missing in action

Missing in action is truly what we are! I have just really been slacking when it comes to keeping this up! I apologize!  I will try better. 

Happy Birthday, Nadine!

On March 11th, Nadine turned 7 years old! I have pictures but my printer broke and that is how I uploaded pictures from my camera.  She did however lose her front tooth the other day. A friend at school pulled it out for her! That's what friends are for! 

We went to Science Central as a birthday trip in Indiana on Saturday! It really made us appreciate Imagination Station here in Toledo.  Nadine got to do the Moon Walk! She liked it! 

I haven't been on here much lately. I have just not had time at all really! There are so many pictures that I would love to share.  Jourdyn had a band concert the other day, but again I can't upload things from my camera. Rowan has started Taekwon-Do. We are going to try it out and see how he does.  Jourdyn got a new pet...a sugar glider! Nadine will soon be starting Irish Dancing! Rob's been working and I've been working a lot too. 

I apologize for not being here more. 

Happy Birthday Rowan!

Rowan turned 5 years old on Monday!!!!! We bought him his first scooter and of course knee pads, as well as elbow and wrist pads! He also got knex roller coaster kit. I can't believe he is already 5.

Jourdyn's Holocaust Project

Jourdyn had to read the book Night by Elie Wiesel and create a multi-media presentation about what she learned from the book and her impression of the Holocaust.  This is what she came up with. 

Louisville

Well, I am in Louisville, KY for a conference.  Traci and Renee and I have are down here for the M11 Conference.  Here's a picture:

Keeping Busy...

My class is kicking my rear-end! I've been non-stop now since it started! We have had so much snow and it's all my fault.  Just a few weeks ago, when it snowed and only about 5 inches came down, I commented on how I remember as a kid have feet of snow and it just being great! ANd also how that hasn't happened in forever! And guess what, we had a blizzard and we have like 2 feet of snow. Of course, with the blowing there are huge drifts and with the plowing there is mountains of snow everywhere you turn!

A New Look

In December, our family inherited this awesome baby grand piano from Rob's cousin Lillian, who passed away several years ago.  Lillian LOVED music.  She played the violin and piano.  She bought this piano in 1963 and as far as we can tell it sat virtually untouched in her dining room. We weren't really sure where we were going to put it but it worked out beautifully.  We removed a wall to open up a room for it.  Jourdyn is in love. Since the piano has come home there hasn't been one day that she hasn't been playing!

Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
   it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp;
   make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully, and shout for joy. 

Psalm 33:1-3

Flawed, but available

"That God still chooses to use flawed human beings like me 

is both astonishing and encouraging. 

And if He can use me, He CAN use you." 

~ R. Stearns 

I hate making lists of my strengths and weaknesses because if I was really honest with myself, I'd have to admit that my weaknesses far outweigh my strengths and I am just a flawed, imperfect person.  But aren't we all? Don't we all feel that way? And if we do, why do we beat ourselves up for it?

There is one time that I have found that we like to admit our weakness immediately. That time is when it comes to serving or to the possibility of changing our world, or even just the life of one person.  It's in these moments that our weaknesses come right to the front.

Often we think we have to have it all together to be able to do, well, really anything, but especially change our world.  You know, only perfect people, people who are the strongest, the prettiest, the coolest, actually get to make a difference in our community.  That is SO wrong! God is willing to use each and everyone of us.  And the reality is, that a person with a willing heart is more available than any of the flawless with closed hearts.  God is just asking for us to be willing! To be willing to be open to the will of God in our lives. To be willing to follow him wherever he goes.

We are flawed, but we must be available! God's only concern with our weaknesses is that we turn them over to him.  That we give him lordship of our flaws, as well as the good things! And when it comes to changing the world our weaknesses, our flaws don't really matter. What matters is that we have a heart that is willing to love and serve!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 

That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, 

in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. 

For when I am weak, then I am strong."  

~ 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Studying John...

My new class is starting this next week. I'm excited about it, yet terrified and just overwhelmed by it as well. I have had the prof before and he is VERY hard.  We are expected to put in a minimum of 24 hrs per week.  Which isn't so bad, I do this anyways, but it's just a lot of hard work and reading.  We will be diving into the books of John, 1,2 and 3 John.  And by diving I mean completely dissecting and digesting it. 

During this time period, there are a lot of things that are going on that will also make this class tough for me.  So just keep me in your prayers!

The good news is that it should make for great posts on here! :) 

Rowan built this today..complete with rubber band to make the propeller work with a slight twist! He is a very smart boy.

Happy New Year

Well, I'm going to start this new year off with an apology! I haven't been a very good blogger! I just haven't had time! But I'm hoping that that changes.  I'm hoping this year to put much more of my journaling and writing on here.  We'll see what happens. 

New Year's Eve the kids and I went with Julie to Cedar Creek to see Sanctus Real Live! They were awesome as usual! Definitely one of my favorite bands and they are hometown boys so that's always a bonus! We sat with my friend, Andrea and her friends, and of course, we ran into plenty of people we knew!

After the show, we came home and watched the ball drop in NY.  Dick Clark is just way too old to be doing that stuff! And it really wasn't necessary to see him and his wife kiss...it was like watching to silicone cups get suctioned together! And I don't even want to talk about Kesha...and I thought Lady Gaga was a little freaky!

So the New Year has begun...we are anxious to see what God does over the coming year not only in our lives, but in the our world. I believe that He can change the world, but His plan is to change it through us! So my prayer is that we would awaken to that fact! And realize that we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus in a broken world! We have hope everlasting, but we also have hope for today! Today can be a better day because of Jesus and we have a role...shining our light and making a difference!