Waiting for Leap Day

I love Leap Day! When my kids were little we started this leap day tradition and it has been so fun. On Leap Day we take a photo of them and put together a little list of all their favorite things at the time - colors, foods, things to do, animals, etc. Then we put it in a sealed envelope to open four years later. This will be our third time opening it. We save all the photos and papers from every leap year and just keep adding it into a new envelope. I keep the envelope on top of my fridge so I can always remember where it is. So......tomorrow is the day! We get to open and see how much they have changed.
On another note, we had a friend whose birthday was Leap Day. That would stink! You would only have a birthday every four years. But then he was only "four" when he really was sixteen - I guess that wouldn't be too bad!

Needing a little Perspective!

Curtis is doing a consulting job at the coast and since neither child had school today we headed out to take photos and check on the progress of the job. We took a couple hours while there to play on the beach since it was such amazing weather for February. We definately require beach time to get a little good perspective in this family!
Tucker had never seen the ocean before. He wasn't sure why the kids would want to put their feet in that cold moving water. But he soon warmed up and enjoyed running around playing in the sand. He was in need of a bath by the end of the hour!

My daughter is always ready with a dramatic move for the camera.
It is hard to believe they were in shorts during February. Even though it was sunny, it was not very warm. Curtis and I were cold just looking at them.
We love this red-head beauty!
Our son has loved the beach since the day he was born. He has missed the Coast
so much and loved having a little time there today. He is a lot of fun to watch at the beach - always muddy and building something! (I wonder where he gets that?!?!)
Since Dad's phone was ringing the whole time we were there..reality is never far away, but it was good to enjoy the fresh air and time to run free.
We pray today for our many friends who are struggling with huge health issues and concerns - we love you, Friends! It was good to take a little time to get God's perspective again on what is important in life. Thank you Lord for the beauty of where we live, for life, for family and for You!

M.I.L.'s Birthday

Today is my Mother-In-Law's Birthday. Of course, I won't say how old she is turning! My husband's mom, Melody, is married to Dan and they have five children. Three of the five children are adopted from India - as you may have been wondering about the culturally-diverse picture. Dan and Melody have 7 grandkids- (mine are the white ones).

Melody grew up in California before coming to the Lake Oswego area with her parents and two brothers. She and Dan raised their 5 kids for the most part in Canby, which is where Curtis graduated from high school in 1986. If all my stuff was not in storage, I would post my hubby's senior picture at this point. It is quite the photo!! Maybe by his birthday in April I will dig it out to share with all of you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MELODY!!!

It was great

Our son enjoyed his weekend in the snow with the middle school ministry. He liked his small group and small group leader, Joe, a lot. He got to be on the winning team - Go Green! - for the competitions. I was told that the sledding was awesome. The speaker was really good and the worship was extremely loud, which to him means it was really good.
As for this first year youth mom, I had a great sense of peace the whole weekend. It was so fun to pick him up on Sunday and know that he loved it. Hopefully, I will have that same peace when he goes off to summer camp again this summer - ugh!

Remembering Noah

It is the anniversary of the day we delivered our son, Noah. It was February 10, 1997. He would have been turning 11 years old this year and would have been our middle child. It doesn't seem that long ago but each year is another milestone to recognize God's faithfulness to our family.

We choose to honor him and we look forward to seeing him again when we arrive in heaven.

My revelations today

I started my day off with a fun field trip to the state capital with my daughter's 4th grade class from school. It was a wet day with a long bus ride but the kids all had a great time and I really enjoyed visiting with moms on the trip. Here is my daughter and her friends.

I rushed home tonight to get my firstborn off to his first snow weekend with Middle school ministry. To be honest, I have been a little nervous about this trip. I mean off with young yahoo leaders on a bus for a weekend in the snow to sled/ski at the mountain. Plus, throw in some crazy competitions in the dark! What could you add to cause worry for a first-year youth mom. I have done a lot of youth ministry in the past so I should have nothing to worry about and should be able to trust all these young & capable leaders. But maybe it is because I have done so much ministry that I know what to worry about!

But on the way to the church to drop him off, we did our ususal prayer in the car. I prayed for an awesome time with God & friends. I prayed for protection and safety. I thanked the Lord for the opportunity to go and for the amazing love I see growing in my amazing son. But as I prayed the Lord just hit me with the greatest gift. What a history and heritage it is for my son to go to this camp. His own two parents both went to that same camp as students some 25 years earlier. We went to that camp as students, then leaders, then cooks. He has even helped cook at the camp. My son may lay his head down on a bunk tonight that is the very same bunk his own dad laid on some 25 years ago. Think of all the amazing lives that have been changed in those very same cabins! What a gift that is from the Lord! I don't need to worry about the details when God is giving him such a rich blessing.

The boys have a great small group with great friends and a good leader. Last night when we asked him what he wanted prayer about for this weekend, he said simply.."I want to grow". Not I want to have fun? Thank you God - I think he gets what it is about. I will let you know how the weekend goes for him and for this first-year youth mom.

Things I am thankful for Today

I am very thankful for:

my salvation, my love for Jesus, His love of me,

my husband - his hugs and foot rubs,

my son - his smile and laugh,

my daughter - her joy and love,

my great friends - their calls and time with me,

my parents - their support and encouragement,

my pictures,

my puppy kisses,

my bed - cozy flannel sheets and awesome blanket,

my car that runs today,

my wool socks and great shoes,

my warm shower,

my wallet my hubby gave me last year for my birthday,

my MOM's small group girls,

my kitchen and the food in it,

my computer,

my wedding ring,

my red hoodie sweatshirt,

my scripture prayer cards,

my trader joes bag,

my gift cards I received for Christmas,

my family's health,

and

my ability to take a deep breath.