tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23385043423241553692024-03-13T08:53:21.626-04:00The King Zoo and Funny FarmCindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.comBlogger1297125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-31464588051468862362022-12-31T07:00:00.028-05:002022-12-31T07:00:00.188-05:00Victor-isms: The finale (for this year)<p> On this last day of 2022, enjoy a few Victor-isms chosen just for you...</p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our nighttime ritual of read-aloud has always been a favorite part of the day for me, through every combination of children and ages and all sorts of wonderful books. Tonight, Victor had a request that was a first in all of those 27 years. When I had finished reading for the evening, he asked for one more chapter. I told him that I was really and truly finished. He said, “Well, how about just one page then? Like a trailer?”</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">***************</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A new insult/accusation from my favorite 9 year from hard places had me doing my best not to noticeably laugh. Just imagine hearing the following when you don’t give the elementary-aged child exactly what he wants, “Cyn-thi-a, you are curdling my tofu!” It was, in the mixed-up land of trauma, a most amusing insult so I was sure to tell him it was a horrific thing to say and I never want to hear that again, a sure-fire way, of course, to receive the same accusation again soon. Stay tuned.</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">P.S. He did later confess that he plagiarized this insult from a story he had listened to. But still...he didn't have to repeat it!</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">***************</span></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victor: this snowman will need new batteries soon. </div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dad: Why is that Victor?</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victor: Because he sings an F# F# F# instead of G# G# G#…</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">***************</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">When visiting with Isaac and Rachel...</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Isaac: Okay, Victor, we would like to be alone for a little bit.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victor: Don't take it too far.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After Isaac and Rachel got over their shock that they were getting purity advice from a 9 year old, a little questioning revealed that Victor's comment was actually in reference to not antagonizing him by *secretly* (but loudly) talking about the Christmas gifts that he really wanted but which they didn't really get for him.</div><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-54989161858183240352022-12-22T13:21:00.000-05:002022-12-22T13:21:13.665-05:00Back in time<p>It's not every day that your daughter sends you pictures of herself that look more like your ancestors than your descendants. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRahSebqvxSL86dxItBs3_aU7smLK1AYDPjBti-Fw5eu43xn6KJb2PUfA_pcSF6dN_tPh-TOgrlpTKVJjvy_c9nNRUT4iMvsLKzSRzyu9yDOoMNySyWZ5Nyjp3KlXlgFignblDrARlyCecZcMruDAOFGMGNTYZKdkimHobWLZ_k929bBqLESlVSoohQ/s1000/320260254_5687686307946172_4747860698971554820_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmRahSebqvxSL86dxItBs3_aU7smLK1AYDPjBti-Fw5eu43xn6KJb2PUfA_pcSF6dN_tPh-TOgrlpTKVJjvy_c9nNRUT4iMvsLKzSRzyu9yDOoMNySyWZ5Nyjp3KlXlgFignblDrARlyCecZcMruDAOFGMGNTYZKdkimHobWLZ_k929bBqLESlVSoohQ/s320/320260254_5687686307946172_4747860698971554820_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiPLMxfLlllupKBkIzvsmosYapNmT34EdZtz9jGn_ISL4nWzBohlCxTEzXR2fdi9lLOasl7jcQwZgQ-q0xad9keqGNI48dJkv70hbN4iUrTaxg9KUnTDtob0c7g0fGnsSH2rHwmYOrx1tZxG094ZdQeK0wX4B47ej3aZ6Cu9sojQSU-SE5pCcTfmtaA/s1000/320446042_785769673284486_3863611569293644931_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjiPLMxfLlllupKBkIzvsmosYapNmT34EdZtz9jGn_ISL4nWzBohlCxTEzXR2fdi9lLOasl7jcQwZgQ-q0xad9keqGNI48dJkv70hbN4iUrTaxg9KUnTDtob0c7g0fGnsSH2rHwmYOrx1tZxG094ZdQeK0wX4B47ej3aZ6Cu9sojQSU-SE5pCcTfmtaA/s320/320446042_785769673284486_3863611569293644931_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj90N0iQDe_egtEMR9bUox6YU4xQvNZHQWN80SL6M-tZXtjpSSHX1xhwfWYR_OyFpiSwIQcAHBQaXWBKUUEPmbqe3DQ16S02u2ZrpOBxwiQu3T1-Xw8NAXqSgJwYlSRsKVO3VkBJmJKblnTpu4tcW7FZTn3RNoasUVPlkQKPlS8G-uqESlnzO-tzSwcw/s1000/320738383_859462541843850_6531913279002482447_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj90N0iQDe_egtEMR9bUox6YU4xQvNZHQWN80SL6M-tZXtjpSSHX1xhwfWYR_OyFpiSwIQcAHBQaXWBKUUEPmbqe3DQ16S02u2ZrpOBxwiQu3T1-Xw8NAXqSgJwYlSRsKVO3VkBJmJKblnTpu4tcW7FZTn3RNoasUVPlkQKPlS8G-uqESlnzO-tzSwcw/s320/320738383_859462541843850_6531913279002482447_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>I told her she's wearing too much jewelry, but other than that, her Heritage/Immigrant Day at school look turned out pretty well. She's sporting her great grandmother's covering, her great great grandmother's cape dress, and a King ancestor's shawl. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3w_zTgoTPRyBvNPhP8XMMxaGFqqWrz9ETLAC2JC_xxODGBzoAS3rkj7Jrpz83ffmf1r9ChMUIUJxMNphfzaPZnZ9lGJS-naV94t_0LJd7Z5pNwZYA5bSOwjI64qxWbPDCneCZxa4cjgdBnGeLADse-Gu-ZY-CuFbxXAuQq0OKES6T_hdgtfU39cbEg/s1000/320188940_808866513511701_2986133680720367559_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3w_zTgoTPRyBvNPhP8XMMxaGFqqWrz9ETLAC2JC_xxODGBzoAS3rkj7Jrpz83ffmf1r9ChMUIUJxMNphfzaPZnZ9lGJS-naV94t_0LJd7Z5pNwZYA5bSOwjI64qxWbPDCneCZxa4cjgdBnGeLADse-Gu-ZY-CuFbxXAuQq0OKES6T_hdgtfU39cbEg/s320/320188940_808866513511701_2986133680720367559_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Comfy, ja?</p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-82002931116014916432022-12-18T13:04:00.001-05:002022-12-22T13:15:04.586-05:00At least the wicked witch is dead<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJrsTkqOSGlZIocAOd-v31JCwrJLXxdJeSvy5NP0qojxZSUoK8vwkVKb3EpnekUmI3vTUi5fU-BLvHdOlnbJlzCGy37FLlNnnaGdiBMsjc8n4ObcOLRXtufMm2Colu3OWMsgnGtkBBab4kB4q-ltcCTkI4aHUmVmZd9_h8voIYfF0-0YmfRT3uo-G2g/s1000/321187279_677331193879821_1110998928719799972_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJrsTkqOSGlZIocAOd-v31JCwrJLXxdJeSvy5NP0qojxZSUoK8vwkVKb3EpnekUmI3vTUi5fU-BLvHdOlnbJlzCGy37FLlNnnaGdiBMsjc8n4ObcOLRXtufMm2Colu3OWMsgnGtkBBab4kB4q-ltcCTkI4aHUmVmZd9_h8voIYfF0-0YmfRT3uo-G2g/s320/321187279_677331193879821_1110998928719799972_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>In my defense, I was simply trying to move the house a little farther from the table edge so that the dogs wouldn't get it when I let them into the kitchen in the morning. <p></p><p>At first, it just shifted off its foundation. So I added some legs and shoes and sent my apology to HopeAnne...</p><p>Ummm...HopeAnne...I'm really sorry, but it appears that a tornado touched down during the night and removed your house from its foundation. The good news is that it appears as if it took care of that old wicked witch of the west when it touched down. You can expect the Lollipop Guild to come your way soon because they are delirious with happiness.</p><p>P.S. Don't forget to grab the ruby red slippers. You might be able to get home to Kansas.</p><p>She wasn't impressed. Especially when I realized my original move hadn't really moved the house far enough from the edge. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUSQRBceIlFrqVH2HIP6pQSgRSnLaJyWQMGpwnges3nJPreFVcPoYaGxsBJkOC-UlA5WxSMOTZnspJJ6X5Cd-o5hfFKbSDV5gete4V3VAy-h2UVebPWK50hEsBlhGbIg5C1mwA7Sz47zB845XtuLeHXkv062o_SZvCFvUEqFDduGLfHD03Jc-VZmbOg/s1000/319758002_915477086119224_7141354945690643956_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqUSQRBceIlFrqVH2HIP6pQSgRSnLaJyWQMGpwnges3nJPreFVcPoYaGxsBJkOC-UlA5WxSMOTZnspJJ6X5Cd-o5hfFKbSDV5gete4V3VAy-h2UVebPWK50hEsBlhGbIg5C1mwA7Sz47zB845XtuLeHXkv062o_SZvCFvUEqFDduGLfHD03Jc-VZmbOg/s320/319758002_915477086119224_7141354945690643956_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Oops.</p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-70342224587880394402022-10-29T18:42:00.008-04:002022-10-29T18:42:52.111-04:00Megan's turn<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The October birthdays are coming to an end, but only because the month is coming to an end. Oct. 9 (two of them), 14, 29... So today we celebrate Megan, masterful Megan. I'm so glad Jesse wrestled over the re-writing of "Call Me, Maybe" and invited you to "Homecoming, Maybe" all those years ago. 3 years of marriage and the testimony of your lives and your relationship has grown exponentially. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5BGDpcNL6_gQ41YVxsdCKPy-ISDRbp5PP3Za81KbFb6HTEi6rddYpan17dGdsrkEXoYCU1iqQ9d_CmY-QqWBNsD8GqAFpN3bXFOIuMFOvlAnU0hrW0tfyz7Mx9avZnaw0hdpRCDKTEk5e24R548UgN6C_WCaVBp6-ZaKnoVW3P2xgD2IobFhteKt2Uw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1597" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5BGDpcNL6_gQ41YVxsdCKPy-ISDRbp5PP3Za81KbFb6HTEi6rddYpan17dGdsrkEXoYCU1iqQ9d_CmY-QqWBNsD8GqAFpN3bXFOIuMFOvlAnU0hrW0tfyz7Mx9avZnaw0hdpRCDKTEk5e24R548UgN6C_WCaVBp6-ZaKnoVW3P2xgD2IobFhteKt2Uw" width="319" /></a></div><br />You are a master at all you set out to do. <p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbWs2CUlSkion8aL9021W4sV_gROmCyAcBA3ZWqgrnNdUmZmNCEYWYKnZLLGrXwUvdzv1ypaOyrOlP9AORFw-vOwY_F3_OndXv_HWrUHGYnGNs6nTQEt1_IAUznzlgt2fTuw-eBJTyV4ivj91XtC9YzRyaaeKdOfhyhZ_QDuLsUHN-mYJ3npzbGJppsQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbWs2CUlSkion8aL9021W4sV_gROmCyAcBA3ZWqgrnNdUmZmNCEYWYKnZLLGrXwUvdzv1ypaOyrOlP9AORFw-vOwY_F3_OndXv_HWrUHGYnGNs6nTQEt1_IAUznzlgt2fTuw-eBJTyV4ivj91XtC9YzRyaaeKdOfhyhZ_QDuLsUHN-mYJ3npzbGJppsQ" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">A master at teaching, a master at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">schooling, a master at designing your new house and making it into a home, a master at letting your light shine so others are drawn to Christ through your love and care. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBqbqCoz3kuyeGvZaNZGsemJaTKd8HX5_WC5hhl0fTMFt3k7lSSm83bs7Bjl-MWfs3Atwlq3Q53zWbnPPwbqh9PykfEBjl47oaK4oBzUexns8IZaZBZw7okFGdQGYLE-KyV8w1MXAJNZVPTZwNC5SMv9RAQSOeCZ9GUEV0lPFMJfITnpUjl1Gu3Sr-RA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjBqbqCoz3kuyeGvZaNZGsemJaTKd8HX5_WC5hhl0fTMFt3k7lSSm83bs7Bjl-MWfs3Atwlq3Q53zWbnPPwbqh9PykfEBjl47oaK4oBzUexns8IZaZBZw7okFGdQGYLE-KyV8w1MXAJNZVPTZwNC5SMv9RAQSOeCZ9GUEV0lPFMJfITnpUjl1Gu3Sr-RA" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope your day was great and it's always extra-special when a teacher has a weekend birthday!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtRikKPpBdi58u1fV9NnoHQBElEvrBvKuwGUrPKzblhIi33z0D86bq50wRtWkbtq9ZRxUW0Up_pdj1OX_DafWEgNJshDETDoFlhSnq2m-YCBRbkOw0FfxG05egEo8Hy5njCQJMlH3Re8DOajJ8bdw9yQJk0KtWNXixtIx076FfI7RZUHX_qUdW-Coi-A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1597" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgtRikKPpBdi58u1fV9NnoHQBElEvrBvKuwGUrPKzblhIi33z0D86bq50wRtWkbtq9ZRxUW0Up_pdj1OX_DafWEgNJshDETDoFlhSnq2m-YCBRbkOw0FfxG05egEo8Hy5njCQJMlH3Re8DOajJ8bdw9yQJk0KtWNXixtIx076FfI7RZUHX_qUdW-Coi-A" width="319" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-84401995835516799922022-10-16T13:34:00.117-04:002023-01-01T14:30:36.395-05:00A life well lived<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have been asked to share reflections, from all of us, on the life and legacy of Bertha/Bert/Aunt Bert/Mom/Mother/Grandmom/MomMom/Grammy/Honeybun/Great Grandmom/Great Grammy/Great Great Grandmom (I hope I got them all)...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bertha was not a fan of her name. She didn't like that it was often paired with the word "Big" and was associated with larger-than-life things nick-named Big Bertha such as a large military gun during World War 1, a large steam locomotive, fictional comic characters, a cow from the Guinness Book of World Records, and the world's largest bass drum. Even a piece of my middle school's gymnastics apparatus was nicknamed Big Bertha by my PE teacher.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But God is in the business of redeeming things, and when we look at the life of Bertha Moyer, I think we would all agree that the legacy she left was indeed larger than life, just as her name has come to be known.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grandmom commented on several occasions that she thought there was something wrong with the traditional memorial service. Why, she asked, do we wait until someone has passed on to gather together to speak kindly of them? Wouldn't that be better done in their presence? I know that there were suggestions and jokes about having a mock funeral where we would come together to tell Bertha how much shew as appreciated, but no one had the nerve to actually plan it. Instead, we were all encouraged to write words of affirmation to her in celebration of her 100th birthday. I had the pleasure of compiling these remembrances into a book and they do, indeed, speak of the larger-than-life legacy that Bertha Moyer left to us. Here are 7 themes from those letters, values she taught us, and the legacy we now have the joy of continuing:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Always look nice...and don't forget to accessorize.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Many who sent her cards and letters remarked on this attribute. In these remembrances she was described as "beautiful, classy, neat, sophisticated, fresh and clean even after cleaning all day, wearing fashionable clothes and accessories of jewelry, knowing what clothes look nice and what goes together." She taught her children that even if you didn't have a lot, you could look nice and keep your house clean. Of course, it didn't hurt that she never looked her age. Apparently when I was born, and she came the the hospital to visit, the nurses would not let her off the elevator, insisting that only grandparents were allowed on the maternity floor at that time. Even in these last months at Rockhill, she always wanted her hair done neatly, to wear a nice blouse and sweater, and to finish it off with a pin or necklace. More importantly she was known as a beautiful person whose inside matched the outside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Laugh until you cry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One person described her laugh as "distinct, infectious, warm, and comforting." How many times did we watch her laugh until she cried and probably peed her pants? I won't name names, but I am certain that even this part of her legacy has been passed down through the generations represented here. She loved a good joke or story and didn't mind laughing at herself. One of her favorite stories was of the time she thought she was locked alone in the back of a car in the stifling heat of Florida, panicking and trying to signal for help, only to find out later that she could have gotten out on her own. One letter writer remarked that her ability to have a good laugh about herself said so much about who she was.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Family is important.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Family was for playing games, going to craft shows, creating something together, eating out, vacationing, and just sitting around talking (and laughing). She was an important part of Easters, Thanksgivings, Christmases, and many other holidays and celebrations. I think she even surprised herself at how many showers, weddings, and births she was still able to celebrate in the last few years. She was attending weddings of her great grandchildren and was part of more than one 5 generation photo after the births of her great great grandchildren. Her family alone made this Bertha larger-than-life. Many of us remember Friday nights spent with Mom/MomMom. The sons and daughters-in-law never felt like in-laws, but were welcomed quickly and easily. Most of us know if the infamous squabble between her three sons-in-law, always vying for first place in her eyes. She loved that. She also cherished time with her brothers and sisters and their spouses.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hobbies are for sharing love.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After retiring, Bertha told people that she had to go back to work to "support her habit." When I would describe her apartment in our Souderton home, I'd tell people that she had a two bedroom apartment, one bedroom for her and one for her crafting, needlework, and quilting.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Most if not all of us here have works of art in our homes that were created by Grandmom's habit. We've received crocheted purses, ponchos, afghans, pot holders, toys, and more. I've always loved the retelling of how she followed a woman around on the boardwalk of Ocean City, trying to surreptitiously copy down the pattern of the other woman's crocheted sweater. Since infancy we've slept under quilts that she made. Doilies keep our dressers neat. And her famous crocheted names. She kept a list of every single one she made and in the end, there are 500 crocheted names in frames and trays all over the United States. Many of her children and grandchildren are carrying on her legacy of quilting, crocheting, and crafting, and there is at least one great grandchild who learned a lot about crocheting from this special woman. She is remembered as saying, "Those who are wrapped in a quilt are wrapped in love." May we all carry on her legacy by sharing love through sharing the works of our hands.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Love and pray for others.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those prayers started by her bedside, kneeling in prayer. As a nurse at Rockhill, she is remembered for her care, dedication, kindness, compassion, and love. Many of us remember that every birthday, annniversary, and milestone was remembered with a carefully selected card, always signed with "Love and Prayers." One grandchild remembered, "Everywhere I lived, it seems a card from you found me." Some of us know we are only here today because of the love and prayers of this faithful woman of God.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can do hard things.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One friend remembered, "She worked hard, never complained, and did what she knew had to be done as she raised her family, basically by herself." We know that Grandmom did not have an easy life, yet she pressed on, accomplishing much for her family and for herself. And she did this at a time when being a single mother in her circumstances was much less common than it is today. Her obituary reads, "Overcoming numerous obstacles, she graduated from the Philadelphia School of Nursing in 1958 as a practical nurse. She later pursued other courses to enhance her skills in elder care." She did hard things and in doing so, she became an inspiration to many. Several of her grandchildren have described her as a trailblazer and while she would have laughed off the suggestion with the signature wave of her hand and turned head, she leaves a legacy of strong men, and especially strong women, who can do hard things, too.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because He lives I can face tomorrow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Grandmom lived her Christian life "demonstrating joy, perseverance, faithfulness, and strength." She set a good example of "trusting Jesus through thick and thin."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Through the difficulty of raising six children by herself she knew that because He lives she could face tomorrow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When the church wasn't there for her as it should have been she knew that because He lives she could face tomorrow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As she pushed her way through nursing school and served as charge nurse she believed that because He lives she could face tomorrow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When Clyde died, she believed that because He lives she could face tomorrow. She chose this song for his funeral service and it will forevermore remind me of her and her faith.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As arthritis and aging kept her from some of her favorite hobbies and activities, she still knew that because He lives she could face tomorrow.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But even a legacy, a beautiful woman inside and out who never seemed to age, will eventually succumb to the sickness, weakness, and death that is found on this side of Heaven. If you visited Grandmom at Rockhill, you know that she has had one wish, and one wish only these last months - to see Jesus. When my husband, son, and I visited a few days before she died, she was in bed and not reacting to much. John sang I'll Fly Away: "Just a few more weary days and then I'll fly away to a land where joy shall never end, I'll fly away..." John leaned down to repeat, "Just a few more wary days, Grandmom." She nodded. With a strong heart that refused to give up, those few days turned into just a few more, but...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Because He lives, she is home with Jesus where joy shall never end. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow without Bertha/Bert/Aunt Bert/Mom/Mother/Grandmom/MomMom/Grammy/Honeybun/Great Grandmom/Great Grammy/Great Great Grandmom. With her legacy of Love and Prayers, we can carry on her larger-than-life legacy, just because He lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div></div><br /><p></p><p><br /><br /></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-9412127208519235312022-10-14T07:00:00.001-04:002022-10-29T18:47:28.977-04:00Happy birthday, Jesse<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy birthday, Jesse! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2DdgcqogKsQHLgeocodTVGhpt9aztYD3B4ZrTHQwv4lYYAdupOnWJFXFLHpablvTY7629JIhX-TUX0So1sG9xrgSPU-jSxxzxowgmDjTQTVy-q7N0fjgiB1zRT0pElj2Dp3FWOHNMR2BWLMSFI_0eKDilo4XQoHPJqoXKSzC5sgpwa8ZmfFLVa6XBqg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg2DdgcqogKsQHLgeocodTVGhpt9aztYD3B4ZrTHQwv4lYYAdupOnWJFXFLHpablvTY7629JIhX-TUX0So1sG9xrgSPU-jSxxzxowgmDjTQTVy-q7N0fjgiB1zRT0pElj2Dp3FWOHNMR2BWLMSFI_0eKDilo4XQoHPJqoXKSzC5sgpwa8ZmfFLVa6XBqg" width="180" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To my son who always had a gleam in his eye and mischief in his smile. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6OWIEeZTw6RVNS58kn-PrnVhbBIzzr_5HpT7N6ElRlO1UH60nEJYmRCXo1wGwYGq2JIv7eWFohsLOCLy-rqr6cEKtp5SK8Un5NqlnHV2sQUkxX9dr1U84hlQQ9nq4n_3oIAY-Ql83PigwI11nXJw1Kl2RY-c_avcERK8kANC54Ppd2ZCUIl88hT9-MA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg6OWIEeZTw6RVNS58kn-PrnVhbBIzzr_5HpT7N6ElRlO1UH60nEJYmRCXo1wGwYGq2JIv7eWFohsLOCLy-rqr6cEKtp5SK8Un5NqlnHV2sQUkxX9dr1U84hlQQ9nq4n_3oIAY-Ql83PigwI11nXJw1Kl2RY-c_avcERK8kANC54Ppd2ZCUIl88hT9-MA" width="192" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">To the one who knew he was a middle child even before he was the middle child and even though he quickly lost that role, several times over, kept up the middle child position with excellence. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinGQpphxgXmyE8UZxeJZn9jRSdQyUqGelXh5e5zJBh-KyViznUjnpDPzNi1hUJADIF_DKyszX3FIG-BQgW8UqOAIgeyWAgY1Iq1vA7Zz1tqKgwgIOnTFTGoNNGDXA2KD5ImQhikugGokVCzLyjB8wi_vcrN4XqU_7ITj5iRGgjHozrYD9rvApVLLnrhw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinGQpphxgXmyE8UZxeJZn9jRSdQyUqGelXh5e5zJBh-KyViznUjnpDPzNi1hUJADIF_DKyszX3FIG-BQgW8UqOAIgeyWAgY1Iq1vA7Zz1tqKgwgIOnTFTGoNNGDXA2KD5ImQhikugGokVCzLyjB8wi_vcrN4XqU_7ITj5iRGgjHozrYD9rvApVLLnrhw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">May your middle schoolers treat you with kindness and respect today with just the right amount of good, clean, appropriate birthday pranks and may you have a great evening of continued birthday </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">celebrations with your wife and whatever else you have planned, with whomever it is planned. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Love you and I enjoy watching the amazing young man that is Jesse.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbh_EO_rPAooDVeh7UC8QGneisAuvemgURASNMOqIXowJbazIKRspFFbkAGaCuSMQTmDPuwDrhJR7rrJbbnYGC0dicOsXgj-vZom_uqyqJZHe_2xbCfxXD0qq5Ivq8FC2t86Gac6mje4iml74B4ulk2sLoJZCRng2UVqvlIkfPwP9Qi8x4EYeitDBLlQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgbh_EO_rPAooDVeh7UC8QGneisAuvemgURASNMOqIXowJbazIKRspFFbkAGaCuSMQTmDPuwDrhJR7rrJbbnYGC0dicOsXgj-vZom_uqyqJZHe_2xbCfxXD0qq5Ivq8FC2t86Gac6mje4iml74B4ulk2sLoJZCRng2UVqvlIkfPwP9Qi8x4EYeitDBLlQ" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-18893689193175488162022-10-09T06:00:00.001-04:002022-10-09T06:00:00.188-04:002 for one<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioB61_Q-2bTuIT2SuBX9Hy-vdeDSXkcy7UYPFRyNE5vPhQtlA_vSwpV6strfXOYuuh_G7SfulFnzFqJejzNDkrIprpanIkosvuXGqndaEYBht43U8KWBw-3QzmzYqs517cwddmAoKmL4gRm_p2suG8R0BBU4azgSmg_yfwm333Yf78S4ajTy97hlblZw/s2048/IMG_4856-X4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioB61_Q-2bTuIT2SuBX9Hy-vdeDSXkcy7UYPFRyNE5vPhQtlA_vSwpV6strfXOYuuh_G7SfulFnzFqJejzNDkrIprpanIkosvuXGqndaEYBht43U8KWBw-3QzmzYqs517cwddmAoKmL4gRm_p2suG8R0BBU4azgSmg_yfwm333Yf78S4ajTy97hlblZw/s320/IMG_4856-X4.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>When they were younger, I had to do two separate posts for their birthdays. We took turns celebrating one before the other, because everything had to be fair, right? But when you are 18 and 22, I think we have turned a corner. I hope. So...<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0M5_uGx65C5QZ17D4oCxDH8lK3EMwqm2AjlUIN-j_qFxsuW5rms0zLMv6UJd1p0PrVdP64eKUPGAxXy1rjdMMkwnkYvCn9LFNlJ-cZHiiDrJFQM_13vfGCeSvD4cuqUs_fIdcEX1HFnh8cT2tZXAnx5E_3qeb7V8q8JZyRlznT-zbhOT754FM2otfg/s1200/IMG_4898-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY0M5_uGx65C5QZ17D4oCxDH8lK3EMwqm2AjlUIN-j_qFxsuW5rms0zLMv6UJd1p0PrVdP64eKUPGAxXy1rjdMMkwnkYvCn9LFNlJ-cZHiiDrJFQM_13vfGCeSvD4cuqUs_fIdcEX1HFnh8cT2tZXAnx5E_3qeb7V8q8JZyRlznT-zbhOT754FM2otfg/s320/IMG_4898-X3.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_96phPgGfG8ZQWb1RWN-EPcGEOmyCrxyVExqMoLN_4Sl_HjGNzZqjErtoP4KfOayMYLVu3RHh6S43Qu4TMgGxFZNQiIYXt5S4U-rkmyCyB73_rBbpZSxPjcn4X_hIeoFSMFaP-58g8f2qg2tXxdCE1VkM_Hx-0p0EVlr3YohDpYhPK-YX-D_IdCPbcQ/s1000/310605048_637980424718709_7645941387792973874_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_96phPgGfG8ZQWb1RWN-EPcGEOmyCrxyVExqMoLN_4Sl_HjGNzZqjErtoP4KfOayMYLVu3RHh6S43Qu4TMgGxFZNQiIYXt5S4U-rkmyCyB73_rBbpZSxPjcn4X_hIeoFSMFaP-58g8f2qg2tXxdCE1VkM_Hx-0p0EVlr3YohDpYhPK-YX-D_IdCPbcQ/s320/310605048_637980424718709_7645941387792973874_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Happy birthday Shoun and Eden! Or Eden and Shoun - whichever you prefer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHWcqrctvgryln5JXjYAlBFuzFX9Yl3KUMtiT__gCtTCjCVRZaID8x9MvhRifMYRgmA41jGumeojnty0MtM3ObnK0T5MQvdHXOkqNcz_K9g6bAKST1rHPtOSqj7syiKA8CeUwpSmUUEM4NsWbtsqU6cy0SBOJ8hdMwnkGkG2o6joo_jNinVjyIIML5Q/s1600/DSC_0497-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmHWcqrctvgryln5JXjYAlBFuzFX9Yl3KUMtiT__gCtTCjCVRZaID8x9MvhRifMYRgmA41jGumeojnty0MtM3ObnK0T5MQvdHXOkqNcz_K9g6bAKST1rHPtOSqj7syiKA8CeUwpSmUUEM4NsWbtsqU6cy0SBOJ8hdMwnkGkG2o6joo_jNinVjyIIML5Q/s320/DSC_0497-X3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpE7pymq1Z5SEdwujlKOmyNtdoTH7n6ibAQKs6xW8omJHT7LvyZqMQn-TQlaB4qnxR5RcPLlr5TsYe_xjmA_k5MPKd1BlfRQ2hMkdhZ2HdgcoHZAwyIU8_jd4nd9DEgmV0ZSr8aRhEreBUezxqeSuSLp2ysU1YvAHjVB34cLbsbul_M-1_ram2vD5PQ/s1600/DSC_0788_1-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpE7pymq1Z5SEdwujlKOmyNtdoTH7n6ibAQKs6xW8omJHT7LvyZqMQn-TQlaB4qnxR5RcPLlr5TsYe_xjmA_k5MPKd1BlfRQ2hMkdhZ2HdgcoHZAwyIU8_jd4nd9DEgmV0ZSr8aRhEreBUezxqeSuSLp2ysU1YvAHjVB34cLbsbul_M-1_ram2vD5PQ/s320/DSC_0788_1-X3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p>Such maturity from both of you. Just think back to 2010 when you became siblings. So much excitement at first, to share a birthday. Then reality. 4 years apart. Ages apart in experience, maturity, trust, and ability to love and forgive. </p><p>I couldn't be more proud of who you are today, Eden and Shoun. Your character and godliness are world-changing. Keep following the path God has for you. I love you!</p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-24967914675187428722022-10-06T14:17:00.000-04:002022-10-08T15:13:22.563-04:004 years<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy anniversary, Andrew and Sarah! No one will ever forget how hot it was in Georgia on Oct. 6 four years ago just as they will never forget the mother-son dance by the little Mennonite girl who cannot dance, but anticipating for months the surprised looks on the faces of the Good Doctor and your siblings was totally worth the embarrassment. So glad to have you living in DC now and so much closer to home. Through job transitions and moves and struggles your faith and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">marriage remain strong. We love you. Oh, and don't you forget about me!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtxuloAVQ8psX5btahZj3wJ3lkxkYILJHhr8zvtXHVHcy9sNtArbetKhMr3jvy9JbfFJaW9aRAYFE9V2Lp7rhP7T6QRkUwwKvORFWXoJmyDh61aYC4YNFXrUT3tG9hZuN9GvJSlqCdRdUk3YZZR6v3SWm4IJiD111QzefmcH2c6qOFRbz04ZZxD8g8dA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjtxuloAVQ8psX5btahZj3wJ3lkxkYILJHhr8zvtXHVHcy9sNtArbetKhMr3jvy9JbfFJaW9aRAYFE9V2Lp7rhP7T6QRkUwwKvORFWXoJmyDh61aYC4YNFXrUT3tG9hZuN9GvJSlqCdRdUk3YZZR6v3SWm4IJiD111QzefmcH2c6qOFRbz04ZZxD8g8dA" width="160" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJObG4bCrH_TwIiyFYC3cDY34on9ClTc7dmm-uyNMM0fz9VZB5P6zbRsEaE1Bjtb1CmAPlEl5zTAYahp_JkVJol8IOcL3NMdkr5JT1FnRGwAH-ii_qa7PrXKTAxsfdUcAjGt1TKhvH98zIzYHQTXJtAHn-WDFZz5xchUnQu8zUTw97171yBvbKifKGoA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhJObG4bCrH_TwIiyFYC3cDY34on9ClTc7dmm-uyNMM0fz9VZB5P6zbRsEaE1Bjtb1CmAPlEl5zTAYahp_JkVJol8IOcL3NMdkr5JT1FnRGwAH-ii_qa7PrXKTAxsfdUcAjGt1TKhvH98zIzYHQTXJtAHn-WDFZz5xchUnQu8zUTw97171yBvbKifKGoA" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUH6lODLoRFg1XWU9TXOv_wTwa3khSXOxROIXCNNGkCALBUMRXe6naori-akESrJVwHXpgF4ogXUe3B2X1XkZQ5vktwoPJ7PaTK4HQO9-wfRQth_xNPcphA0_urMrAP5bo0VA-GhcrdvO-MPghJxuSwfIZv-RDwlVw3EaIM4qVlhqGsQYPtX2Y5Z05CQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgUH6lODLoRFg1XWU9TXOv_wTwa3khSXOxROIXCNNGkCALBUMRXe6naori-akESrJVwHXpgF4ogXUe3B2X1XkZQ5vktwoPJ7PaTK4HQO9-wfRQth_xNPcphA0_urMrAP5bo0VA-GhcrdvO-MPghJxuSwfIZv-RDwlVw3EaIM4qVlhqGsQYPtX2Y5Z05CQ" width="180" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGp76DrFyQQSnNqQEp4bbzEVrxEWn1OcBcYtfB_XZ3mylqmR2k8Afiznp3wXrQjUj3YA-gBre6QzIWj89rHWsuRSSsDVHYcg_VWfuZW40ah-FEdhrFRMKY3q3MyNbxl7RVPT70E7i7C2GrWZDIMoFN2u-YrXebEQYwj1uC1lknWItIlYXMeEfNn3WBWA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgGp76DrFyQQSnNqQEp4bbzEVrxEWn1OcBcYtfB_XZ3mylqmR2k8Afiznp3wXrQjUj3YA-gBre6QzIWj89rHWsuRSSsDVHYcg_VWfuZW40ah-FEdhrFRMKY3q3MyNbxl7RVPT70E7i7C2GrWZDIMoFN2u-YrXebEQYwj1uC1lknWItIlYXMeEfNn3WBWA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-60815872364810672732022-10-02T18:30:00.016-04:002022-10-08T15:12:34.770-04:00Alone time<p> It was cold and damp. I just wanted to snuggle in front of the fireplace and read a book. </p><p>That worked for about 2 pages. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholmgFuU5yspvJ-vXO4Iju5bJUHy8BpoatZdSIChosXWWVdZjVxCB3D-bKmNHjQW8SkiZZBGlrdpoYQrM-L-UAaVVCYLM4li_phqpQxajdel8CwESk5LiBFAwJI1WZokcpiVjOhtlruEoSUPQ0Q3GY70IspMAlwdvS4Ew55aj6Gh9v9jCmODJvtw5_ZQ/s960/307436897_10166792442095002_5175237805652280962_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEholmgFuU5yspvJ-vXO4Iju5bJUHy8BpoatZdSIChosXWWVdZjVxCB3D-bKmNHjQW8SkiZZBGlrdpoYQrM-L-UAaVVCYLM4li_phqpQxajdel8CwESk5LiBFAwJI1WZokcpiVjOhtlruEoSUPQ0Q3GY70IspMAlwdvS4Ew55aj6Gh9v9jCmODJvtw5_ZQ/s320/307436897_10166792442095002_5175237805652280962_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Then a dog came. Then another. Then the 9 year old.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9J5h1hqTvTGQBo3Cf0EL3e7MFXWDpo0Zxo5x58t1hggVPR1YNKdcfym80wZ__bibvxFTuFIc2TpVRHGeuUzS4r31vJlEyWY8KrwbObftDeh9nWzuP0TascQ0-cj_Vgk4rtw4tLZiFZ_IjqVH5tCWfWicvqbFt2Me4bWNsISTFbVWj5Dfo1wlbhmfog/s960/308019092_10166792442150002_3690026039368809233_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9J5h1hqTvTGQBo3Cf0EL3e7MFXWDpo0Zxo5x58t1hggVPR1YNKdcfym80wZ__bibvxFTuFIc2TpVRHGeuUzS4r31vJlEyWY8KrwbObftDeh9nWzuP0TascQ0-cj_Vgk4rtw4tLZiFZ_IjqVH5tCWfWicvqbFt2Me4bWNsISTFbVWj5Dfo1wlbhmfog/s320/308019092_10166792442150002_3690026039368809233_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Then he belched in my face and asked if I could smell the oregano on his breath. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDu5e8qyzePp2NuVXCKvWyCQqBkuYP-UGp7S3ctLI9NHOkBURXbpbcxHwYkmUEl5XSqQfto4sNNV60lqdlXqu2k9d13JT8ekF7L35aLIOTmp8S6AwDYHHtNwZuvjGrEyS8Nh5DQiAhJe4FkgEcSODDrNNJD4NfSQEHS7cnjiYRkPTYOgal2mwU5m65g/s960/309728927_10166792442030002_7984921433901807108_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizDu5e8qyzePp2NuVXCKvWyCQqBkuYP-UGp7S3ctLI9NHOkBURXbpbcxHwYkmUEl5XSqQfto4sNNV60lqdlXqu2k9d13JT8ekF7L35aLIOTmp8S6AwDYHHtNwZuvjGrEyS8Nh5DQiAhJe4FkgEcSODDrNNJD4NfSQEHS7cnjiYRkPTYOgal2mwU5m65g/s320/309728927_10166792442030002_7984921433901807108_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Someday I'll get to be alone, right?</p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-1143608255023072962022-09-06T14:21:00.004-04:002022-10-08T14:29:56.336-04:00A baby, a new house, and a new job, oh my!<p>Well, you know how to fill a year with goodness. A new baby, a new house, and a new job. We are so happy for the two of you and love seeing you often. May this new year be filled with more joy and blessing. Happy second anniversary!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjniexImZRQik9ZXqOKiyWdxWY7D_IgKSx0z-eU7f_ivihjgs6tS7B0jXFHE4jLYGbMfZh3hdJAwHfwvNx5SyeERmW-hT8bK8eSw6l0kBiadNbgqrP3WmtpvvpKPlpdml-nE3RHGMbtVxJtXdLDsIYFaHMrKo_cm6w5SAJpjsgOxT9lOH9rSxgM_m3exw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjniexImZRQik9ZXqOKiyWdxWY7D_IgKSx0z-eU7f_ivihjgs6tS7B0jXFHE4jLYGbMfZh3hdJAwHfwvNx5SyeERmW-hT8bK8eSw6l0kBiadNbgqrP3WmtpvvpKPlpdml-nE3RHGMbtVxJtXdLDsIYFaHMrKo_cm6w5SAJpjsgOxT9lOH9rSxgM_m3exw" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsFvRISKfykPqz83PZvnBNrL-Il1hUgu2qsJE-YYPuiKzXAQ3KyAdZKevcBkdI0F6K5aVa8sn5OlDvt33NGKigZq4jKYYgiUdQQGPiMKNp4zJ9Lleqeb88kJdwRYh200IhRXOI22i3dVETS1tYffZ8aC1WBQUOPypUPK9e1AOpTxXD4RuCloCeOnUx-A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1080" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjsFvRISKfykPqz83PZvnBNrL-Il1hUgu2qsJE-YYPuiKzXAQ3KyAdZKevcBkdI0F6K5aVa8sn5OlDvt33NGKigZq4jKYYgiUdQQGPiMKNp4zJ9Lleqeb88kJdwRYh200IhRXOI22i3dVETS1tYffZ8aC1WBQUOPypUPK9e1AOpTxXD4RuCloCeOnUx-A" width="180" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-6149621068131942192022-08-28T19:57:00.006-04:002022-08-28T19:57:54.879-04:00Last day<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivEXPCNi1pr1RBfk8sWGsUGoDtTzNtfvwrWSpLqBnDdRCKTEUhy3wpkY-cCqlP99q0B3cD6Ay1KO3ALbyzFxUHBLStpHIO8KTsu6els_gL3OzrUE-MUNVOzSwcoAGsQA56n-upsrsEFp13CW5zhmmAmppWbp5CjUCo5s2J9h6M7hh9pDQDiYcPye_iLQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEivEXPCNi1pr1RBfk8sWGsUGoDtTzNtfvwrWSpLqBnDdRCKTEUhy3wpkY-cCqlP99q0B3cD6Ay1KO3ALbyzFxUHBLStpHIO8KTsu6els_gL3OzrUE-MUNVOzSwcoAGsQA56n-upsrsEFp13CW5zhmmAmppWbp5CjUCo5s2J9h6M7hh9pDQDiYcPye_iLQ" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgn95cDocs-CFxSeXp7uMzATCYx4uWo8Bof_83WJ0JYfaYU6XLIyN8534A5zcRzSsRm4w_ez-lWNNSE8e0VMeCGz-YLlSxg06Jay9p4d-A_7D-RwqyurSHGNjhfZu_Q0Gvkq0vu-3-iuLeqd_2MYm6oWKcZHO_Z6sbA6_6vQBppWLljTzg04jxqjQyGA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhgn95cDocs-CFxSeXp7uMzATCYx4uWo8Bof_83WJ0JYfaYU6XLIyN8534A5zcRzSsRm4w_ez-lWNNSE8e0VMeCGz-YLlSxg06Jay9p4d-A_7D-RwqyurSHGNjhfZu_Q0Gvkq0vu-3-iuLeqd_2MYm6oWKcZHO_Z6sbA6_6vQBppWLljTzg04jxqjQyGA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><p></p><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Today was John's last Sunday at McBIC. We decided to make a weekend of it, inviting family to start celebrating with us Saturdy morning. I was looking forward to this for a long time; having the family (mostly) all together is a tremendous blessing.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Saturday morning Eden treated us to a German breakfast, accompanied by the Good Doctor's talents on the Blackstone. The day was spent relaxing with conversation and a few naps. After a pizza supper the guys went to Jesse and <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>Megan's and the women stayed at our home. </div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">16th birthdays are always celebrated with a Rite of Passage, being ushered into adulthood by special adults in the teen's life. We thought this would be a good weekend for it since family from out-of-town would already be here, even though HopeAnne's birthday was in June. It was a beautiful evening with fourteen women speaking words of blessing, encouragement, and challenge over HopeAnne. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihYoZhL3UPGBW3E2QQgu5IrR3P8fpcPHPTEAGnxnHxK-FBTojt3H7WIWZVLLYn22SORaF7F0yhVRW7JWJrWXYV6GlBvzMNTydrJBiBfnWpJHMvGAd12h_2X7qmnNJO0G-yXzE-kGqpAZHxu9rPUxGORMI9pJjDQ8sPazls55gSBCxF4ZZZA1c-KcTLsA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEihYoZhL3UPGBW3E2QQgu5IrR3P8fpcPHPTEAGnxnHxK-FBTojt3H7WIWZVLLYn22SORaF7F0yhVRW7JWJrWXYV6GlBvzMNTydrJBiBfnWpJHMvGAd12h_2X7qmnNJO0G-yXzE-kGqpAZHxu9rPUxGORMI9pJjDQ8sPazls55gSBCxF4ZZZA1c-KcTLsA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_02LACrueh0T7GOUSlaik4L-91QXRjDwFkImnDJzhuyI-Iz7FNdDWOPZz9zhwKV6KXK-EnTsHZnU8tLv63svOSyLOyK7ij_Q1kmNHrM99q0ZIUNGZjm_yfH_BDa6P89KI5yQD9jw_nEprzyVhJzdOzEZorzC7ajWDgGJH-SwlHBrxGACf6WbEIeYKjg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg_02LACrueh0T7GOUSlaik4L-91QXRjDwFkImnDJzhuyI-Iz7FNdDWOPZz9zhwKV6KXK-EnTsHZnU8tLv63svOSyLOyK7ij_Q1kmNHrM99q0ZIUNGZjm_yfH_BDa6P89KI5yQD9jw_nEprzyVhJzdOzEZorzC7ajWDgGJH-SwlHBrxGACf6WbEIeYKjg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijkzNPh6-F39EwTnlkiPtQEsv0fndFwH6UstglnjBD0WqLkGv_fNev9l5yGvqWtpI_Un_hj7h0PLikZVUhd1ij1lCr43qWsOH6_VhAbPoJyz_8srgRjUb0_ZtPNMmoXfyy-X2tgBrWFcbw74yDNXML1ftlpqdPXGWXkW6ajqsu05LJBPmVUjcOVQXjpA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijkzNPh6-F39EwTnlkiPtQEsv0fndFwH6UstglnjBD0WqLkGv_fNev9l5yGvqWtpI_Un_hj7h0PLikZVUhd1ij1lCr43qWsOH6_VhAbPoJyz_8srgRjUb0_ZtPNMmoXfyy-X2tgBrWFcbw74yDNXML1ftlpqdPXGWXkW6ajqsu05LJBPmVUjcOVQXjpA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4YYRssI3aKM_vXz9nYZ0oukvli9AjIre29fQOTz-eqT-DNQPif2yH-ZBskH8xOqpeYaeZVnC4rKeTbKwBldPNWIoQYszcTw8DJyOUMh-TIUAICnCxJAQm-ceSDaogjLcnKA9PBVGl_OdlOsi3_cefIevjoL4esSvs5EKpotqVFLleafLp3VHPsRWkhQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4YYRssI3aKM_vXz9nYZ0oukvli9AjIre29fQOTz-eqT-DNQPif2yH-ZBskH8xOqpeYaeZVnC4rKeTbKwBldPNWIoQYszcTw8DJyOUMh-TIUAICnCxJAQm-ceSDaogjLcnKA9PBVGl_OdlOsi3_cefIevjoL4esSvs5EKpotqVFLleafLp3VHPsRWkhQ" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_6j0hsN8hwUnJtI0RdK7kql3_kzP50TBmudi4b5uL6bS4eFSCVjcCpDJ_HkFdXlP_L9Wc4hXaHqVzX6Pwwo4-Q0PaIM5OgAvlPoXMZ1pKxxyKx378957sE5XpaeigAyAdYygIuxYJY_XWdq2YDz4CfuXQRYI8yFAt4aIJICzVK22fYsuklVfgC216QQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_6j0hsN8hwUnJtI0RdK7kql3_kzP50TBmudi4b5uL6bS4eFSCVjcCpDJ_HkFdXlP_L9Wc4hXaHqVzX6Pwwo4-Q0PaIM5OgAvlPoXMZ1pKxxyKx378957sE5XpaeigAyAdYygIuxYJY_XWdq2YDz4CfuXQRYI8yFAt4aIJICzVK22fYsuklVfgC216QQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiS78fuNVE-5n4eIYl4zGknDEORh-LhnaFRnVgrVTY69zlwqOy2pRJx-hy7wgWUeBCRIYDJkSY8RHFWWep0zIxoEQQjUnjVl18dI665gw5IvitDFasNKVpZq1PzyqBLLGqk3fubr3NJepxddlKlKkB74hd8IXI4WRD49Ue5YIOfiMgg4HqYtDDHd_N7Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhiS78fuNVE-5n4eIYl4zGknDEORh-LhnaFRnVgrVTY69zlwqOy2pRJx-hy7wgWUeBCRIYDJkSY8RHFWWep0zIxoEQQjUnjVl18dI665gw5IvitDFasNKVpZq1PzyqBLLGqk3fubr3NJepxddlKlKkB74hd8IXI4WRD49Ue5YIOfiMgg4HqYtDDHd_N7Q" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Sunday morning was filled with celebration and surprise during the service and picnic lunch afterward. I marveled often at how different this transition was compared to the one that brought us here. The service and comments were so honoring of John's service and call to move on. His legacy here will not end and our mission to the broken and hurting will also continue. We felt loved, valued, and honored.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjve2tT3XdOsYh6MVx2oC_D6mrIkTpuMT95X-tiatLxG0wdsw286gFKwuI2PxM6xslMHhUhq-6F-ix7SHQwEK4_flTTSrxT_c_S3C2mFF0tLT0KJoqkPi0VH5rjzBHALam-GahJk04TzWuf46niFlZ48s52UuYp8vE8wkKHMFZ3xbKwNc34nuE2YQlD6w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="901" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjve2tT3XdOsYh6MVx2oC_D6mrIkTpuMT95X-tiatLxG0wdsw286gFKwuI2PxM6xslMHhUhq-6F-ix7SHQwEK4_flTTSrxT_c_S3C2mFF0tLT0KJoqkPi0VH5rjzBHALam-GahJk04TzWuf46niFlZ48s52UuYp8vE8wkKHMFZ3xbKwNc34nuE2YQlD6w" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwaRskICQhjfgjhpLr7tjKZDnSpFAo2lP9DXqwRWKKz5mpTie9-w5Nwb2NOUeKVteELpuJvtgpDFxu1vHmnMBKZgT2x8ZsdLAykbMIw9BfhDfrsARUTM1P3fQoCdfYqgjgk-uV_67oxPy45Eqmwd8Xnt-F-8CYX0tYSR8mJ0Ow-CIPOiWcSQnaOUdpMg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwaRskICQhjfgjhpLr7tjKZDnSpFAo2lP9DXqwRWKKz5mpTie9-w5Nwb2NOUeKVteELpuJvtgpDFxu1vHmnMBKZgT2x8ZsdLAykbMIw9BfhDfrsARUTM1P3fQoCdfYqgjgk-uV_67oxPy45Eqmwd8Xnt-F-8CYX0tYSR8mJ0Ow-CIPOiWcSQnaOUdpMg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">After the fun Father's Day Prank of 2022, someone suggested that we bring back the shirts, and expand the invitation for John's last Sunday. How beautiful to look out while I was interpreting and see a sea of support in the congregation. How fun to take a photo with so many people in green!</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijZJTTPX-iSk6tUeoAa3RNB0qfba6GukltzHZHmReZmQuotr9aR3O8QP-rk84UVyKBmGy33vzeNoyPvxl778Ng9yan4EnhiI2mhgW-pIHigDIAsBuXuCUQVydoZYaMr7TYJRpqch_S3yJa07uyl98vzirdzoYAu0jl4xJ42H3Jv8wLJdQp2GJUvmKErQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijZJTTPX-iSk6tUeoAa3RNB0qfba6GukltzHZHmReZmQuotr9aR3O8QP-rk84UVyKBmGy33vzeNoyPvxl778Ng9yan4EnhiI2mhgW-pIHigDIAsBuXuCUQVydoZYaMr7TYJRpqch_S3yJa07uyl98vzirdzoYAu0jl4xJ42H3Jv8wLJdQp2GJUvmKErQ" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPC__qdJcipyh9mxo6BF6dcOj-7ggBR9qeSauRG490dAd8aeCCUncCACfC3qgeP6qBOkS93TnEktPd_ldc7H5JuiGukAatAmJByw37NqWPaOZWUkCtuGserzbvmBr65efN11wCYMfe7HHWqOMtTroSlvWPhjFz0_y2GsWK-P2hDvg_xj6nWi9Xpwyapw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1153" data-original-width="2048" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgPC__qdJcipyh9mxo6BF6dcOj-7ggBR9qeSauRG490dAd8aeCCUncCACfC3qgeP6qBOkS93TnEktPd_ldc7H5JuiGukAatAmJByw37NqWPaOZWUkCtuGserzbvmBr65efN11wCYMfe7HHWqOMtTroSlvWPhjFz0_y2GsWK-P2hDvg_xj6nWi9Xpwyapw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKIi1P78HM8z66e5nvNY6BZ8KdQkv0YG5R3Wgrr-V9ayWqYjgDWEf_4_ZxhlUHT4QnoSQ5wOcXWQigCqoCLmXGh_ch2orboSLosBiZSwdqSmYGmsPG8luXONcORBoKFqWslaIJP2_7yG2dQXD8GQpHj3QkoJw8MymPQG2yHhBrS5X5iQO3MyybOsSW3g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjKIi1P78HM8z66e5nvNY6BZ8KdQkv0YG5R3Wgrr-V9ayWqYjgDWEf_4_ZxhlUHT4QnoSQ5wOcXWQigCqoCLmXGh_ch2orboSLosBiZSwdqSmYGmsPG8luXONcORBoKFqWslaIJP2_7yG2dQXD8GQpHj3QkoJw8MymPQG2yHhBrS5X5iQO3MyybOsSW3g" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">The biggest surprise was a revival concert by The King's Strings. We handed him his guitar as we headed to the stage. In true King fashion, the kids argued through a song line-up the night before. Practice schmactice. Who needs it? We figured it out as we went. While I was not about to attempt to see if I could still play my instrument with the bow under my leg, the kids made it look like they're still having several concerts a month. Victor was pleased to join us on cajon for a song and had a special surprise song for Dad, singing harmony with his beautiful young voice. Never mind that we had to bribe him to do it. The $10 was well worth it.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK6V86it9oVEEWrXpyfgADcDcJqflZDDNFW-FAvtJAyIec22rBPXa4PKoswZytKY7MHkAajq3yD7_KJw6kEhvjJJ2WB1HT5RBSKXW233h2kTvF2c3VN-wPdeqgf80v_SdSlfhW1FH4hhiwAeykAQzRiHB9D2blG5iP-sMnH4enQ6AQ1VvKkQguMS4U8A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjK6V86it9oVEEWrXpyfgADcDcJqflZDDNFW-FAvtJAyIec22rBPXa4PKoswZytKY7MHkAajq3yD7_KJw6kEhvjJJ2WB1HT5RBSKXW233h2kTvF2c3VN-wPdeqgf80v_SdSlfhW1FH4hhiwAeykAQzRiHB9D2blG5iP-sMnH4enQ6AQ1VvKkQguMS4U8A" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAsHi8sPm3htLkm6xO_tzsc07lYeWjcfchUg2cGAB4aarUNfpZG3F43Y1VbvQjLfKBANMByHWYIJYfD_ytZZ43Y0Vxvzokp7ZzNprxh-0CX6XId50Ob1ve8jhW_Td-ulsWnOh8FK2XjyKh00nro9n4KEYyfjrmKMEuHO6SvOSsHw4Ra_rZet_KcWk7qA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgAsHi8sPm3htLkm6xO_tzsc07lYeWjcfchUg2cGAB4aarUNfpZG3F43Y1VbvQjLfKBANMByHWYIJYfD_ytZZ43Y0Vxvzokp7ZzNprxh-0CX6XId50Ob1ve8jhW_Td-ulsWnOh8FK2XjyKh00nro9n4KEYyfjrmKMEuHO6SvOSsHw4Ra_rZet_KcWk7qA" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGgpL9RNWcV_ymtCLE3JTKUUkAfvBJ--N15mejrQgBEwTrsheylW-s-qr_BLBafKflfUQkRCFMxAJhD97DGyp6a1SnSRMYOLYkJMjTLSOlIoo9yWaRLuOHYZJ7Kp0sCN8NK9bAQJSR1v8vcery79MQDLYhYMis3v0TxBH0yrG2Jjchg0ICz7cNEGwxYg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGgpL9RNWcV_ymtCLE3JTKUUkAfvBJ--N15mejrQgBEwTrsheylW-s-qr_BLBafKflfUQkRCFMxAJhD97DGyp6a1SnSRMYOLYkJMjTLSOlIoo9yWaRLuOHYZJ7Kp0sCN8NK9bAQJSR1v8vcery79MQDLYhYMis3v0TxBH0yrG2Jjchg0ICz7cNEGwxYg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuGm3vd1bTK9PyqNEA-YN9ljAYLfmy6zy6XG3uaB7bvatZ4666whoWQsJ2r4QlIMhtFBhtgz-97f2-r5-4pKibjgfTo2_chJ91Yw21A92TWxs3Gj_z-ACYt6w8h-79q8VDM9R2VOvJdd0wYIykaoWTmSYykVB-Dgq6PRQPbiXGNDueY8L--w-hSxFRjg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhuGm3vd1bTK9PyqNEA-YN9ljAYLfmy6zy6XG3uaB7bvatZ4666whoWQsJ2r4QlIMhtFBhtgz-97f2-r5-4pKibjgfTo2_chJ91Yw21A92TWxs3Gj_z-ACYt6w8h-79q8VDM9R2VOvJdd0wYIykaoWTmSYykVB-Dgq6PRQPbiXGNDueY8L--w-hSxFRjg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0NLq1PxHx6PbVskqfUwJwJmSauP99FUk1uRLeh9J3_01tgaog0ar3iL9ZuBh_u1TgBzJzSSlw7xOKWwrDy-LywgmJC-Kf9NSnJrubXSjFkN5w69NfD655w0UIopbowSu22ybREQxOfrFaHV0XPtUK8e8I2jUEgABFJac8BWY8ICVmw8KBgqAs7krPfA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj0NLq1PxHx6PbVskqfUwJwJmSauP99FUk1uRLeh9J3_01tgaog0ar3iL9ZuBh_u1TgBzJzSSlw7xOKWwrDy-LywgmJC-Kf9NSnJrubXSjFkN5w69NfD655w0UIopbowSu22ybREQxOfrFaHV0XPtUK8e8I2jUEgABFJac8BWY8ICVmw8KBgqAs7krPfA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIdrfzFSBoB9yh4lVuqlv1bSqg2dR6W1I7HaH5KNJ9OZEZXW4fuvLb4qRsmMP-gGLxSQwSUt5LduVQJqYvKc0hiZSLwO4nEALMXBL_Jr1IIgPgtzdQhhcxNAO3NaUmczHKVr7aQPxo5-9a0LgBcz_2F4yV7UuPx1UzPE-Fqq-z9nu9j-xjnDyq0YMK7Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIdrfzFSBoB9yh4lVuqlv1bSqg2dR6W1I7HaH5KNJ9OZEZXW4fuvLb4qRsmMP-gGLxSQwSUt5LduVQJqYvKc0hiZSLwO4nEALMXBL_Jr1IIgPgtzdQhhcxNAO3NaUmczHKVr7aQPxo5-9a0LgBcz_2F4yV7UuPx1UzPE-Fqq-z9nu9j-xjnDyq0YMK7Q" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I haven't always enjoyed being a pastor's wife. Churches are known to abuse pastors and to chew them up and spit them out. When we interviewed here, I told John that this church would be good for our souls. It WAS good for our souls, and it was good to serve here. It wasn't a mistake when God called us here. So many lessons were learned in that time. God is faithful. He is good. And His ways are always for our best.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjRAdIrhtdVtAkaP-EjGjbBLUmUUfCYbo0g2DiLPphX0zp6W2VG1gJt3hUPUb5-zfQmzKdF3CzmyK0JfGZHikyINQt3SCqGjGgOittAFJXmx3Ih14Pjw9DUznzxrEjNwoAcvnvaR60B3Fz7a4CLG2Tza4DOiTSwiRvlvlxiF7GV-GWsA00G94qGgmOjw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjRAdIrhtdVtAkaP-EjGjbBLUmUUfCYbo0g2DiLPphX0zp6W2VG1gJt3hUPUb5-zfQmzKdF3CzmyK0JfGZHikyINQt3SCqGjGgOittAFJXmx3Ih14Pjw9DUznzxrEjNwoAcvnvaR60B3Fz7a4CLG2Tza4DOiTSwiRvlvlxiF7GV-GWsA00G94qGgmOjw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><div class="l7ghb35v kjdc1dyq kmwttqpk gh25dzvf jikcssrz n3t5jt4f" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you to everyone who made this a special day and a weekend to remember.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf4qq8hWF3bRk6Hv24XXwrdoQZibzUXL29i1hyZOfRNy86IcAgYLX_Sl_RTVneWqTL7g5JZB7o-Ga-WS0xI2wQOwok9TIHANqIlEgyhA8JAQ9Vj0_U1braMXVPk8_28YG1R794weX5q5Ow4R8rrKOQ8hXb9ExDahVjGiGxlsLI0FvGVz0QtbUaMS11bg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjf4qq8hWF3bRk6Hv24XXwrdoQZibzUXL29i1hyZOfRNy86IcAgYLX_Sl_RTVneWqTL7g5JZB7o-Ga-WS0xI2wQOwok9TIHANqIlEgyhA8JAQ9Vj0_U1braMXVPk8_28YG1R794weX5q5Ow4R8rrKOQ8hXb9ExDahVjGiGxlsLI0FvGVz0QtbUaMS11bg" width="160" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDHVT1QM1eGILlhHG534qucDyrG7C8s-AJVILzKpbYtUnzSnCANm04n-hLZWM7_IZCnRno2OCLc9VSPG0gO1eeXY3kTMPwDc5TI4IusNVspJB9oAzOMU8thvutW9Fr7zuQTiO7MIEe7DNzdCGpEHW-A80eIix8M7n4thUpAPIZS2DaIiNK7BtFDT6K0A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDHVT1QM1eGILlhHG534qucDyrG7C8s-AJVILzKpbYtUnzSnCANm04n-hLZWM7_IZCnRno2OCLc9VSPG0gO1eeXY3kTMPwDc5TI4IusNVspJB9oAzOMU8thvutW9Fr7zuQTiO7MIEe7DNzdCGpEHW-A80eIix8M7n4thUpAPIZS2DaIiNK7BtFDT6K0A" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-72703612336222902222022-07-31T14:05:00.001-04:002022-10-08T14:07:21.569-04:00On prodigals<p>Foster care is messy. Adoption is messy. But the God of Hope walked into our messy and told us to do likewise. He has patience for my mistakes and asks me to be patient with others. God is with us so we can walk with those He has entrusted to us. And so we continue to pray for our prodigals. Happy birthday! The door is open when you are ready.</p><p><br /></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-19343562832867898112022-07-21T10:11:00.005-04:002022-07-21T10:11:28.591-04:00Plans to give you hope and a future<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">6 years ago today we were celebrating no more cast after a long journey involving a break during soccer several years earlier, the incorrect healing of that wrist bone which impeded his viola playing, a difficult decision to re-break the bone and take bone from the hip to surgically repair the wrist, of the hip incision reopening and not healing, finding out that he was allergic to the stitches, and a soft cast put on the wrist. Later getting a hard cast but having it removed every week to be certain he wasn't allergic to that one. Weekly checks on that hip incision which continued for a while longer. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJsxpzHRs1pc7cVwGrxqfRuLIROOv7QjUU9DqPIpj7BXLyYh_EXBf2uRzqvMUyUhLR7pZYt6iMECMb00IfqwlRTC8dQ8d2afKUH86ixlLQqN1Fxjb3pDfpVXkhLdwascLXYUcW7_HVjQ8e-QJo1ONvmKefPhiUUw_gXCaPjqi9buAErZbsOsLuLvUtEQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiJsxpzHRs1pc7cVwGrxqfRuLIROOv7QjUU9DqPIpj7BXLyYh_EXBf2uRzqvMUyUhLR7pZYt6iMECMb00IfqwlRTC8dQ8d2afKUH86ixlLQqN1Fxjb3pDfpVXkhLdwascLXYUcW7_HVjQ8e-QJo1ONvmKefPhiUUw_gXCaPjqi9buAErZbsOsLuLvUtEQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And questioning throughout: Was it worth it? Should we have done it? Was he really going to play viola after high school (because without the weird left hand position of a viola or violin player, he probably never would have known that the bone had healed wrong)? </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhskwnCpB_sk8084EJQhuVls60Cj6kNd85k_YzR8KygaeUWUboErsNyIOeAijJ0iYGFcGnIaY1NMZDlcTw-32t4fxkObXiak0CI1zS2jo13Mf83RLqePH9ayg5elvm7FlyGtx2AS247DmKSH1AHop5DqimbmGajmELgvNek9ZErXkYyW0mOTra03tQfcg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhskwnCpB_sk8084EJQhuVls60Cj6kNd85k_YzR8KygaeUWUboErsNyIOeAijJ0iYGFcGnIaY1NMZDlcTw-32t4fxkObXiak0CI1zS2jo13Mf83RLqePH9ayg5elvm7FlyGtx2AS247DmKSH1AHop5DqimbmGajmELgvNek9ZErXkYyW0mOTra03tQfcg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well, 6 years have passed and today's pictures at the National Repertory Orchestra festival and the opportunity to play with Joshua Bell are God's answers to that question. It was worth it. It was necessary. It was God's plan for Isaac's future. And he has a great scar which gives ample opportunity to share the amazing testimony of God's goodness and of an amazing hand surgeon at Johns Hopkins who took the time to ask life-altering questions about what was important to Isaac and where he thought the future might take him.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzM1-2msXDC5UjuaqKlutLgTMEmkLlPdiGi5dmRxkFSzz6iL2tQoQbGCmP4e554sJBJSVzPUZTJ3aBIi0t4XXE3E5G20E-xibOCsExWs0TF52xSm29Re5nONXuEXt-7CNGxgOjQWMZ08WddCHe2-ZqJzA1xUnm2pHiCT051mex5jjXNIG2wPHZEdVS7Q" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzM1-2msXDC5UjuaqKlutLgTMEmkLlPdiGi5dmRxkFSzz6iL2tQoQbGCmP4e554sJBJSVzPUZTJ3aBIi0t4XXE3E5G20E-xibOCsExWs0TF52xSm29Re5nONXuEXt-7CNGxgOjQWMZ08WddCHe2-ZqJzA1xUnm2pHiCT051mex5jjXNIG2wPHZEdVS7Q" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSF_ibvI48HXrYZvZrxtzwwnO2Kw6jy0tSAbvD4Twh12DfArOBxyXTDiGLjzX1cYLbe-l8rJjM9SHP4OFUzsZrLGzk13VDHZlkcREJec1xURZixPyNsT2xAo1ZeiV6em6HDuCj4n-GQrjKbLLKULdqB58Pqt5P0Pz9OqV1MvUXwv-4aI-PZH1Q6xQhag" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiSF_ibvI48HXrYZvZrxtzwwnO2Kw6jy0tSAbvD4Twh12DfArOBxyXTDiGLjzX1cYLbe-l8rJjM9SHP4OFUzsZrLGzk13VDHZlkcREJec1xURZixPyNsT2xAo1ZeiV6em6HDuCj4n-GQrjKbLLKULdqB58Pqt5P0Pz9OqV1MvUXwv-4aI-PZH1Q6xQhag" width="319" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOtO_Z5_v4wImOmI197809t8Uz_qLnGy49H2NtWB3HX52BT_FeHaR7QYzcioEJngbaNeKmrPJ06Iee4Bc2DRRIA-hlBXG0rZ_2U3P9rz5R4ORWG7w9eH3wt3h9BM1jMXF2tQaq9F9Fr08htVMH8nLBU-h5EB60jsdVtBOowQWVC32oFvD72L0woaLKkg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1085" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjOtO_Z5_v4wImOmI197809t8Uz_qLnGy49H2NtWB3HX52BT_FeHaR7QYzcioEJngbaNeKmrPJ06Iee4Bc2DRRIA-hlBXG0rZ_2U3P9rz5R4ORWG7w9eH3wt3h9BM1jMXF2tQaq9F9Fr08htVMH8nLBU-h5EB60jsdVtBOowQWVC32oFvD72L0woaLKkg" width="319" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-70366168591760278772022-07-20T08:44:00.002-04:002022-07-20T08:44:14.551-04:00Land-locked ship<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why is there a Titanic Museum in Tennessee? I don't know, but it came highly recommended by multiple people. We put it on our vacation schedule. We took it off our schedule. I have to thank Ana for persisting and asking that we put it back on the list. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEOCmYjbyKREKcWA6Nds2DamusfvfR5yPVfIm9duveIksK4j0DfcKHMI-WkHYu3ft2tqmyMFQBHgQidXEcI2I0cGgaNEVO7r5U9pv7MXrgk1hhOtHO0MAlodMvsh5JYM9HlCbYm1Y25v02QHN4bO1U2JL_gMAsypQt3dbR5zkTYNxL8N_KTAMfDzSZbQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjEOCmYjbyKREKcWA6Nds2DamusfvfR5yPVfIm9duveIksK4j0DfcKHMI-WkHYu3ft2tqmyMFQBHgQidXEcI2I0cGgaNEVO7r5U9pv7MXrgk1hhOtHO0MAlodMvsh5JYM9HlCbYm1Y25v02QHN4bO1U2JL_gMAsypQt3dbR5zkTYNxL8N_KTAMfDzSZbQ" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not only is it well done, informative, and interesting, but it is also interactive and hands-on. Victor and museums are usually not a good mix as every sign says, "Do not touch," and he gets bored of us reading everything to him. From the moment our tour started and he was allowed to touch the 3D map that showed where the Titanic was built, launched, stopped, and met its fate, to the water he could put his hand in to feel how cold it was when the boat sank, and everything in between, he was engaged. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXDGKQPqoEOiFxgyg7FAZOoAEWJBo7LW3g-ZgWnuMaTXyekL7tYb8rwktmGRLg3r-Qv8kkiW5D3yaqmIoUmNlPdhTdaNoHQKrn1rnbTdpUaub6wG_0ENcQtjyiUXBXnaJIThrU0kSjZFsei1QqKZExkGbHil27v4Jt7b9FB7sjQ4sSzcKBBC8FB9wEPQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXDGKQPqoEOiFxgyg7FAZOoAEWJBo7LW3g-ZgWnuMaTXyekL7tYb8rwktmGRLg3r-Qv8kkiW5D3yaqmIoUmNlPdhTdaNoHQKrn1rnbTdpUaub6wG_0ENcQtjyiUXBXnaJIThrU0kSjZFsei1QqKZExkGbHil27v4Jt7b9FB7sjQ4sSzcKBBC8FB9wEPQ" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwuxrcUJZ8CRkKtAKmsrH29xyTiCi85VbHIAd2MDa9okmE0MvJbgYDEu7y-cJdqS71e4icMJmoqy-UEidI_Y31G-fWP6g2c7eWJHnu18BclG2s3eWz06WP60rSt6OWFnPO1Bh7uuAkNCQaUPj9LOhU8SYCb0GIqfJzYC3IQmOU0kPmObhfAy_iMNcymw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiwuxrcUJZ8CRkKtAKmsrH29xyTiCi85VbHIAd2MDa9okmE0MvJbgYDEu7y-cJdqS71e4icMJmoqy-UEidI_Y31G-fWP6g2c7eWJHnu18BclG2s3eWz06WP60rSt6OWFnPO1Bh7uuAkNCQaUPj9LOhU8SYCb0GIqfJzYC3IQmOU0kPmObhfAy_iMNcymw" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bonus was when we got to the second floor and the tour guide who talked about the musicians aboard the Titanic was a man who is visually impaired. He played some music for us, and then gave Victor a charge to try new things, to do everything he was created to do, and to not let his blindness stop him. On top of all of this, the museum allows families with a member with special needs to reserve a private tour 1/2 hour before the museum actually opens on Thursday mornings. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRBPWbMHljhFkd49y_ieeK8Va3mbXzuw-lo53F4B3CBHPNnhoWKN1wCAr16cS7GwixOZTGuYy3i7EZ1YwaoB66DLJWSyFDDMT4honcXfH1CusyyJww8-FW2z6Hc3zhg6erofSYvHjVBadskQN_3GVeaJFke7cexTXv_rdgWzpG2PsRWC93wrQM-ztWlg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhRBPWbMHljhFkd49y_ieeK8Va3mbXzuw-lo53F4B3CBHPNnhoWKN1wCAr16cS7GwixOZTGuYy3i7EZ1YwaoB66DLJWSyFDDMT4honcXfH1CusyyJww8-FW2z6Hc3zhg6erofSYvHjVBadskQN_3GVeaJFke7cexTXv_rdgWzpG2PsRWC93wrQM-ztWlg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what we did, and the quiet atmosphere with few distractions and a tour guide who got down on Victor's level and answered his many questions, made this a positive experience for everyone. So even though the Titanic Museum is probably only in Pigeon Forge for tourists like us willing to give them our money, I now join the many who recommended it to us. It's well worth it.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinvOlrkZxPqo1dR4Cf2EO_SwvgDZlTHydU0914o7XzFrT3l31_9ZmL10v1fT9-P0rq5lEm0viAEhX28-T7nLegCtxgpfMWSfck9XubsW3L3t6vzViibplYL_ealY7nNkStmnGFbt51JsjmFE6odIYfp7v5Xpk5dR9P_KwQtNqfZC2xasnEuSQ_eSrKPA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinvOlrkZxPqo1dR4Cf2EO_SwvgDZlTHydU0914o7XzFrT3l31_9ZmL10v1fT9-P0rq5lEm0viAEhX28-T7nLegCtxgpfMWSfck9XubsW3L3t6vzViibplYL_ealY7nNkStmnGFbt51JsjmFE6odIYfp7v5Xpk5dR9P_KwQtNqfZC2xasnEuSQ_eSrKPA" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUj7uw_NOjN8RGnwby6UjrQIggw93AB2Ohj8wdyOl1tFosCmCScJM3SfCmgv7xVawAclT07E2suBlWOTJKFupUNYnviqU9ox_P5Ao3sXgkLB3NmsbhdW0XP_tsfPDcGD5mLoSaw30AaEf-gcbagD5F0xr6Vos4b-TzJZpPymbdwIf9UFjbgJ6OFGI4cw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1368" data-original-width="2048" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUj7uw_NOjN8RGnwby6UjrQIggw93AB2Ohj8wdyOl1tFosCmCScJM3SfCmgv7xVawAclT07E2suBlWOTJKFupUNYnviqU9ox_P5Ao3sXgkLB3NmsbhdW0XP_tsfPDcGD5mLoSaw30AaEf-gcbagD5F0xr6Vos4b-TzJZpPymbdwIf9UFjbgJ6OFGI4cw" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-27448020550750854652022-07-19T08:50:00.010-04:002022-07-19T08:50:51.156-04:00Reason for vacation<p>Looking through our vacation photos, one might assume that we drove all the way to Tennessee to admire Luka for a week.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj60PO04D58hrgz1n76IHInsSWbT0I34lRey5mZpFn6bePZ4l4083nBt8SqCl_GoKTXiqIis65f_HZpQGson6YFip2s4XYS1VKgBb_tV9DoW1IG0ZQSI6XNnXsnrhF_e2Yoeq_cwsAUvjurJjLWBlq5DHZySXujOWZkoahnRkxYN5IM-BY5mERiz4W9sQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj60PO04D58hrgz1n76IHInsSWbT0I34lRey5mZpFn6bePZ4l4083nBt8SqCl_GoKTXiqIis65f_HZpQGson6YFip2s4XYS1VKgBb_tV9DoW1IG0ZQSI6XNnXsnrhF_e2Yoeq_cwsAUvjurJjLWBlq5DHZySXujOWZkoahnRkxYN5IM-BY5mERiz4W9sQ" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBRKFrnt4caEK8AtxRsZIEkEocig_9WD4JkbGvb1__PuKhETjG035I27UdivBn1fTsx1dI9hOgwHIA25NoBp7-RKgRfgCxA4RAdPN8HJydiBaFPT8D-ONp3azUrHRx4uJlmCiJ6ws2Vqd-ei9xn-Cv1R8U1At4tkQVv96VTlwfjCxgTUTGpczi9Sb3ww" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhBRKFrnt4caEK8AtxRsZIEkEocig_9WD4JkbGvb1__PuKhETjG035I27UdivBn1fTsx1dI9hOgwHIA25NoBp7-RKgRfgCxA4RAdPN8HJydiBaFPT8D-ONp3azUrHRx4uJlmCiJ6ws2Vqd-ei9xn-Cv1R8U1At4tkQVv96VTlwfjCxgTUTGpczi9Sb3ww" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwhJoAghWQ4YxO2TfCe6JSvCFo0L8Q-oKzWmh2YCgCGdHBmwu7vuklRszPgC7CkQ6jWYWgCt9N0gYxV4WDQMx8vPB9UApYf6gTceuVmh3JleuuUl_zcc4fR40yr7O3NxMT5e9or2ma12gIX9mVUZmkmTt0hKni4aR1UY9bGCShwme9FS1ke2r20sz0vg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhwhJoAghWQ4YxO2TfCe6JSvCFo0L8Q-oKzWmh2YCgCGdHBmwu7vuklRszPgC7CkQ6jWYWgCt9N0gYxV4WDQMx8vPB9UApYf6gTceuVmh3JleuuUl_zcc4fR40yr7O3NxMT5e9or2ma12gIX9mVUZmkmTt0hKni4aR1UY9bGCShwme9FS1ke2r20sz0vg" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7RnXXzD9AWFjIfXue1nfGAGjYIQU3ClpRluNtlFSWb-4V_b6srEjMlo7Ou4RiwvglHWd1_yLV2VPk4uKbYrkpDf-0MbGT-jfD4eOuZaQeZBSLJmHlVgaynHuNCTzTCG4dOdLhnBUE730k8GuFKSHs7N-8PCTlOPu5gYoUV3ovL3gy2LIupAfrbCEk7A" width="180" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-PnoIemesuaz7SBNnk7HpoSf3eNNfh8Zb0FnyYjE4C-4b0mnivn_h7oJMdTgnERyg9RtvbL76lVQRRZXaynbE6Ehmv13djpPdV_oxmJZm4egSbCpt0QJIzD-4mAwpFNwq-E18a46I-ohgfbasYfFAsLyk67QNw8aXX041l0Z4iXydOHW__4zErt8dkw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg-PnoIemesuaz7SBNnk7HpoSf3eNNfh8Zb0FnyYjE4C-4b0mnivn_h7oJMdTgnERyg9RtvbL76lVQRRZXaynbE6Ehmv13djpPdV_oxmJZm4egSbCpt0QJIzD-4mAwpFNwq-E18a46I-ohgfbasYfFAsLyk67QNw8aXX041l0Z4iXydOHW__4zErt8dkw" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheEymU-9IZN-eyLtoB8Dd6pwWIh9WEjeoHGoQ0LenekJgVvry8mMrjbbJtMV9yMS31Qi4wYmOUiWCbX8n2Jq9IGyNU8IHY9qY3n9_c_bQey89ayO207YLblHdrCXxWXPuWH7Hcwc5V9qvU7AhlBp1fW_mCky4xUwN9HLfhX0aPa6DeGHAmpD-UDrnq9w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheEymU-9IZN-eyLtoB8Dd6pwWIh9WEjeoHGoQ0LenekJgVvry8mMrjbbJtMV9yMS31Qi4wYmOUiWCbX8n2Jq9IGyNU8IHY9qY3n9_c_bQey89ayO207YLblHdrCXxWXPuWH7Hcwc5V9qvU7AhlBp1fW_mCky4xUwN9HLfhX0aPa6DeGHAmpD-UDrnq9w" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxXZjSVXc6-TdAFkdspMp2N04ZcH47iDrKGzgXMeMOLe2Jy271UYqhK6N0uTnUGHLHe9MBZLqZNpfYRkWrmZbszQHxrPwf0UVFrkN9WFn1DdIYf6lML2-4NJc3h-lykyrZL8iJYsKHQhte1QP8equhM7nAJjHQfEwRCmDpy8DdFcj_MDBLXCs3BXs41g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxXZjSVXc6-TdAFkdspMp2N04ZcH47iDrKGzgXMeMOLe2Jy271UYqhK6N0uTnUGHLHe9MBZLqZNpfYRkWrmZbszQHxrPwf0UVFrkN9WFn1DdIYf6lML2-4NJc3h-lykyrZL8iJYsKHQhte1QP8equhM7nAJjHQfEwRCmDpy8DdFcj_MDBLXCs3BXs41g" width="180" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-90819792779205556082022-07-03T07:41:00.002-04:002022-07-03T07:41:20.113-04:00Take me out to the ball game<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Growing up, my family benefitted from the Phillies season tickets that my dad’s company held and we enjoyed many games together. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7i44vB2SBkJA4ZBzZurFRhKudyTGdQONefbL2YgvLZl-Itstjq8Y4Gknk61WH3WgPc3vOGijcNBcUXGD1qlGHWjUNklmJMDPv0piBmCg8sEPDpWuqNOgbXFEGlFm1-ROtPrh7ZtUDEfdODMlSOR2PP1SJ7Kv0e5Ob__eCl9zzqaQiuEMeIizkO_brRA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi7i44vB2SBkJA4ZBzZurFRhKudyTGdQONefbL2YgvLZl-Itstjq8Y4Gknk61WH3WgPc3vOGijcNBcUXGD1qlGHWjUNklmJMDPv0piBmCg8sEPDpWuqNOgbXFEGlFm1-ROtPrh7ZtUDEfdODMlSOR2PP1SJ7Kv0e5Ob__eCl9zzqaQiuEMeIizkO_brRA" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I loved that we would always get hoagies and a soda from a local pizza shop to eat at the game. Both were special treats. I also remember many give-aways and fireworks nights. My brother chose the obvious Mike Schmidt as his favorite player which was fine since I always preferred the underdog. Greg Luzinski was my guy. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieOAQbpUmx56pG2tRgirpYBUeAKt5g-UnMNZB-bHX_4LTwj6hCJdy2kBsxFkIqN8T_V-4XJJk_o5HoJMu8IgC6swz8WZCP8uef2qTLvGmMd4AIruZeFe6K_XZIpa-su8PdHyXBBXBRX7katDWQBcRGZ6Ll1G3z1Xz1tqMDs-hZtkUXoqzJHpSFeSGlow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEieOAQbpUmx56pG2tRgirpYBUeAKt5g-UnMNZB-bHX_4LTwj6hCJdy2kBsxFkIqN8T_V-4XJJk_o5HoJMu8IgC6swz8WZCP8uef2qTLvGmMd4AIruZeFe6K_XZIpa-su8PdHyXBBXBRX7katDWQBcRGZ6Ll1G3z1Xz1tqMDs-hZtkUXoqzJHpSFeSGlow" width="180" /></a></div><br />I did not enjoy that we were always forced to nap the day of a game and that we had to dress up to attend. I also wasn’t really a fan of the actual game so, always the bookworm never the athlete, I saw the games as just a change of venue for my favorite past time. <p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj65pl92By8Ya5H7IFFYvL0GiXgi3lEofI4ebCDg9mvaBy9jUOuLk062vdsnxelNyeK1BbHfZRFhtKgKQgBH6PSVV5lm0VyvMnPQwHDRo1_JIb4gbD8Fkz7HfTv83PGE3WnnzLertVkqrgpuzFaT1iaSrakyTHbYlNEdndFmlQnqXNr1Nqp4ICxotYqDQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj65pl92By8Ya5H7IFFYvL0GiXgi3lEofI4ebCDg9mvaBy9jUOuLk062vdsnxelNyeK1BbHfZRFhtKgKQgBH6PSVV5lm0VyvMnPQwHDRo1_JIb4gbD8Fkz7HfTv83PGE3WnnzLertVkqrgpuzFaT1iaSrakyTHbYlNEdndFmlQnqXNr1Nqp4ICxotYqDQ" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our seats were behind home plate and foul balls were at times an issue. It was one such foul ball that ended my Veteran’s Stadium reading habit as it barreled my direction and hit the empty seat next to me. I cannot remember the last game I attended but I do know it was before the new stadium. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEge5yOw4P1JTPdUOsotreuZn3V-7ba1ll7EYFwk0uurOaNICMm0oo9Z9NlZf3yUAx9pNE8AwGk3qp4qjIIZSUFKTg6ZsIRncwYvV71OnVjRT-IfB8PZiHziCHcXaD7SUJHahPYO8hfdO4Bmz5mvy7FD-r3Pvn_2yRGtgT9_7bqEdBx3j5trQ6Cg_Yl_ZQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1560" data-original-width="1170" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEge5yOw4P1JTPdUOsotreuZn3V-7ba1ll7EYFwk0uurOaNICMm0oo9Z9NlZf3yUAx9pNE8AwGk3qp4qjIIZSUFKTg6ZsIRncwYvV71OnVjRT-IfB8PZiHziCHcXaD7SUJHahPYO8hfdO4Bmz5mvy7FD-r3Pvn_2yRGtgT9_7bqEdBx3j5trQ6Cg_Yl_ZQ" width="180" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So thank you, Michael, for not wanting a 60th birthday party so we could celebrate your 59 1/2 birthday at the game with you tonight. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq4sxYmXxMXZ6Z0HvflLtbpGUO0wkf9Eex0oSNSIdGAVkT2MDSpm8ZNU_a8wtVjxTNSf5jQXcVrai4-nwtWXXPwuuvzkYJzhLLRC4vdfsuAdwMPgzUW7_rCaLcv-ApxQyVj1Mgpv1T0NK4JcCrvqJStdzUvsqXC14KOtkO2e2OmBPlM6-S6suxSYqBGA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1422" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjq4sxYmXxMXZ6Z0HvflLtbpGUO0wkf9Eex0oSNSIdGAVkT2MDSpm8ZNU_a8wtVjxTNSf5jQXcVrai4-nwtWXXPwuuvzkYJzhLLRC4vdfsuAdwMPgzUW7_rCaLcv-ApxQyVj1Mgpv1T0NK4JcCrvqJStdzUvsqXC14KOtkO2e2OmBPlM6-S6suxSYqBGA" width="108" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And what a fun surprise to find Andrew and a friend were also in attendance and could be smuggled into our party section. And in case you were wondering? I left my book in the car.</span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9b3xnxAioCXQT-G7VIgkavNzeqrkFnRPgotjllfNstv4ToTmcVGpNtvbCdd_F2rs18rnCMYgLEZ1EnYONONEZRxTaOOPeROvNF_inKTZiTBvlHv1Fb2yiuUk2aQRosfdPWxY0RyGCvQbvAyL3SjBPfrwSTz5DQLvAZFmiq4KGUxKux8BwCDyrBKqkjA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi9b3xnxAioCXQT-G7VIgkavNzeqrkFnRPgotjllfNstv4ToTmcVGpNtvbCdd_F2rs18rnCMYgLEZ1EnYONONEZRxTaOOPeROvNF_inKTZiTBvlHv1Fb2yiuUk2aQRosfdPWxY0RyGCvQbvAyL3SjBPfrwSTz5DQLvAZFmiq4KGUxKux8BwCDyrBKqkjA" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-7528635397289451232022-06-26T13:10:00.008-04:002022-06-26T13:10:49.364-04:00Let me introduce you to June Fool's Day<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you know me, you know that I love April Fool's Day and I love me a good, clean, no-one-gets-hurt prank. God gave me the gift of my husband, mostly, I believe, because we not only complement each other in a variety of ways but so that I would have an unsuspecting target for many of these jokes and pranks. The Good Doctor is also a good sport and puts up with these shenanigans, but has never been able to pull one over on me. Until today...</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy_QBKztQBE7p7BXIyfC9dAkfb8ufWyzwmCOy0rT-n75f3TdCg7I-7HM3Mz86W8lWdNTj62xAoNTIpw4ezqOCsaB_lGvJUAHSxkAff-XY-9T8V0vIIwlhXUrnLbFkwbl-Fg6pnw2dcGcxIGFa6RKKWey7vNIkReoVmJtpcdHE9AzvY4Gy_Tjk9uRG6rQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjy_QBKztQBE7p7BXIyfC9dAkfb8ufWyzwmCOy0rT-n75f3TdCg7I-7HM3Mz86W8lWdNTj62xAoNTIpw4ezqOCsaB_lGvJUAHSxkAff-XY-9T8V0vIIwlhXUrnLbFkwbl-Fg6pnw2dcGcxIGFa6RKKWey7vNIkReoVmJtpcdHE9AzvY4Gy_Tjk9uRG6rQ" width="180" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You may have seen a viral video of a group of women who pranked their husbands by having them wear the same shirt to a church Valentine's Day banquet. I saw that and thought, "Oh, that'd be perfect, when should we do it...?" Someone else from church had posted it and I shared it. I took note of fellow McBICers who had liked or commented on those two posts. I contacted them and told them my plan to prank the fathers at McBIC for Father's Day. Then the next question, "Who else is in?" It was unanimous. So, those of us who had posted the video, took it down before too many people could see it and be suspicious later. </span><p></p><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;">Our first problem was that two of the families in that original group were going to be on vacation for Father's Day so we couldn't have the men wear the shirts that day. No problem, we just moved it to the following week, today. There were a myriad of ways to give the gift but one suggestion was to have the kids give the shirt to their dad on Father's Day afternoon so it would hopefully not be worn until the following Sunday. Since we were on vacation last week, and I didn't want the Good Doctor to wear it and risk not getting it washed by today, I told him that I had accidentally left it at home and I gave it to him when we returned yesterday.</span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;">The next problem was that as soon as some of us started to order the chosen shirt, we found that one of the sizes had low inventory. So we then started to tell people to choose one of two different green-ish colors, to be sure that there would be enough.</span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;">But the joke was on me when the Good Doctor inadvertently foiled my plans. He was asked to preach at another church this morning - and accepted the invitation. So the husband of the mastermind wasn't even at church for the big prank reveal. Whatever. He wore it anyway. I told him it looked good with his eyes and he couldn't resist. And it was still hilarious when the kids and I drove into the parking lot and immediately counted three green shirted men, and then another, and another... And then the Good Doctor returned home and showed me a picture of a lot of green shirted men from McBIC... A good laugh was had by all.</span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhj3S9_6gh4f5nSHmTdmAdgnzHms6t_8iLBn5BeszQaz63Ua1vquvVdeoIOjqIsEDLn_6UJ66DM7K30Ja-n7r9GuIfE4aVKR3GLukKQrMz7FQCXcJpqZNESYrvp-SOZU87b2J4fz9xZvTd_0CRi1S763KV2iW7-8IfJRapAE1gvCVdLa79J6Hy6uxqjQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1440" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjhj3S9_6gh4f5nSHmTdmAdgnzHms6t_8iLBn5BeszQaz63Ua1vquvVdeoIOjqIsEDLn_6UJ66DM7K30Ja-n7r9GuIfE4aVKR3GLukKQrMz7FQCXcJpqZNESYrvp-SOZU87b2J4fz9xZvTd_0CRi1S763KV2iW7-8IfJRapAE1gvCVdLa79J6Hy6uxqjQ" width="192" /></a></div><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">As penance he says he will now wear it to church every Sunday this summer. </span></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto"><span style="font-family: arial;">And I'm just thankful the sermon wasn't on lying.</span></div></div>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-70757011708878907752022-06-05T20:38:00.004-04:002022-06-05T20:39:45.651-04:00Victor-isms from the 9 year old<div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Victor to Isaac conspiratorially: I ordered a light saber on Alexa.</div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Isaac checks the family's Alexa account...</div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Isaac to Me: Ummm, Mom, did you order this?</div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I check the Amazon account and say to Isaac: <span style="font-family: inherit;">Nope. And I also did not order the $259 bouncy house.</span></div></div></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">********************************************************************</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I asked Victor if he could put some of his popcorn in a bowl for me. Apparently, this is my ration for the day.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqmU9hBijmWGi2TyJk7eubhjrwGklQQVCpqpIPwqTyJ3jgUL4o_Ek4H5eIPUpzdFm3jffXVWsNUSPLZVSvHHqCrXi9bbtsUgxHEvi_b5TyAyuV1HAO_J8pJU4jtCkqtlkcrmgvUT8stx0mKpCeOjMHvseL6Hf1u9h0GqMabv6A434ZBzrqAE8WEdGJ-A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjqmU9hBijmWGi2TyJk7eubhjrwGklQQVCpqpIPwqTyJ3jgUL4o_Ek4H5eIPUpzdFm3jffXVWsNUSPLZVSvHHqCrXi9bbtsUgxHEvi_b5TyAyuV1HAO_J8pJU4jtCkqtlkcrmgvUT8stx0mKpCeOjMHvseL6Hf1u9h0GqMabv6A434ZBzrqAE8WEdGJ-A" width="180" /></a></div><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">********************************************************************</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victor: After my chores, can you give me a job so I can earn money?</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Sure. You can vacuum the den for me.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victor: Okay! I'll turn on the Roomba.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: Ummmm...</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">********************************************************************</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">While holding Luka...</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">He should call me Uncle Vic because it makes me sound like an older man.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">********************************************************************</div><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Victor, while helping me hang out laundry…</span></p><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">V: Here’s my shirt.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: No, that’s my shirt.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">V:How do you know?</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: It says, “Wife, Mom, Boss.”</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">V: Why does it say that?</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me: You don’t think it’s true?</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">V: No. Dad’s the alpha male.</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">*******************************************************************</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And sometimes it's the vocabulary, coming from the mouth of a 9 year old, that makes you stand in wonder at what comes out of his mouth...</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"At school I stood on one foot until I started <i>teetering</i>."</div><div dir="auto" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Did you hear me just now when I <i>padded</i> into the room?"</div>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-62406334576480401822022-06-04T20:26:00.001-04:002022-06-05T20:27:38.615-04:00A day off for Jake<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy birthday, Jake! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitvtSMFyX3-ItJxCupOHCK1jkq25HyeiVj_n7ZXd4pKSEb6rewkiVi25B-ZivB8YXHu_ypEVxaFOtLGA3daFNcGHqqiw-4oM6Frc0KFj07QnFpHqioaFGhTGVc720D0AIrkvYlhdh2c_1GLVk_mSOsmsnMxQjqV_6h5Bi-CtIMgVW7C5frCFYh3CWQgg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="767" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEitvtSMFyX3-ItJxCupOHCK1jkq25HyeiVj_n7ZXd4pKSEb6rewkiVi25B-ZivB8YXHu_ypEVxaFOtLGA3daFNcGHqqiw-4oM6Frc0KFj07QnFpHqioaFGhTGVc720D0AIrkvYlhdh2c_1GLVk_mSOsmsnMxQjqV_6h5Bi-CtIMgVW7C5frCFYh3CWQgg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">We all knew Mariana had chosen well and watching you as she labored to bring your son into this world was proof of what we already knew. </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrQ1fdN_tTraghav7Xej6r77Qn-2PiIGl1nF-UcN9aiiG_hRmzyU-Hg2qtNBBzq2DUGjacOTnq21VEq17ZKJVnkAydaGjck5qp2S-iD4Mnx4tZB2Epv7g0b1HjQck1wFeJs4LQECoQsMUp-8dWzPgwozhW9ykr63DMD0FnnLg1nRskf6Ii4ZxLjqg3qw" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrQ1fdN_tTraghav7Xej6r77Qn-2PiIGl1nF-UcN9aiiG_hRmzyU-Hg2qtNBBzq2DUGjacOTnq21VEq17ZKJVnkAydaGjck5qp2S-iD4Mnx4tZB2Epv7g0b1HjQck1wFeJs4LQECoQsMUp-8dWzPgwozhW9ykr63DMD0FnnLg1nRskf6Ii4ZxLjqg3qw" width="160" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How nice of your birthday to fall on a weekend this year so you could spend the whole day with your little family. Enjoy!</span></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-4522466454346293532022-06-02T09:48:00.005-04:002022-06-02T09:48:59.614-04:00June 1, cont'd.<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">June 1 is also an anniversary in our family, so Happy Anniversary, Jesse and Megan! I am so thankful for your commitment to family, for the laughs at Family Night, for the ways in which you love your students. I love how you have faced each new school year, with classroom and responsibility changes, with positive attitudes and a desire to do your best in whatever the circumstances. I love how you continue to work through adversity together, supporting each other. My prayer for my married children is always that their relationship will be a testimony to others and that is true of yours. This next year should be full of the memories that come with a new home. Enjoy!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinxAbxyJQ_POmpvfJTmw372Htno2w4b1MNxOIMYTWcMSSJHd6VVQ0dUucggh28G5WuM9z1Xl2b55HIBYVC1wCHCCvn0t2jVyVh4x3bp41YvGOzE-8Ik7mE5K6XILFXsx5D4w3saliCJHNEgYvJX3uDyT57gxU8xqyW1aziTgy1NhmQ79U4K8ul9uYc6A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEinxAbxyJQ_POmpvfJTmw372Htno2w4b1MNxOIMYTWcMSSJHd6VVQ0dUucggh28G5WuM9z1Xl2b55HIBYVC1wCHCCvn0t2jVyVh4x3bp41YvGOzE-8Ik7mE5K6XILFXsx5D4w3saliCJHNEgYvJX3uDyT57gxU8xqyW1aziTgy1NhmQ79U4K8ul9uYc6A" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-67230859173912453712022-06-01T17:00:00.012-04:002022-06-02T09:51:52.378-04:00June 1<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">16 years ago today I wasn't there when this beautiful young woman entered the world, but I clearly remember the day 5 days later when we got the phone call. All five children were huddled around me, wondering if this was "the call," and it was! </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2PfwtyKx_4R8Cprfu-Zbuku__7mCjnujEehYvV9S6h4LTsKvoSguGM5yyH5ua495ywIXhaWFoOL9Rbc5uYFF1Bucn2_4A0F8KAL8RFjPcLtMZhT3tSl88f0Fo-ter1NLPzgX22G5uo-18CxIoWrsA68ioJ22TEZ6LB3GhrJQ6-cMAZLQZaTekJvPVEA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="900" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj2PfwtyKx_4R8Cprfu-Zbuku__7mCjnujEehYvV9S6h4LTsKvoSguGM5yyH5ua495ywIXhaWFoOL9Rbc5uYFF1Bucn2_4A0F8KAL8RFjPcLtMZhT3tSl88f0Fo-ter1NLPzgX22G5uo-18CxIoWrsA68ioJ22TEZ6LB3GhrJQ6-cMAZLQZaTekJvPVEA" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">HopeAnne Aundrea King, you were beautiful then with a smile that lit up every room. You are beautiful now, still with a beautiful smile, but also with a compassionate, caring heart that aims to encourage and uplift friends and strangers alike. Your hard work and perseverance, even when it's tough, are unrivaled in someone your age. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCyOgGcqhwYtl0IwePnlEvEDW-cWzkjunYN11ie68yz693BLRG6GCDoroSoj48rZlCV3coCBK9YD0fUB_ARIqSWhbdJkT1XnQpmjrtThqVBeDwxlPbvtxhoIpQY1otkcILF5JQPeGQ9ooRhqlRA--_Ewj_7Kni9gwhN7U7PbgSUlMklPQBLgUtITNCrg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCyOgGcqhwYtl0IwePnlEvEDW-cWzkjunYN11ie68yz693BLRG6GCDoroSoj48rZlCV3coCBK9YD0fUB_ARIqSWhbdJkT1XnQpmjrtThqVBeDwxlPbvtxhoIpQY1otkcILF5JQPeGQ9ooRhqlRA--_Ewj_7Kni9gwhN7U7PbgSUlMklPQBLgUtITNCrg" width="180" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Year 15 was a rough year struggling with anemia and a stress fracture, but the best stories always have conflict, and conflict is what produces character change. God always writes the best stories and I'm so glad He put us together in this one! Happy 16!</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghy4WVzCnMTOV8-JBPknLKM7jblwR9IOBmDyDFYt1FVkErxWzoAT0GxL87GhfDi9qLjoGSolMOVqQt1ZzQhnrcuBeMWuWV4qbkqnKau9g3NWQR3XwFGezAVhuqH_sXVthZ6_yoLpStuCB00USNkRyHWUijO1JQSKA2AeIA9R_v59MH0LlI7Ib6BJ6W4g" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghy4WVzCnMTOV8-JBPknLKM7jblwR9IOBmDyDFYt1FVkErxWzoAT0GxL87GhfDi9qLjoGSolMOVqQt1ZzQhnrcuBeMWuWV4qbkqnKau9g3NWQR3XwFGezAVhuqH_sXVthZ6_yoLpStuCB00USNkRyHWUijO1JQSKA2AeIA9R_v59MH0LlI7Ib6BJ6W4g" width="180" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-82897709787669052122022-05-31T19:00:00.018-04:002022-06-02T09:55:53.158-04:005 generations<p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The blessing of celebrating my grandmother's 101st birthday yesterday, and taking 5 generation photos with her today is a gift that we cherish with overwhelming gratitude. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3TmhsBRblpikm0Z81IU0zfA7UAtf5JtOFcj830LqA4EUGBKJAjcwjj-UnZRcjRT-2tLU3WWHNoBSDIOZIaAssocNCZlnV_cNTIRCho796z_QiAmcgCsC6wSSX3jkI9ykKPoatPo7F16BMNC-LW2IXXJht1gfa7SsB-GsIu1Z72uSuUMBNsUaNVLkkg/s2048/IMG_2290-X4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl3TmhsBRblpikm0Z81IU0zfA7UAtf5JtOFcj830LqA4EUGBKJAjcwjj-UnZRcjRT-2tLU3WWHNoBSDIOZIaAssocNCZlnV_cNTIRCho796z_QiAmcgCsC6wSSX3jkI9ykKPoatPo7F16BMNC-LW2IXXJht1gfa7SsB-GsIu1Z72uSuUMBNsUaNVLkkg/s320/IMG_2290-X4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seeing her 14th great great grandchild gave her immense joy and a short reprieve from some of the challenges that plague her at this stage of her life. </span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GW38iPJXWr4YnyaXH2b5cyjtj_PVn24EJFDzcuRJTARlsTPCku1al5mBsVOqomTwhIGcKm8vVbFoOF8TAm1i_MsqOOiG4hBUTiYlfw4piEpJtXYQOseT3wqtE5RCGbm6jgxrZbAQOhuz0c2j2Owywz6qR22RRkeq5QUrTx5BaZupA35AsjyHKsCFQQ/s1200/IMG_2299-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GW38iPJXWr4YnyaXH2b5cyjtj_PVn24EJFDzcuRJTARlsTPCku1al5mBsVOqomTwhIGcKm8vVbFoOF8TAm1i_MsqOOiG4hBUTiYlfw4piEpJtXYQOseT3wqtE5RCGbm6jgxrZbAQOhuz0c2j2Owywz6qR22RRkeq5QUrTx5BaZupA35AsjyHKsCFQQ/s320/IMG_2299-X3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">She even remembered to check out his ears, as she has always done with every single baby introduced to her through the years, and Grandmom gave her seal of approval to Luka's set.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNhHw7-zQYFdFicYZjXx0E0Owe0l7qsccQ5as_tNQ07ZPwIWzLAybaY6_hqcTA1FdNwGRwUhQVLQsSomrK9m9EBBEa05oIuBwbsvn2AdlEBjoVXXVKHAUUrKP2KQ_QR-Y6HWW6LGNPwuDGdS9GNrWYTpYWwGuylwwc_8q_jLajh3FZA9Wx5tmn2Jtkw/s1200/IMG_2308-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNhHw7-zQYFdFicYZjXx0E0Owe0l7qsccQ5as_tNQ07ZPwIWzLAybaY6_hqcTA1FdNwGRwUhQVLQsSomrK9m9EBBEa05oIuBwbsvn2AdlEBjoVXXVKHAUUrKP2KQ_QR-Y6HWW6LGNPwuDGdS9GNrWYTpYWwGuylwwc_8q_jLajh3FZA9Wx5tmn2Jtkw/s320/IMG_2308-X3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hgvhIbMEpa3teS4rPpky0ErpeA7v9qGBLdwv22nET2qJJ0vPYi1TkMps9Aj4cP_vfA6yALjK8U6cK9P0Qxrd2IjGMNQz9xkeKA_WWbZPm6QT9k52_USKD_vyUyP7yLeh7ZEQb9JK-QQNIdE6LLj8Lcbh84nQEkZnxR5N2CvoZ3vug1pyTdpDRnfvVQ/s1200/IMG_2320-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_hgvhIbMEpa3teS4rPpky0ErpeA7v9qGBLdwv22nET2qJJ0vPYi1TkMps9Aj4cP_vfA6yALjK8U6cK9P0Qxrd2IjGMNQz9xkeKA_WWbZPm6QT9k52_USKD_vyUyP7yLeh7ZEQb9JK-QQNIdE6LLj8Lcbh84nQEkZnxR5N2CvoZ3vug1pyTdpDRnfvVQ/s320/IMG_2320-X3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-52318887975766189642022-05-23T06:00:00.016-04:002022-05-24T09:22:01.500-04:00Almost birthday buddies<div class="kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I always write a post when it is my child's birthday. It might just be "Happy Birthday!" and a picture or two. It might be more, but I'm really not into sap or sentimentality. It might be in the morning and it might need to wait until the end of the day for me to find the time. I even have to admit to not getting around to it until the next day once or twice or maybe more. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Mariana's 24th birthday was on Saturday and I had a post all ready to go. Until somebody messed up that post by deciding to wait another 24 hours to appear.</div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">When I first got the call on Friday morning that it was time to head east for a delivery, I thought that I had mistakenly set my phone to a school day wake up. But when I rolled over to turn off the alarm, I realized that it was Mariana and Jake calling, not an alarm. When I arrived, we talked about the possibility of a Birthday Buddy for Mariana, assuming that this first baby would take a long time to arrive, and giving him two days to make the journey.</div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Well, we were right about "a long time" but we were so wrong about the day! Mariana and Jake soldiered through at home and then at the birthing center. It was a joy to watch the two of them in this miraculous process of bringing my grandson into this world. Mariana was so in tune with her body, Jake was so in tune with her, and I assisted as needed. I think we made a great team! </div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">As Friday turned into Saturday and Saturday turned into Sunday, it was difficult to watch their discouragement and exhaustion, but they hung in there. We had some tense moments when it looked like they might be sent to the hospital, but God intervened each time and allowed them the birth they had desired (minus the length!). </div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">At 11:34PM last night, I wondered if we were going to see another day arrive before the little guy, but he finally took that eviction notice seriously, and entered this world at 11:47PM on 5-22-22. His mom forevermore can tell him that he owes her some pretty awesome birthday gifts to make up for the one where he refused to cooperate.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjG34f3xgWVKENkH6GtNyQq2Lg9j9W7n5mmIoI1W-LpUQ9u4mpLhOHLQc5noHQTCL5_8JCmh7yt2wAcrJe3WiSqLE6sk8XWXHjqe9wAMsAuuNdi_WHViL_ot6FJkeM689UmflCob3IZ91ENKbrGlZz2nsTD3fSryQusCYedGmYX8MX9GPpZssjEMExqg/s2048/IMG_2168-X4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjG34f3xgWVKENkH6GtNyQq2Lg9j9W7n5mmIoI1W-LpUQ9u4mpLhOHLQc5noHQTCL5_8JCmh7yt2wAcrJe3WiSqLE6sk8XWXHjqe9wAMsAuuNdi_WHViL_ot6FJkeM689UmflCob3IZ91ENKbrGlZz2nsTD3fSryQusCYedGmYX8MX9GPpZssjEMExqg/s320/IMG_2168-X4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Mariana Christine, you gave me great joy the day you were born, and another kind of joy the day (okay, three days) you and Jake allowed me to join you in this most miraculous of journeys.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnqv9OjRXTXINxc_8V46Fs__Ha9cEGFMrF-KVVX1qqTueWZe7Iwce89dum6cj-i34At9d-qxBE--vAjH0dhyxCQmt1z4YEMn7Da3ZogQRLueaAw-lbycoIe9a_XjjltIqUOLsbQByM9_Be2lDYqHqJGtH2OZXG7ZoM1JEVF0h0aydPF1xHUAuABbc4Q/s1200/IMG_2196-X3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnqv9OjRXTXINxc_8V46Fs__Ha9cEGFMrF-KVVX1qqTueWZe7Iwce89dum6cj-i34At9d-qxBE--vAjH0dhyxCQmt1z4YEMn7Da3ZogQRLueaAw-lbycoIe9a_XjjltIqUOLsbQByM9_Be2lDYqHqJGtH2OZXG7ZoM1JEVF0h0aydPF1xHUAuABbc4Q/s320/IMG_2196-X3.jpg" width="213" /></a></div></div><div class="cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x c1et5uql o9v6fnle ii04i59q" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Luka Joseph, you are so welcome and loved already. You have great parents, an army of extended family members, and an awesome cloud of witnesses to love you, to shepherd you, to teach you about your Savior, and to watch you grow in favor with God and man. Thank you for the joy and honor of witnessing your three-day journey, and celebrating this day with the three of you.</div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CO0q0Ddf6EmR6xZHUQmspJwEcihCpQk8Ds6XmjlAO7b4r1dcnORzANFO6jWaN9C_5cboQv92NMwOGFEyQJIZe7Bepzn239f4nm8CCXrfGxi9Mh-7MOZJwfVpnoXuCdWV_ujqUraa9naxx5mi21v_swzx79vYRuSGfg36z0oQ99uRG5INi293EO9Eyw/s2048/IMG_2207-X4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-CO0q0Ddf6EmR6xZHUQmspJwEcihCpQk8Ds6XmjlAO7b4r1dcnORzANFO6jWaN9C_5cboQv92NMwOGFEyQJIZe7Bepzn239f4nm8CCXrfGxi9Mh-7MOZJwfVpnoXuCdWV_ujqUraa9naxx5mi21v_swzx79vYRuSGfg36z0oQ99uRG5INi293EO9Eyw/s320/IMG_2207-X4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy_JwxX3FkUCkizKKuajnUkXcycCBwsMzq6bfHojyVDIe1fvbWRMwcS8CHWDtflJGB0IoiN81yijSeecy_9AeD4-k5NO5QagrFeLq7BQaogykQKnIKlIwX6Z4M4yH0-IuN5dOlQhOcPQnu0fHiP-2p4suVDF7PWdqzSM6hwXVb-_OUXL2kLfyPttqQg/s600/280569665_738251630534215_675673700134222796_n-L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="451" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZy_JwxX3FkUCkizKKuajnUkXcycCBwsMzq6bfHojyVDIe1fvbWRMwcS8CHWDtflJGB0IoiN81yijSeecy_9AeD4-k5NO5QagrFeLq7BQaogykQKnIKlIwX6Z4M4yH0-IuN5dOlQhOcPQnu0fHiP-2p4suVDF7PWdqzSM6hwXVb-_OUXL2kLfyPttqQg/s320/280569665_738251630534215_675673700134222796_n-L.jpg" width="241" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Team Baby Kurtz</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Go Team!</div><br />Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-20737364238655392912022-05-18T12:47:00.076-04:002022-05-20T11:32:09.018-04:00Welcome Charlie<p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">In my classroom, we start the day with devotions, prayer requests and praises. We get a lot of requests to pray for pets. "It's my dog's birthday," or "My cat is sick," or even, "My pet has to be put to sleep." During my prayer time, then, I often say something like, "God, thank you that you care about everything that we care about, including our pets."</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then God reminded me that those aren't actually words, they're true.</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">HopeAnne and I thought another dog would be nice. We went to a "speed dating" thingie at a pet store. We were allowed to choose 6 dogs, all of which we'd have 10 minutes with, one at a time. We fell in love with one little guy, although he was a puppy and I really didn't want a puppy. </span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Understandably, we had to have a meet-and-greet with our dog before we could take Leo home. Things didn't go well from the get-go. Lucy isn't a fan of the car so she was nervous as soon as we started. We had to drive 30 minutes to get there. The parking lot was full of cards which spooked her. It was cold and they made us wait outside a good 10 minutes before they were ready for us. Lucy wasn't having it. She wouldn't even look at Leo. We were all freezing and not happy. They let us go inside and Lucy still wasn't interested. If Leo approached, she'd snarl. Not a good first impression. Since we knew that she has done well with other dogs at the sitters', we didn't know what had happened. We went home, defeated.</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">HopeAnne was not happy. I continued praying that the right dog would come along and that Lucy would be civil the next time. We had some pretty specific requests: Not a puppy, less than 40 pounds, and not too long-haired. I applied to every rescue I could find. And waited. I finally got a call from an SPCA 30 minutes in the opposite direction from the pet shop. Would we be interested in foster-to-adopt with a little guy, presumed to be around 7, that had been found as a stray?</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIX2OF6Wr3SbbtxqkDzLCq8eNWjk0MJpdaurUp-Y7DmV9AZ2J0GEfMnDJn-_oiAyiNaZgBehb7Gt0F93MT9c7cy-R2ZuYZ7Dy46ItCW0-ZAJtZYtxFsL_ngdMlnPLEHBErRirplqGws8ikhf0fYODWp83b_QW3V08v8k5Bf4OnqCf7BLCMpPBEy1d_Q/s960/275395252_1175936883212105_3779400682999977388_n-X2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIX2OF6Wr3SbbtxqkDzLCq8eNWjk0MJpdaurUp-Y7DmV9AZ2J0GEfMnDJn-_oiAyiNaZgBehb7Gt0F93MT9c7cy-R2ZuYZ7Dy46ItCW0-ZAJtZYtxFsL_ngdMlnPLEHBErRirplqGws8ikhf0fYODWp83b_QW3V08v8k5Bf4OnqCf7BLCMpPBEy1d_Q/s320/275395252_1175936883212105_3779400682999977388_n-X2.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I explained again the situation with the last meet-and-greet. She asked, "They didn't give you any other options? A lot of dogs would be stressed in that situation. You really should do this at your own home, over a long period of time." That's what I said about the first fiasco!</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjwbR0onYS0K24MdB9zZV_76_tOVcfnE3IVlRq1ap9D5A0fwWMdmufYjzO5qJowb0DVLQCzCNBMpH2_UqEvk_Vk6FE0S86gdlCENIAFL_H8RtVFp9COTzxHvcACZnNnocxBZmFhJ-wK_sht0Dy_rAoXENpnz2sms2LHD4ZQQmnDJ5g7NP0b9EIeXVJw/s960/274736886_1026603767933671_4028436953145186122_n-X2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="721" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFjwbR0onYS0K24MdB9zZV_76_tOVcfnE3IVlRq1ap9D5A0fwWMdmufYjzO5qJowb0DVLQCzCNBMpH2_UqEvk_Vk6FE0S86gdlCENIAFL_H8RtVFp9COTzxHvcACZnNnocxBZmFhJ-wK_sht0Dy_rAoXENpnz2sms2LHD4ZQQmnDJ5g7NP0b9EIeXVJw/s320/274736886_1026603767933671_4028436953145186122_n-X2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And this time it worked. Lucy and Charlie (in keeping with the Peanuts theme started by Linus in 2010) get along like a charm.</span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUy7kxQiUZCt3yCisr5ZYwATjUXC1Mn_Lti4jFCjEUe-dcjLK6ujAnNgu3UrKtktqpCVjncZu22zfyaIWyJc_zmQ_ecCXnoMqwLOD2IZKVMm97Lh0Yz0f51xrk9qdu7oJ3K33P8dANV6OvTC5XN17QGLzmDmvyV9JQX4SrsqHcvyZcuzT0j4IcH6y_A/s960/277437848_1039273943330633_595471542662339917_n-X2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUy7kxQiUZCt3yCisr5ZYwATjUXC1Mn_Lti4jFCjEUe-dcjLK6ujAnNgu3UrKtktqpCVjncZu22zfyaIWyJc_zmQ_ecCXnoMqwLOD2IZKVMm97Lh0Yz0f51xrk9qdu7oJ3K33P8dANV6OvTC5XN17QGLzmDmvyV9JQX4SrsqHcvyZcuzT0j4IcH6y_A/s320/277437848_1039273943330633_595471542662339917_n-X2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And yes, God does care about the things that we care about. Even our pets.</span></p><p><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU32jMpVk51pwqlfOc_lg4gQixQFaXhPt3alHUYsxYln3IkTLbB7IfZQMgyTSLdAyYCt9l_AFCmVJWUXJnJm6P1u5samgeeZoWR00kBTX0RxlQLXUkaeecdGTfVbtGgjHyvXfe-2FrNm7nkbezbg-JIWROtpCLeQxvodBFdx6vHZu15PBbnl8A5cgqBA/s960/275520689_376994560678470_8293364814322940174_n-X2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU32jMpVk51pwqlfOc_lg4gQixQFaXhPt3alHUYsxYln3IkTLbB7IfZQMgyTSLdAyYCt9l_AFCmVJWUXJnJm6P1u5samgeeZoWR00kBTX0RxlQLXUkaeecdGTfVbtGgjHyvXfe-2FrNm7nkbezbg-JIWROtpCLeQxvodBFdx6vHZu15PBbnl8A5cgqBA/s320/275520689_376994560678470_8293364814322940174_n-X2.jpg" width="240" /></a></span></div><span face="system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">As my son-in-law once said, "You always have to be rescuing something, don't you?" </span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So welcome to the family, Charlie Chalupa King (so named in keeping with the Peanuts theme but with an option for Victor to call him Chewy (short for Chalupa, of course) since he was very upset that we didn't go with any of his many Star Wars suggestions. I think he called him Chewy for all of one day, but at least we are all happy now.</span></p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2338504342324155369.post-29611310364876124192022-05-17T10:17:00.004-04:002022-05-17T10:17:39.643-04:00Trust<p>Victor is known for his questions. 2,461 questions every single day. He can ask more questions in a minute than the number of breaths most people take in that same amount of time. These questions can range from needing more information about an everyday object that we can see but he can't, to your opinion on some random Star Wars trivia, to personal and private information that one would never tell another soul, let alone a 9 year old with no sense of personal boundaries.</p><p>So I should not have been surprised when Victor's out-of-the-blue question while we were running errands the other day was, "Mom, do you have anything that you need to work on?" </p><p>I guess he thought he was the only one with issues.</p><p>I used to tell my kids that we all have issues and some of us have a full subscription, but since no one has magazine subscriptions anymore, the younger half of the King crowd just looks at me blankly when I say that.</p><p>I told him that yes, I have plenty of issues that I need to work on. I should have known the next question.</p><p>"Like what?"</p><p>To his credit, he seemed genuinely surprised that I would have issues. I must be doing something right if there is at least a part of him that thinks I don't have any room for improvement. During a good moment, of course. Any other time, I'm the worst human being around.</p><p>So I listed a few things that I thought would be safe in his head, knowing that these statements could easily be spouted off to random strangers when I least expect it, and when he is upset that I didn't allow him to do something he wanted to do.</p><p>And then I said, "And I need to trust God more."</p><p>Again, he was shocked. He responded, "But I thought you are very good at that."</p><p>"I'm honored that you think I'm doing a good job in that department, and it is true that I've come a long way from panic attacks and oppressive anxiety. However, Buddy, this is a lifelong journey of learning to trust God for everything, the little things and the big ones."</p><p>I refrained from adding, "And I'm pretty sure you are God's gift to me, to teach me that which I lack in the area of trust."</p><p style="text-align: center;">Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6</p>Cindyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02849551351155519101noreply@blogger.com0