Kids’ Conversation on the Way Home from Church

Posted on Jan 25, 2012 in All Posts, Family & Friends | 1 comment

After church on Sunday a friend of mine gave each of my boys and two of my nieces a dollar bill.   On our way home, my 5 y.o. niece proposed a bright idea to her cousins and younger sister, “I have bubble gum Friday at my school.  It costs $1 for 5 pieces of gum.  If we all put our money together then we’ll have $5 and can get 25 pieces of gum.  We can each have 5 pieces!  Your family gets 15 pieces and my family gets 10 pieces.”

Cousins Board the Polar Express

Posted on Dec 12, 2011 in All Posts, Family & Friends | 2 comments

A chill is in the air and Christmas traditions are beckoning. During this time of year, centering the season on the birth of Christ is by far our first priority but we also have some fun traditions with the kids.  One of my personal favorites is baking cookies with my kids.  I vividly remember helping bake with my grandmothers and (especially) my mom.  I can still see myself scooping flour and sugar and pouring them into the bowl.  I watched oh so intently as my mom cracked the eggs and wished I was old enough to do it myself but completely content in pouring them into the batter.  Then the best part came  - rolling out the cookie dough and then shaping or cutting them out.  We’d go play while they baked in the oven until you could smell the sweet aroma of fresh cookies wafting throughout the house.  You didn’t need to tell us they were ready.  We’d impatiently wait for them to cool just enough so we wouldn’t burn our mouths. Somehow I don’t think those cookies would have tasted quite as good as they did if my mom (and grandmothers) hadn’t allowed us to do the simple task of pouring in ingredients and getting a few stirs with the wooden spoon before my arm was too tired.

A Weekend of Thanksgiving & Learning

Posted on Nov 29, 2011 in All Posts, Family & Friends, Road Scholars | 6 comments

We enjoyed a wonderful long weekend with my in-laws down south.  I hadn’t realized just how long it had been since the last time we saw them until about a week before our trip.  It made our time together especially precious and dear to me.  The weekend was full of time together and some unexpected surprises.

Humbled Through Starbucks

Posted on Nov 22, 2011 in All Posts, Family & Friends, Foster Care & Adoption | 4 comments

“Venti iced chai with soy please.”  I press the straw to my lips and take a longing sip before heading back out onto the highway.

Alas, another road trip.  In as much as I wasn’t looking forward to spending hours upon hours in the van driving, I was equally antsy with excitement for the trip because I was going to meet up with Les.

Helicopter Pilot

Posted on Nov 8, 2011 in All Posts, Family & Friends | 2 comments

Les recently got his helicopter’s license and acquired this video from his solo flight.  He comes from a line of pilots, through his father and grandfather, and I know adding a helicopter license (he got his private pilot license for flying airplanes when he was 16) was personally dear to him.  I’m genuinely filled with joy he was given the opportunity to do this.  A blessing.

Entering the Realm of Unknown

Posted on Nov 7, 2011 in All Posts, Family & Friends | 2 comments

We took our house off the market today.  We’ve had 15+ people come through the house and every single person has told us it’s way overpriced despite the fact that it’s currently listed for below what we paid for it four years ago.  It would be one thing if some of them said it’s overpriced but when you have every single showing say it’s way overpriced then the house is obviously not holding it’s appraised value in our area’s current economic condition.

Back Row

Posted on Nov 2, 2011 in All Posts, Family & Friends | 4 comments

It has begun.  She has waited a little over two months for yesterday.  The anticipation has been building as Niki waited to find out which row she would be assigned.  You see…in her apparel design class the students are all longing – and hoping – to be assigned to the back row. I quickly learned the back row in this class is the equivalent of the first chair in orchestra.

I eagerly awaited the news from Niki on her arrival home from class yesterday. “So?!  Where were you assigned?”