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9hmay3gyrU0zjcs39o-ItFiYehXZIpd109RKbgNcOmzOvCRlai8zIPskZWIoEC9vWUwq8E-9wFeCGl7sjUBHouI9T3FGDlGm7FX6zmPVAL6_P36JHbUGASAn6TngCkMfYB1HZLNazqWFU/s320/Rob+and+Viv.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383994688351888018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyDMUlHTmlkVrzWLL6Kcw1u_jtDeh7mgI0TWmD3uEIu1G1hmp7-i4TpjA4WUL_WYywPE2x5jX1HwJ3Uzjy4xsEQUzPPRnEbajv-PlA93MabxVgIo3esDg0UWSVUh00UWNNQyGClGR61Ej/s1600-h/Lily,+Emily,+Seth.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbyDMUlHTmlkVrzWLL6Kcw1u_jtDeh7mgI0TWmD3uEIu1G1hmp7-i4TpjA4WUL_WYywPE2x5jX1HwJ3Uzjy4xsEQUzPPRnEbajv-PlA93MabxVgIo3esDg0UWSVUh00UWNNQyGClGR61Ej/s320/Lily,+Emily,+Seth.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383994681085388002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFc8x1Z7CCf5YP5cvMLH3olm1ikJXrgnLb4qKFqVB9eQqIg2r4rwkidGd_ABx5lrE425y6Sft_qhpz7GSHl0fdzLqvXqPk-D1Jkt237rwueX6DXqOdhPtBqULA0lKFmimISEisB3_xW2X/s1600-h/Gabe+and+Nate.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggFc8x1Z7CCf5YP5cvMLH3olm1ikJXrgnLb4qKFqVB9eQqIg2r4rwkidGd_ABx5lrE425y6Sft_qhpz7GSHl0fdzLqvXqPk-D1Jkt237rwueX6DXqOdhPtBqULA0lKFmimISEisB3_xW2X/s320/Gabe+and+Nate.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383994674211572466" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU2irRScxBnyo4hoPfF0JDvQQz7NbPG1ES_ofFpGuVttmaMeWlpUpQhG5iFB7huUGUyfq9DROGaAT1qHXQeu1j0xnjIpNLnqXQfUzngXPiSsNXDSXBMi75iyeuogPRIY8c8QhSIBOu4ns/s1600-h/Fasnacht+cousins.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbU2irRScxBnyo4hoPfF0JDvQQz7NbPG1ES_ofFpGuVttmaMeWlpUpQhG5iFB7huUGUyfq9DROGaAT1qHXQeu1j0xnjIpNLnqXQfUzngXPiSsNXDSXBMi75iyeuogPRIY8c8QhSIBOu4ns/s320/Fasnacht+cousins.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383995801580305346" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHoSVpO5Kb5t6YUfv-Pcz85UZGxzcu6UYpCgJFX9-2UY7AqTgZ9wRnI1UwxsV_ijqUZbZuzpoQEz4e0XW8O9_lrNAqxhOxMmTT25VTYDpcoL94FtF-1h_-cRwPOfkBk4vDV5y18kVhiQt/s1600-h/Seth+and+Lily+in+a+field+of+flowers.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeHoSVpO5Kb5t6YUfv-Pcz85UZGxzcu6UYpCgJFX9-2UY7AqTgZ9wRnI1UwxsV_ijqUZbZuzpoQEz4e0XW8O9_lrNAqxhOxMmTT25VTYDpcoL94FtF-1h_-cRwPOfkBk4vDV5y18kVhiQt/s320/Seth+and+Lily+in+a+field+of+flowers.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383995786631299890" /></a><br /><br />Our last stop in OH was to good ol' Ludlow Falls, where Rob went to Teen Camp as a youngster and where he and I counseled as older youngsters. We thought the first night of camp meeting was to take place on our last night in OH, but alas, we were a day early. We explored the creek instead.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTt6qmlvKebyR3ikLEyktvxVqpdSff7xquwqHiPGFpzZYdqt6NouEkODo8OLqJrO_koL1Mi5-Lu-Azwawta7yo2UkLd4ycv0GNTOwuOKkmLWmV3nWMoCVsfeOuq4l16koco33o-Nqboeg/s1600-h/Kids+at+Ludlow+Falls.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgTt6qmlvKebyR3ikLEyktvxVqpdSff7xquwqHiPGFpzZYdqt6NouEkODo8OLqJrO_koL1Mi5-Lu-Azwawta7yo2UkLd4ycv0GNTOwuOKkmLWmV3nWMoCVsfeOuq4l16koco33o-Nqboeg/s320/Kids+at+Ludlow+Falls.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383995776385871794" /></a><br /><br />So, I may have overwhelmed you with pictures. Not much different from old vacation slides, but believe me when I say that I spared you, because I still have HUNDREDS more. Just wanted to give you the photo-synopsis and not the entire manuscript. Maybe you can come on over for dessert and coffee sometime and I'll show you the rest!<br /><br />And though we had a wonderful time, we were so happy to be back home. For the first time in eight months, Texas really felt like home. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">August</span><br /><br />Besides trying to get caught up from being gone for three weeks, the highlight of August was Caleb's birthday...but he deserves a post all to himself, so I'll write that at another time.jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2069722756219646716.post-56116132890534897302009-09-12T11:44:00.002-04:002009-09-12T12:04:54.911-04:00ThreadspinnerLong-ago friends of ours from college have an awesome band called <a href="http://www.threadspinner.net/">Threadspinner.</a> Jon and Sarah Ziebarth moved from Indiana to California several years ago (like ten, maybe?) so Jon, who is now a brilliant research scientist, could attend grad school at Stanford. Jon used to play in a band called Fresh Cod, and they practiced in our musty basement in South Bend. Good times. Sarah is a beautiful vocalist. <br /><br />They just released their first video "Night Chorus" this last week. I love it! It's sweet and artsy and beautiful. I know you'll enjoy it, too. Check them out!<br /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/pabZhR7eMYo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/pabZhR7eMYo&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed>">jodyfoznothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10407587004094539190noreply@blogger.com0