whispers and shouts

Have you ever been in a place in your life when you feel like you are processing, learning, growing, struggling, wondering...about just about EVERYTHING? There are so many things going on in my heart right now, and I feel like I just want to have SOMETHING feel stable and secure. I'm in my 4th month now as the Associate Children's Pastor at Vanguard. Talk about lots of learning and stretching going on! Learning how to lead people and develop them as leaders. Developing tons of new things in the ministry. Exciting, but, man, it feels like I'll never catch my breath! I am on the verge of having 4 teenagers, and I am having to learn how to parent them all over again. The emotional parenting we are entering is so much more exhausting to me than the more physical parenting of the early years. Never thought that could be possible, but, let me tell you, it IS! (Sorry to burst the bubble of all the MOPS mammas out there...). My husband turns 40 tomorrow (gulp), and we are entering a new stage in our marriage. It's a really good thing, but feels unpredictable and different. Friendships are growing and shrinking all around me. I feel guilty for not maintaining friendships better, but also feel relief to not have to invest so much. Then I feel bad for feeling that way.

And then there's God. In the midst of it all, He is there...whispering, shouting, jumping up and down and waving His arms, trying desperately to get my attention. Sometimes I hear His quiet whisper, and am so refreshed by His gentle touch. Othertimes I FINALLY see Him, hear Him, FINALLY get the message. And my heart breaks that it took so much. That I didn't hear His first whisper. And I am filled with thankfulness that He is faithful and patient, and that He doesn't give up on me. If He has to jump up and down, waving His arms, He will. And He loves me the same as when I respond to His whisper.

That's just the way He is.

Happy Adoption Day, Cousin Levi!

We love you so much and are soooo very thankful that God saw fit to put you in our family! You are a silly, silly boy, and we are so blessed!

Friday Flashback

Soft cheeks.

Chubby hands.

Belly laughs.

Sweet smelling hair.

Sometimes I really miss this little girl.

I love the conversations with my big girl. I love the friends we are becoming. I love knowing who she is and getting glimpses of who she is becoming.

But...

sometimes I really miss this little girl...


miss you, baby girl.

owie

In Nate's own words..."Never play Bloody Knuckles with the pavement. You lose every time."

tis the season

Why, oh why, does the sight of this cup make my heart so happy? Eggnog latte, gingerbread latte, peppermint mocha. Bliss.

washington, d.c.

We've been back from DC for a couple weeks now, and I am just now getting around to blogging. Coming back from vacation can make you wonder if the vacation was really worth it! So much catch up! But, there is no doubt that this trip was absolutely worth it! We had a great time with friends and family, and loved ALL the history we were able to see and experience.

Our trip began on Oct. 9. We flew to DC where we met up with our good friends, the Straits. We spent the next 5 days walking, walking, and walking all over DC! We toured the Holocaust Museum (sooo hard! But they did an amazing job with this museum. We all learned so much), Arlington Cemetery, the White House, Natural History Museum, National Zoo, Air and Space Museum, National Archives, nearly all the memorials, lots of great food, laughter, and goofiness!

Here are a sampling of the hundreds of pictures we took. They aren't in order, but give you a feel of our time together. On Wednesday, we parted ways with the Straits and headed to North Carolina to visit Bob's brother and his family. Pictures from there to come...

Vietnam Memorial

Walking...

BEAUTIFUL colors!
The fam at the Lincoln Memorial

Connecting with the past...Caleb at the Korean War Memorial

Taking in the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool

More walking...

World War II Memorial

At Ford's Theater where Abe Lincoln was shot

The whole troupe before going to the top of the Washington Monument (so fun!)

Visiting Arlington Cemetery

Taking a break at the Lincoln Memorial

Enjoying a beautiful day at the National Zoo

Friday Flashback

Estes Park, Colorado, October 2002

my day

Take N and C to school - 12 minute drive; home again

Take M and M to school - 10 minute drive; home again

M and M half day, picked them up at noon; home again

Parent/Teacher conferences, back to M and M school; home again

Pick N and C up from school; home again

Take N and C to football practice; home again

Take M to football practice; home again

Pick up M and N and C from football practices; home again

Take N and C to varsity football game; home again

Pick up N and C from varsity football game; home again

GO TO BED

(Then get up to take M to his football game at 8 a.m.)

poncho mama

Conversation at dinner tonight...

Micah: When's mom gonna be a poncho?

Me: What???

Micah: When are you going to be a poncho?

Me: What in the world are you talking about?

Micah: You said Pastor Kelly is the Head Poncho. When are you going to be a poncho??

drama queen

Maddie has decided that theater is her true love. She has had opportunity over the last couple of years to dabble in acting here and there, but last spring she auditioned for a role in Resurrection, an Easter musical put on at another church in town. This was her first real taste of rehearsals with a cast, costumes, stage makeup, the whole shebang. Well, it appears there is no turning back now. She absolutely loved every minute of it! Our church is putting on a big family Christmas production in December, and Maddie and Micah both auditioned a couple weeks ago. Thankfully, they both got parts, and are both super excited! For the audition, they had to do a 1-2 minute monologue in front of 3 directors. Talk about intimidating! But they did great. I had to record Maddie's audition piece to share it with everyone. Enjoy...

PLEASE VOTE

OK, people. I need your help. My wonderful mom owns a women's consignment store in Parker, CO (the BEST around!) and she is up for one of the favorite local businesses. PLEASE take 5 minutes to cast a vote for her (even if you have never been to the store...and if you have been, you know it's the BEST!). This is GREAT free advertising that would help her business tremendously!

This is the last week for voting for Channel 7’s A-List of favorite local businesses. The voting is now ‘silent,’ meaning that you can’t see the standings until the voting is ended on September 19th. This is the time that really counts, when the push has to happen to get Cotton Kloset to the top of the Vintage and Resale list.

Click here to vote for COTTON KOSET. Thank you! :)

Friday Flashback

Haven't done this in a while... Pictures from eight years ago, just a few days after 9/11. Beautiful Colorado fall day. I have really been missing the days when my kids were this age. I think I need a niece and nephew fix...

weekend away,

Bob and I are enjoying a weekend in the mountains to celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary (a month late). We are having a great time in Frisco and surrounding area. We arrived on Thursday afternoon, walked along Main Street and had dinner at a great restaurant. On Friday, we had breakfast at our B&B, then headed out for a 27-mile bike ride to Keystone. My rear end protested a bit, but I'm feeling good today! Came back for a nap before heading out for a drive and a visit to a coffee shop. Our good friends Steve and Ellen joined us last night. We are so blessed to have another couple to share this journey of life with! We all get along great, which is a rare blessing, and we even laugh until we pee our pants (well, Ellen and I do. The guys just kind of look at us funny...). More on Steve and Ellen later. Today, we strolled the streets of Breckenridge and ate lunch at Bubba Gump's. Mmmmmm. Now, this is vacation!

1st day of school, part 2

After two weeks of being home while all the other kids in the neighborhood, at church, and in our home were at school, Micah and Maddie finally started school today. I am always very sad to see the summer come to an end, but today was a little different. It was so hard having two kids in school while two were still on summer vacation. I couldn't get into any kind of rhythm at all. It is so nice to be starting back into a regular routine, for all of us! But while it was nice to drop all four off today, it is bittersweet. Each new 1st Day of School makes my kids a whole grade older. As fun as it is to watch them grow up and experience new things, I am not ready for them to be "grown." I know I still have a few more years before that happens, but their childhood is beginning to feel fleeting. I don't like that. I wish I could hold on to these years somehow, so I can come back for a visit now and then. I know I can only visit through pictures and memories, though, so I am trying to soak it all in...

whitewater

I neglected to post pictures from the "guys adventure trip" back in June. While Maddie and I were in Vegas for a week, Bob and the boys took off for some camping fun. They went hiking, biking, rock climbing, and, the highlight of the trip, whitewater rafting! Needless to say, they all loved it! Here are some pics of their adventure...