Boys + Water = Great Times

Kickin' it Old School

Remember when A.I. had a low budget? When Simon sat in Randy's spot? When there were 2 hosts?? HA!! One thing hasn't changed, though. This girl rips it up. Everytime. The first champ is still the reigning champ!!

Six Years of Gregory

Here's to the child who took my hand

and started me on this journey as a Mother

the child I prayed for

the child who made me weep everyday for the first week of his life

the child whose smiles were my drug of choice for many months

the child who taught me the meaning of unconditional love

the child whose fits brought on fits of my own

the child whose eyes are identical to mine

the child whose personality is frighteningly like my own

Happy Birthday to You

the passion to worship

I was flipping through this book the other night, and had to share this section that I really love. It's from The Safest Place on Earth by Larry Crabb, a book on spiritual community.

"I sometimes wonder if the most serious mistake we make in our churches is trying to get people to worship. The passion to worship needs an opportunity for release. The Christian longs for a chance to worship. But frentic efforts to stir the passion produce only a shallow counterfeit. Both traditional and contemporary styles of worship provide that chance when the worship leader has nothing of himself (or herself) at stake and is therefore not trying to make anything happen for his/her sake.

We must learn to structure the opportunity to worship, to re-create the event that stirs our hearts, and then get out of the way and let the Spirit do the work of drawing us to Christ.

Only relaxed people worship well. And we can relax because we are forgiven. God is no longer thundering at us from the top of the mountain. Now He is whispering to us as a lover - a jealous lover to be sure, but still a lover - not a critic. Saints, people who relax in their new purity, love to worship. It's their favorite thing to do."

the view

It's nice to have a reward like this after a long winter. This is what greets me when i turn down our road. Fifty-five of these beauties! Thanks, County Workers!

And this is what happens when your 13-year old niece gets ahold of your camera without your knowledge. Mess with my camera, you end up on the blog, babe.

Stay at home, Mom!

I've been doing it for almost 6 years, you'd think I'd have it down by now. But I don't. Oh man, I really don't. And I'm tired of feeling like a failure at this.

It's this title I have a love/hate relationship with called "Stay-at-home Mom."

When I first had Gregory, I was so thankful and happy to be home with him, to spend our days together and watch him change and grow. But over time, and after having more children, I have a tough time staying motivated and challenged to STAY home, be a Mama and a homemaker. After all, there are bible studies, the Y, MOPS, Target, (oh how we mamas love our target...)


Since we moved to Minnesota, especially, I have found myself being a bit more careless with my time and running to different things just because I could, but not really because I should. After all, I had a boy in Kindergarten, so I felt a little more freedom to go places, join activities.

But this spring it's really hit me that I need to re-establish my AT HOME roles as a wife, a mother. When I am away from this home too often, it shows my neglect. It shows where my priorities are. I am not against working outside the home by any means, I am only sharing where I am and what I struggle with.

I've been reading a book called "A Woman after God's Own Heart" by Elizabeth George and it's reinforced the huge responsiblity before me of what I do everyday. I can feel God turning my heart back to my children, my home, my husband, and making sure nothing steals my dedication to them.

phil goes home

I wasn't a big Phil Stacey fan, but I had a hard time seeing him go home this week on American Idol. I think it was the fact that he was such a cool family guy and only wanted to do what was right by his family. I just got all choked up watching him say goodbye to the other contestants. Did you see Melinda and KiKi cryin' a river up there?

I love how this group seems to be really tight. No egos, no isolated divas or showboats. Just people who love what they are doing and care for one another. Take that, critics.