Do You Wanna Hear Something Funny?

Okay, brace yourself!

Yep, Vannah got braces today....now, no matter her mood, she WILL SHINE! :P  

Actually, I am very proud of her for showing her smile!  

Life! Embrace it, right?!

Enjoy Your Leap!

We had an awesome day as we welcomed Cedarville University's Jazz Band to our church.  They had traveled to Horton, MI this weekend to participate in a Jazz Bash with Hanover Horton High School.  Fortunately for us, the band director for Hanover Horton school attends our church and we were able to invite them to join us for a Sunday morning service.  They had this incredible arrangement of Joshua Fought The Battle Of Jericho....I wish I could hear it again....it reminded me of the battle scene in Veggies Tales, Gideon Tuba Warrior :)  It was such a wonderful experience to worship in a different way than we normally do and to enjoy the passion and musicianship of these students!

One PK perk is getting to meet groups like this when they come to visit.  I am always so thankful for how helpful our girls are and gracious with their time as we are at the church....A LOT!  We were at the church late last night welcoming them, helping them set up, and assigning them host homes for the evening.  During the time we spent with them, we realized one of the band members was a BIRTHDAY BUDDY for Karly.  They were both celebrating their birthday today and Karly had sooo much fun with that....giving him high fives and making him a card.  Then, later today, we attended their Jazz Bash at Hanover Horton and the student from Cedarville sang a special, jazzy version of HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Karly in front of maybe about 300 people.....Karly was thrilled!  She told us it was her best birthday EVER on the way home! :)

On Demand

Give Me Jesus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbh43MGoigw

I Really Donut Know

I asked the girls staying over for Karly's party if they like Hinkley's doughnuts (because I knew I would get a great response :)  One of the girls said, "My mom works by Hinkley's!".....I said, "Oh yeah, where does she work?"......she responded...."Hmmmmm....I really don't know."

BUT IT'S BY HINKLEY'S

.....and that's the important thing!

Know what happens to Brad's gotee when he eats sprinkled doughnuts?

Not really, but that picture was too good to NOT post...hehe!

Happy, Happy, Happy....Saturday!

Karly was having trouble blowing out her candle, so Kenna was sooo empathetic.....see her mouth across the table?  She is huffing and puffing to try to help her sister :)

So Fedorable

After a long snow day of trying to make an igloo....when your clothes get all wet under your snow pants.....you change into your footy p.j.s and your pink fedoras....apparently.

Celebrating Karly's birthday with some of her friends at the bowling alley

:) It's really all about the shoes.

The birthday girl....8 in two days!  

They called themselves the "horrible buddies" because they thought they would stink at bowling....but, with a bumper, they did quite well!

Today was just one of those really great days!  Brad was laughing at me this morning because I was trying to figure out what outfit went with my warmest boots because I had to go on a campus tour today....I know, right?!  OF ALL THE DAYS!  But, I had this terrific family visiting the university from New York...it was such a blessing to spend a large part of the day with them.  They too have a house full of girls....well, their's are starting to leave the house, but we could definitely relate and the dad is a pastor.  He actually made me tear up during our meeting together because we asked if they had any more questions and he said he just had one comment.  He said, "I just want SAU to know how blessed they will be if my daughter decides to come here..." then he proceeded to share a few reasons why he is so proud of her....the mom was like, "why are you doing this?" :)  But, it was probably one of the most awesome moments of awkwardness I have been a part of!

After a bunch of tough days it was great to have one like this....an inspirational one....it makes answering the question, "why are you doing this?"  so much clearer!

I wonder where the road leads...do you know?  :)

I Don't Have The Answers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l307FKy58c8

Choosing Glasses

We found out from a vision test at school that Karly was having a little vision trouble.  After a vision exam today, it looks like (ha, looks like...I didn't mean to do that)  she is significantly farsighted and the prescription is different for each eye.

She was pretty excited to pick out her frames....she opted for the frames in the close up picture...pretty cute with her BIG BROWN EYES!

Yes, I did my grocery shopping tonight...hope I didn't forget anything :P 

Lots of things happen in a given day that I have no control over....like today I was issued a new computer.  All my email accounts went haywire and took half the day to sync back to my new device...then none of my network drives were available...haha!  Something about the drives being resistant to wireless devices....weird.  Well, a few things were good....I put my documents in the cloud and can now access them from home, I now have a laptop, and I have a second screen....which I almost told them I didn't think I really needed and the tech guy said to me (so seriously)..."believe me, two screens will change your life!"  So I kept it....and he was RIGHT!  What I did accomplish after all the chaos ended was so convenient with two screens....email in one....CRM in the other....WOW!  Tomorrow will be amazing :P

This is my "go to" song when my world is out of control :)  I caught myself humming it today.

Today was super busy at work....I am trying to organize all my new responsibilities and think through my most effective use of time each week/day while still managing my old responsibilities until they hire someone else and I train them...WOW, my brain is spinning too fast.

I am so thankful for the changes, but the transition time is making me a little anxious and weary.  My devotional today was so perfect...God used it to remind me to be still and know that He is God.

Sing With Me

I dreamed in virtual realness a horrifying

glimpse of rocks and sands, hills, stones and sod

beginning to cry out.

I screamed loud in terror

Where had the praises died?

I searched and listened; hearing only night

too silent for even crickets....and darkness forever thick.

Oh, for just one praise to break out from all chains; 

to let rocks yield their stolen place

A burst of strength rose from my soul,

empowering and alive

I stood to sing aloud my heart's voice in one line...

HOLY-HOLY-HOLY-HOLY-HOLY-HOLY-HOLY

A sudden presence midst my song; unearthly peace transpired

The ground, though holy, lost it's voice at this refrain rose higher - 

I beg you, sing with me!  Let your praise be heard!

If your soul's trapped in darkness thick and you see hope's loss almost complete

BREATHE IN CHRIST

Breathe in the air you need to sing

Then SING with me.

Kenna subbed for a friend in a Sunday School class with kids ages 6-10 years old this morning as a helper.  The class was learning about Queen Esther and part of the lesson was acting out the account.  The girls in the class were supposed to act like they were presenting themselves before the king....they walked in a circle around the room and the boys were supposed to pick a new queen.  I know, that sounds a little dangerous...like arguments could arise among the girls over not being chosen, right?  So, the teacher had already tried to address that by telling the whole class who should be chosen and assigning them all roles to play.  The girls walked around the room and stopped before the boys...BUT the boys decided to pick McKenna instead of the other little girl.  The teacher stopped the role play and reminded the boys of who they were supposed to pick at that point in the story....and "Okay, let's try that whole thing again!"  So the girls paraded around the room again and stopped for the "king" to choose one of them.  He paused, then said, "Still McKenna."  HAHA! What is it with boys and "older" women? :P  The teacher was a bit perplexed....and Kenna was a little embarrassed, yet weirdly flattered :P  Considering we chose a name for her that means, beautiful and blessed follower of Christ....this makes some sense.

....YET, we should never forget how stunning Esther's faith was :)

Born For This

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZvZWUZFevI

I texted a friend the other day..."Help me....apparently I have to be tech savvy for my new role at SAU, so I need some social media tips."  She saved the day and helped me set up an account I needed to have for work.  I am so thankful for her assistance.

Then, Brad asked me if I wanted to sing this song today for church....we do something like a Martin's version of the song and it is fun for something a little different once in a while.  I was just thinking about friend requests and feeling incredibly thankful for the awesome privilege of being called a friend of Jesus.  

It's Daddy Daughter Dance Night!

Kassi, Danielle and Karly are excited to be going to the dance with daddy!  This is Kassi's last year because next year she will be in Middle School....CRAZY!  She asked Brad for the last dance of the night :)

Ready to leave with their date :P

I mentioned that Vannah was getting ready for a speech for a class assignment and that she made cupcakes.  All I knew last night was that part of the story and I enjoyed my sample....Today, however, when I got home from work I heard a little more of the story and it made me laugh and cry at the same time.  Brad had read Vannah's speech because she had typed it up on his computer.

I found out McKenna was also summoned for Savannah's Show and Tell speech because Vannah had prepared a part of her speech to talk about how thankful she is to have McKenna in her life....that they are sisters and best friends....(yes, that is possible).  I laughed really hard that Kenna's teacher actually excused her from class to be part of a Show and Tell speech, but I'm still tearing up over how grateful I am for this topic...I love when blessings like this pop up so unexpectedly! 

So.....yummmmmm....yeah.

Savannah has Show and Tell tomorrow....that sounds funny right?....I remember doing that in elementary school, but she is actually doing it for her Oral Communications class in high school.  So, she decided she would bake cupcakes to take and do her speech on that subject.  Brilliant, right?!  I think she knows how to make friends and influence people...cupcakes can be persuasive :P  Then she proceeded to make my favorite kind....chocolate with peanut butter frosting and Reeses Peanut Butter Cup crumbles.  She was icing them and putting them in the container and I was drooling while I was practicing my nonchalant "someone should probably test those" comment.

I walked to the kitchen to act like I was doing something important and she said "hey, do you want one?....I have a couple extra...."

A lot of teenagers end speeches with...."so.....ummmm....yeah"

Her ending will be...."so.... YUUUUMMMMM....yeah"

And Life Is Worth The Living

I'll Renew My License Over Lunch

...hahaha!  

Yep, three hours of my life, actually :P

Judging from my new license picture, I should have spent those three hours in the beauty salon next door.

Device: A Plan With A Specific Goal

That is an alternate definition of the word, device, right?!

Look On Up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLfcJlJuDdg

Brad, Vannah and Kenna had a great time with the youth group for their winter retreat!  They went tobogganing, tubing, skiing and snowboarding over the long weekend...

Vannah and Kenna with Photobomber, Jeff

Kenna with friends....ha!  I love when Brad tries to get selfies and looks just as goofy as I normally do when I try to get pics of our family.

He finally caught up with Vannah.....she was trying to break in her new snowboard :)

With _____ in the _______ you can ________ in the ________!

Did you ever sing that little song?  Did you sing it....leaving out words,but inserting actions/sounds?

With Jesus in the boat you can SMILE in the storm!

This was the story we read last night in Luke.....then we read it in Matthew and Mark to see how the different accounts compared and we realized something about the different gospels.  There are different levels of belief or faith in Jesus.  The disciples said things to Jesus during the storm like "don't you care that we are going to drown?"  and "Save us!"  So, one could assume from these statements that they had some faith....they asked to be saved and seemed distraught that He would sleep through the storm when they wanted Him to be doing something about it, right?!  However, once He calms the storm, they act amazed by His authority over the sea and winds.  But, Jesus really convicts them of even their fear of the storm.  It is one thing to think He can do something about our circumstances....but, it is something more to put all our trust in Him and find complete peace and even JOY in the middle of the waves!

After we read that story I couldn't get the little Sunday School song out of my head last night.  I thought I was keeping it to myself, but when we were getting ready for bed, Brad asked "Did you hear a weird noise?".....well, of course....I denied that because I thought the song was in my head and had not sneaked out of my mouth at all.  So, he went upstairs to check on the girls.  When he came back down I asked him what the sound was like and he said it sounded like a strong wind or someone gasping.....oooops, that may have been me singing "With Jesus In The Boat" :P  

Our pastor is starting a series through Genesis.  The verse I posted this morning is from Genesis 32:10....in the New Living Translation it says:

I am not worthy of all the unfailing love and faithfulness you have shown to me, your servant.  When I left home and crossed the Jordan River, I owned nothing except a walking stick.  Now my household fills two large camps!

Sometimes I wish I didn't have to wait until later to meet my possible son-in-laws and grandchildren.....that's kind-of a patience issue I have, but also just thinking about how God will bless our family with people....I know it will all be so delightful and that's exciting!

Brad and I really want to finish some more living space in our home to give our daughters a little more of their own room.  We thought we could do that with an unfinished bonus room above our garage, but it doesn't look like the support beams and trusses were installed and planned for weight-bearing space in that area other than just extra attic-type storage. So, in order to make that into living space we would have to plan for support beams in the garage and probably take some of the roof off to replace trusses with the right ones.  We thought it would be simple, but it looks pricey and complicated.  We think it may cost less to just add on to our home in the other direction than to try and tear out and replace something that is existing.  Those situations can be frustrating, but in the overall picture this is an AWESOME problem......our camp has increased....and it will, in the future, increase exponentially, I believe.

All my girls want children and a couple of them want MANY children.  They also all talk about adopting....which is such a blessing to me!  A side note on that:  I think if you want your kids to do amazing things for GOD you should do those things yourself.....seriously, maybe that sounds like I am over-simplifying, but a lot of people are fearful of stepping out to do something for God and sometimes they will even say they can't because they have families to take care of, but they hope their kids will do these things.  When we adopted, I learned we eliminated the fear of adoption for our girls...freeing them in this area to see themselves, even desiring to walk through the doors of adoption for themselves....and, I imagine, the more we do for Christ and overcome our own fears and excuses, the more our kids will find freedom to love God and experience Him in amazing ways.

I am thankful He is God of every generation.

Always Remember How You Crossed Over

Where U and I are always together :P

.....but so are JK....right?! hmmmmm....

My sweetheart is out of town today taking our church youth group on a winter retreat, so I will be missing him this Valentine's Day.  Two of my daughters are with him on the trip and the other three are home with me.  We were talking in the van on the way home from church about silly stuff because Karly thinks every time she eats a pack of Smarties that it makes her speak with a British accent.  Someone gave her some Smarties for Valentine's Day....so I asked them what the conversation hearts made them talk like and they said "all lovey dovey"....like "you are soooo pretty"....sigh...."you are sooooo handsome!".....so, I decided to eat some conversation hearts and send Brad a sappy love poem.  I did not make this one up....I remember reading this one like a million years ago on a greeting card and it was so goofy (and wonderful), I still remember it to this day.  Not sure why my brain retains the things it does and not other important things, but here goes......(I guess if you pop a couple Smarties in with the conversation hearts you could say this with a British accent :)

Miss you in the morning, miss you at night

You seem as far away as a satellite.

Miss you so much, it makes me hurt

You should see these tears my eyeballs squirt.

Miss you like crazy, miss you completely

Miss you from my headly down to my feetly

Miss you so bad and it's a big fat bore...

Just missin' and missin'

'Til my misser gets sore!

Of All The Loves

This is the only one that gives us reason to love and be loved at all.  All "love" or feelings of attraction outside of this are selfish in nature.  You are loved and pursued by a God who is determined to win you.  He will never forsake or betray you....His love is faithful and true and He is always giving us what is best for us so we can trust Him.

Having the opportunity to love another person....whether that is a significant other, or our friends and families, gives us a beautiful opportunity to imitate this kind of love.  

Happy Valentine's Day.

We had an early morning this morning.  Karly had a gymnastics meet in Battle Creek at the Kellogg Arena and had to check in at 7:30am.  Kassi decided last night she wanted to travel early with us, so Kenna, Kassi, Karly and I all left at about 6:30am and the rest of the family came about an hour later. I asked Kassi to say a prayer for safe travels as we were getting on the interstate and she proceeded to pray this beautiful prayer about how much she is thankful for Karly and that God gave Karly the ability to excel in gymnastics.....I did not ask her to do that....so that was so touching to me that she would be that thoughtful of her sister :)

I am not saying my kids are always this supportive or thoughtful, but there are these wonderful moments along the way :)

I Love You With....

all my ART!

I got to go with about 30 ladies up to Lansing tonight to have a painting party.  My mom was also up from Indy this weekend, so it was fun to have her come along with us all!

Some of our group....if you haven't ever done this, you should....it is a lot of fun!  The place is called Painting With A Twist.

The first step.....covering my painting with black paint....quickly so it wouldn't dry all the way before the next color was applied.

After adding some white streaks....mine didn't really look like the instructors, so I was wondering if I was doing it correctly....OH WELL!

Not TOO shabby when all was completed....that was something I have never tried before :)

So I had to add this picture because you can see my masterpiece against the instructors finished piece on the easel at the front....AND, if you will notice the apron on my friend, Christy...haha!  It is Daisy Duke....too funny!  I was Wilma Flintstone :)