Christmas Pictures

Pictures...

This balloon has lasted longer than any other balloon I have ever seen:

Kisses for Mommy

Kisses for Daddy

Merry Christmas!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Better Days

And you ask me what I want this year
And I try to make this kind and clear
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
Cuz I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
And desire and love and empty things
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

And it's someplace simple where we could live
And something only you can give
And thats faith and trust and peace while we're alive
And the one poor child that saved this world
And there's 10 million more who probably could
If we all just stopped and said a prayer for them

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

I wish everyone was loved tonight
And somehow stop this endless fight
Just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words
And sing out loud
Cuz everyone is forgiven now
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again
Cuz tonight's the night the world begins again

(goo-goo dolls)

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish every one a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all enjoy tons of turkey and mashes potatoes and stuffing and the whole nine yards!

Fun With Silly Glasses...

New Pictures of Liam

Liam decided a manilla envelope would make a good hat.


He was all smiles at lunch time.


Cornhusker Liam!

Queen For A Day

This last monday, I had the amazing oppertunity to participate in a program called Queen For A Day.
Between 100 and 200 women were brought to a beautiful hotel from all across the region from homeless shelters, shelters for abused women and the like for a day of pampering.
They were escorted into the hotel by men in suits (several of which where navy men IN UNIFORM....so sexy...) amidst all of us volunteers clapping and cheering them on, and treated to a catered lunch and then after lunch went to different "stations" to receive their makeovers. There was stations for hair cuts, make-up, pedicures and foot baths/massages, manicures, new clothes and more. After three 1/2 hours of pampering, the ladies were brought back to the banquet room by their "Servant" (this is what I did, I personall took a lady around to the stations she wanted to go to....some Servants had more than one lady) and had desert, a concert and a touching "Rose Ceremony" in which each lady was escorted to the stage and presented with a rose. I didn't actually get to stay for the desert/concert/Rose ceremony because I had to go home, but all in all, it was an amazing (albeit exhausting) day and I really hope to be able to continue helping out with this.
What an amazing and fun way to show God's love to women, most of whom have been hurting, discarded, and abused for most of their life.

If any of you would like more information about Queen For A Day and how you could help out for the next one, send me a comment or a message and I will get the information to you!

Liam Enjoying Our New Apartment...

Newborn Liam

Liam's First Picture...February 25th 2005....many wonderful days have gone by since this one.

My Silly Little Boy...

Tomorrow...

Wow, tomorrow's Move Day already. I can't believe three weeks have flown by so fast. Today I have to spend many hours packing things that couldn't be packed before. I have to find more boxes somewhere.

It's been really stressing me out...this whole moving thing. This month has been hard. Not just the move...but Kurt too. I've been really depressed, much more so than ever before. I hate it. It makes me crazy. It makes me exhausted. Yuck.

Death, Where Is Your Power, O Death, Where Is Your Sting?

Our dear friend Kurt passed away this evening. After battling with cancer for months, he has finally been set free and is with Jesus....with a transformed and perfect body. Cancer cannot touch him anymore.

After being told, my husband asked for his Bible. Jesus had given him a verse and oh, what a verse it was!

"He will swallow up death forever, And the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; The rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; For the Lord had spoken.
And it will be said in that day:
'Behold, this IS our God; We have waited for Him, and He will save us. This IS the Lord' We have waited for Him; We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."
Isaiah 25:8 and 9

Birthday Count Down...

Two Week Reflection...

So, we're moving in just two weeks. In two weeks I have to have the house completely packed up and move.
Part of me is so hugely excited, part is anxious, part nervous, and then there's the part that doesn't want to leave. I look out of my window into the trees and think, "I can't do this, I can't leave."
I love the view out my windows. I love the trees. I love watching "Crazy Squirrel" jump off the corner of the roof onto a tiny branch on his way to his nest. I love the sound of birds in the branches and the surprises I've gotten, like the falcon right on the limb outside my sliding door, or the owl who almost ate Crazy Squirrel for dinner.
Well, now it is time to say good-bye and head out on a new adventure. I haven't seen my new apartment yet, so I don't know what kind of view my windows will afford me. I hope it's a nice one. One that will allow me to ponder on God's goodness as I look out.
I've watched the seasons change here and enjoyed each one. The soft, barely there green of spring, the intense, full green of summer, the rainbow colors of autumn and the baren, waiting stillness of winter.
God has been so good to us here, and I can only pray, hope and believe that He will be the same in the next place. "I am the same, yesterday, today and forever." He says. I know I can believe Him.

Random Poster For Your Viewing Pleasure

MORE PRAYER FOR KAIDEN!

My little friend Kaiden is not doing good again. Please keep him in prayer for his full healing.

For latest news, see:
http://www.kaidenmurillo.blogspot.com/

Thanks!

Liam's Dedication

So, Liam was dedicated back in July of 2005, but I am only just now getting pictures back, because I SUCK at getting normal film processed....I even have a roll needing to be delevoped from when we were still in Mexico.
Anyway, here's the photo of the three of us. Enjoy.

photos for Jessie

Yeah, so this is just barely scraping the barrel of pictures I have. The next time you come over, remind me and I will show you the rest.

My Birthday

So, I had what I think is the best birthday so far. I know some of the others were close...Like going to the Space Needle for my 18th, or being married for the 21st birthday.
But, there was something about this one...I don't really know what, but I felt this incredible, child-like expectation leading up to my birthday, and it was just great.
My birthday celebration ended up being nearly a week long, as I finished off the celebrating this weekend with my family.

Spending time with both families, getting sweet presents (you should see the bike!!) from everyone.....it was just great. I have no other word for it.

So, thank you to all of you who helped make this a #1 birthday...
Thanks especially to:
Jonny, Liam, Mom, Dad, Dan, Shelby, Mom-B, Dad-B, Jessie, Joe, Niki, and Collin.
And to the rest of you who wished me a happy birthday, thanks.

I am now a quarter-century. That part's strange, but exciting. I've lived quite awhile now, and I hope to live quite a while longer.

You can post a comment!

So, I changed my settings so now anyone can post a comment. I didn't realize it was different.
So, please, be my guest and leave me a comment!!!

Moving...!!!

Thank you all who prayed for us. Our applications for the apartment were accepted "with flying colors".
We are super excited, as is my sister-inlaw, who will be moving in with us.
Now comes the packing...I've already got a huge stack of boxes that we picked up from the wedding shop under my inlaws' office.
What fun!

(I'm leaving my previous post, so you all can read what I had written before)

So, we are moving at the end of the month. The big question being where.
We think we found a place. It's a nice two bedroom, 1000 square-foot apartment. We're praying about this tonight. If you read this before Friday (the 6th) afternoon, please lift a prayer up for us, as that is when we have to be decided and either pay a deposit or give up our hold on the apartment.
So far, we feel good about taking this apartment.
:-)

Pictures...

My grandparents requested pictures of Liam, but I've never been able to attach pictures into my email (don't worry, I know how, but my computer always fails to actually attach the picture)....so, I'm posting the pictures I wanted them to see. Every one else can feel free to enjoy them too, LOL

Oh, and by the way, its my birthday, so Happy Birthday to me!!!

Prayer...

Prayer is such a powerful thing, and I have a few prayer requests.

One is for a little friend of our, Kaiden Murillo. He's been really sick, and he's doing better, but the more prayers we get sent Godward, the quicker Kaiden will get fully better.
Here's a link to his blogspot if you'd like more information:
http://www.kaidenmurillo.blogspot.com/

And Two, we are possibly going to have to move at the end of the month, as our lease is up and our landlord is raising our rent about a hundred dollars and we don't feel like that the new price is worth what we are getting.
So, prayers for guidance and provision for us as we figure out what we're going to do.

THANKS!!!

10-4-06 UPDATE: We ARE moving, but we haven't figured out WHERE yet. Please pray that God would lead us to the right place. And quickly. thanks.

The Past 10 Years

10 years ago, I was turning 15, and still focusing more on how much time I could spend with friends and "that cute guy" than anything else.
9 years ago, I was turning 16, and wondering what life held for me.
8 years ago I was turning 17 and getting ready to return to Mexico for my second YWAM/IMPACT missions trip.
7 years ago, I was turning 18, working at Albertsons and in my Senior year of high-school.
6 years ago, I was turning 19 and I was prayer-walking around Northern Ireland.
5 years ago, I was turning 20, working in Ensenada and about to be engaged.
4 years ago, I was turning 21, married and working hard in Ensenada.
3 years ago, I was turning 22 and we had come back to Washington.
2 years ago, I was turning 23 and I was pregnant.
1 year ago, I was turning 24 and I was a new mother, enjoying my baby boy.
Today, I am closing on my 25th birthday, watching my toddler make a mess, and figuring out what really makes me tick and how to love my husband more and more each day.

It's amazing what 10 years can do to change a person. It's an incredible thing to look back and see, even just a sentence of what life was in years past. God has been wonderously good to me.



(Me, as a baby and now.)

My Story

So, I'm taking a class at my church called Everyday Evangelism, and one of the assignments was to write "my story", basically my testimony of what Jesus has done in my life. This is actually a big thing in my church right now, which I think is really cool.Anyway, I wanted to share mine with you all and I would like to ask that if you take the time to read this, would you please leave a comment and tell me what you think of my story? Thanks!!!

My Story is not about how I met Jesus, but instead, it's a story of why I've stayed with Him.
Since I met Jesus very young, and asked Him to be Lord of my life around age five, I grew up knowing Jesus and knowing what was expected of me as a "good Christian girl". I have an innate desire to do the right thing and while growing up, I thought I did everything right. Sure, I committed some "small" sins, but while a child and a teenager, I didn't understand how small sins affect my relationship with Jesus the same way a big one would.
The Lord gave me a huge heart for missions early on, starting with a month-long trip to Venezuela when I was thirteen and (so far) culminating with working with Youth With A Mission overseas and in Mexico.
It was while with Youth With A Mission that the Lord started showing me areas in my life that were not given over to Him.
For one, I was obsessed with romance. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to be a wife and mother. The Lord was starting to show me that while these desires were not bad, I needed Him to be my main source of love. I am still learning this, even today. While I am now a wife and mother, the Lord is constantly reminding me that He needs to be number one.
I also had, and continue to struggle with judgment. I would often focus on another's actions instead of my own, resulting in many instances of anger and bitterness that should not have occurred.
And, lastly, the Lord showed me that I am a people-pleaser. I go out of my way to make people happy, even putting on a mask of who I really am, or accepting someone's actions even if they were wrong, simply to avoid confrontation.
As the Lord revealed myself to me, and as He continues to reveal myself, He also holds out grace. It is hard to have to hear "you're doing this wrong", but He has always been gentle about His disciplines and has never forsaken me as He leads me through this life of learning.
I still struggle with many things, but I lay hold of the truth that His strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9) and I hold tight to Him, the author and perfecter of my faith (Hebrews 12:2)

a spring day...

These are pictures from this last spring. We were visiting my parents and the yard was lush, green and filled with dandelions. It was a beautiful day and we were all out in the yard and Liam was loving it!! He crawled around the yard, picked dandelions, chewed on a stick like the dog (its true!!!) and had an all-around wonderful day!

First "Blogger" Post

So, I am officially a blogging nerd. This is my 3rd blogging site, although I have reasons to be on all of them and I will probably spend the majority of my online journaling time here, as I am really liking the functions, options and et cetera of this blog-site, as opposed to the other ones that I have.

For one, ANYONE can post a comment on my posts, with or without being a "blogger" themselves. Not true for any of my other blog-sites.

Anyway, all that to say, I'll be blogging here now.