tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-187337632024-03-13T01:16:03.673-04:00Nitty.Gritty.ABOUT THIS BLOG-
You have stumbled upon a link to the daily musings of my crazy life. I say crazy because things happen to me that probably don't happen to you that often- or even ever. I will write candidly about these events in hopes to learn from them, teach you about them, or just to document that they actually happened. It could be anything...but I promise to keep it real!Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.comBlogger1249125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-26946326771227143762016-09-15T09:29:00.001-04:002016-09-16T13:17:44.779-04:00Losing Teagan~ A story of tragedy, forgiveness and Hope by Patty Thompson<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The photograph said it all: it had been a great Fourth of July. The picture was snapped as John "Chip" and Jody Ferlaak of Gaylord, Mich., and their kids waited for the fireworks to begin. Wyndham, six months, was nestled in her mother's arms, two-year-old Brock proudly wore a U.S. flag on his shirt, and big sister Teagan, age four, sat on Daddy's lap. Teagan, a charmer with tousled blonde hair and a winsome smile, impishly points at the person behind the camera. The family looks healthy. Happy. Carefree.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7agBejZB09JFG4AplyRrH3EjQ3c2_biYsPXTjwas8ZrHD9thVaLgnw1gYgvnHEDDRV8vGJ6PtVWMFx4rqVtbddEaJPdT9WoP_cQGzuoTfLWvPWdyOxDODpm6vnRQgUIwaEnN/s1600/daddyteaganhug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7agBejZB09JFG4AplyRrH3EjQ3c2_biYsPXTjwas8ZrHD9thVaLgnw1gYgvnHEDDRV8vGJ6PtVWMFx4rqVtbddEaJPdT9WoP_cQGzuoTfLWvPWdyOxDODpm6vnRQgUIwaEnN/s320/daddyteaganhug.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGGTOXf3DGsNHp4lmpq0_h2O5cwJ8n8zz7pwJo7D8tL6CEWH55Z9YxYIRFlC2fWv-McnrYLSEJfyg_7pfRA5jANjCgsE6xi91EdRFuu8jzbaBTSbiDa09mu-LiXnhHZd13Alu/s1600/agreatmemory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPGGTOXf3DGsNHp4lmpq0_h2O5cwJ8n8zz7pwJo7D8tL6CEWH55Z9YxYIRFlC2fWv-McnrYLSEJfyg_7pfRA5jANjCgsE6xi91EdRFuu8jzbaBTSbiDa09mu-LiXnhHZd13Alu/s320/agreatmemory.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJj9-RCsNeNt8ZrMvly5SjKAKIoudaewGj_qNkdABTNfaF7-4DVoTm_mNomJ8LjpWkvKUkV-uDr_PMvBZzHvvqtd1glbWHHFsBBlzFhKD4Uy3H9PG7L68hn0SpM_wzWljcZCsHA/s1600/indexteagan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJj9-RCsNeNt8ZrMvly5SjKAKIoudaewGj_qNkdABTNfaF7-4DVoTm_mNomJ8LjpWkvKUkV-uDr_PMvBZzHvvqtd1glbWHHFsBBlzFhKD4Uy3H9PG7L68hn0SpM_wzWljcZCsHA/s1600/indexteagan.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">On that July day in 2001, life was looking good for the Ferlaaks. Chip, then 33, enjoyed success as an assistant golf pro and sports referee, and Jody (Hackett), 28, a 1994 Bethel graduate, stayed at home to devote herself to their growing family. Just months before, they had moved into a comfortable home in a quiet neighborhood. The couple especially liked the fenced-in backyard that offered their children a safe place to play. When it came to their kids, Chip and Jody worked to do everything right: tucking them in at night with a favorite story, taking them to Caribou Coffee for a frothy caramel cooler, or sitting on a grassy hill to look at God's handiwork.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The photograph taken that July day is now a Ferlaak treasure. Mere weeks later, a devastating accident brought about the realization that fenced-in backyards, bedtime stories, and good intentions wouldn't be enough to protect their family from irrevocable harm.</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The crash</span></div>
<span style="float: right; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Teagan" class="float-right" src="http://www.bethel.edu/publications-archive/focus/past-issues/spring-2003/images/teagan2.jpg" height="193" style="border-style: none; clear: none; float: right; margin-left: 1em;" title="Teagan" width="124" /></span><br />
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">July 29 seemed like a perfect day for Sunday brunch. After church, Chip suggested that the family visit the Old Depot, a popular spot for lunch in Johannesburg, 10 miles from their home in Gaylord. At the restaurant, the family ordered their meals, unaware that in minutes, their lives would change forever. As Teagan and Brock dug into their pancakes, Jody tried to soothe Wyndham, strapped in her infant seat. But before Jody could pick up the baby, a car came barelling through the front door and wall of the restaurant. In an instant, unimaginable devastation surrounded them. </span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The <em>Gaylord Herald Times</em> called the incident "a mass casualty that set in motion a massive multi-county emergency response that filled the air with sirens for much of the afternoon. Ambulances rushed 11 injured victims—including six children—from the scene of a one-vehicle crash into the landmark Johannesburg restaurant to the hospital and then to Otsego County Regional Airport where waiting medivac helicopters whisked the critically injured people to downstate trauma centers." The crash prompted Otsego Memorial Hospital to institute its "Code White" mass casualty plan, summoning all available medical staff to the hospital.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The entire Ferlaak family was wounded. Chip, who was knocked unconscious, suffered eight broken ribs and injuries that required 80 stitches in his head; later, fluid in his lungs would become infected, requiring a chest tube and a three-week stint in the intensive care unit. Brock had three skull fractures. Published reports revealed that for a time, Wyndham was pinned between the wall and the grill of the car. The force of this impact produced brain injuries that required a permanent shunt from the baby's head to her stomach.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jody was struck from behind and thrown into the air, hitting a counter and tables before she landed. Despite extensive nerve, tissue, and muscle damage to her legs and heels, injuries that would require a month in a wheelchair and heavy medication, she was able to reach Teagan's side.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Horrifying images are etched in the young mother's mind. "I picked Teagan up at the scene. She was lying where her chair should've been at the end of the table with a big gash in the back of her head. Based on what the doctors have told us, most likely she was killed instantly. As a mother, when I picked her up, I could just tell by her face and the blueness of her lips that there was no hope for her."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although the emergency workers performed CPR and brought Teagan's heartbeat back, she never regained consciousness, a fact that brings her parents a measure of comfort. "Basically, in our minds," Chip said, "she's eating chocolate chip pancakes and then boom! The next minute, she's in heaven. So she never knew anything in between that." Teagan was taken off life support the next day.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A criminal investigation after the accident revealed that the 38-year-old woman driving the car had plunged into the building in an alleged suicide attempt. Although the driver walked away from the scene, many of her victims were denied that opportunity. Besides the Ferlaaks' injuries, a 29-year-old mother of two lost her life, and members of her family and a restaurant worker were also hurt. Final toll: two killed, nine injured.</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Picking up the pieces</span></div>
<span style="float: left; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Teagan on a beach" class="float-left" src="http://www.bethel.edu/publications-archive/focus/past-issues/spring-2003/images/teaganbeach.jpg" height="142" style="border-style: none; clear: none; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" title="Teagan on a beach" width="150" /></span><br />
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ferlaaks' pastor and family members quickly arrived at the hospital to offer support. From the start, the couple trusted that the Lord was in control of the situation. "From the moment it happened, we knew that Christ was in control, and we accepted whatever His will for us was at the time," said Chip. "I think that gave us such a sense of peace right away. There have been plenty of days where we've struggled, but right off the bat, we had such a peace that God was in control of our lives. What was going to happen would happen, but it was for God's reason. We may not understand it now, but somewhere down the line, we're going to have our answers to why all this had to happen." However, circumstances at the hospital offered extreme challenges. Teagan was gone, and their other children were listed in critical condition and flown to another facility. Furthermore, Chip's condition had deteriorated from serious to critical. "At one point I thought that I was going to lose everyone," recalled Jody.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Amidst all of this, there was a need to hold things together. Plans were made for a private family service after Teagan's body was released from life support and her organs transplanted. Chip had to listen to the service in his hospital room via phone due to his condition. "It was tough not being there for that. But you know, at that point, my whole train of thought was to get through this because my family needed me," Chip recalls.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Chip and Jody found immense comfort in the fact that, on the day before she was killed, Teagan put her trust in Christ. In a memorial service held three weeks after the crash, which was attended by more than 350 people (400 people attended a second service in Minnesota), Jody remembered the simple prayers of her child: "It was just the day before Teagan died—I served her a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, with the crust cut off, of course, for lunch. She started to say her usual prayer. This is what she said, `God is great. God is good. Let's thank Him for our food, and I ask Jesus in my heart and into Brockie's.' As I turned back to where Teagan was sitting, she had a big grin on her face and she exclaimed, `Mommy—I just asked Jesus into my heart and into Brockie's too!' So in my heart, I know for a fact that Teagan is in heaven, and that makes my heartache bearable."</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A quiet homecoming</span></div>
<span style="float: left; font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="family" class="float-left" src="http://www.bethel.edu/publications-archive/focus/past-issues/spring-2003/images/family.jpg" height="259" style="border-style: none; clear: none; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" title="family" width="150" /></span><br />
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Days later, an eerie quietness greeted the parents when they returned home from the hospital. "Teagan was a spitfire, very energetic," said Jody. "Being the first child, she kind of ran the household. So it was a big empty feeling when we came home after spending all that time in the hospital." Chip agrees. "The house was just so silent. I just wanted something to come crashing down. I wanted to rub some Cheerios into the carpet, just crush 'em in there." What would life be like without Teagan, their firstborn, the little girl with the remarkable memory, the child who loved Barbie dolls, the color purple, and singing and dancing to her favorite CDs? How would they cope without the child who exclaimed, after noting the changing leaves of autumn, "God must have gotten new paints last night!"?</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Jody explains: "What I missed were the things like washing her days of the week underwear. And I would I'd end up in a puddle of tears just trying to work through those daily routines. There was such a void in my life."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Losing Teagan has been difficult for the other children, too. The statement that his sister was an angel who currently resides in heaven became an issue for Brock. During bedtime prayers, he angrily pointed out that God took his sister away and insisted that God bring her back. Jody says that her son kept asking, "How can I get her down?"</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While Brock talks about his sister and demands to hear stories about her, the accident has touched Wyndham in much more physical ways. "Wyndham's prognosis was that she'll never walk or talk," Jody reports. "We're really working with her in therapy. She's made a lot of progress, and we're very hopeful that she may end up leading a fairly normal life."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As a couple, Chip and Jody realize that the death of a child often puts strain on a relationship. "There are statistics about people who lose Focus Spring 2003 children and how marriages fail. Although this [tragedy] has been horrible, we realize that it is not driving us apart. We're keeping our marriage solid," Jody declares.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Although there have been moments," Chip adds with a chuckle. Jody joins his laughter. "There <em>have</em> been moments. It's given us new eyes, and you realize why [marriages end]. Because some days, he's having a good day and I'm having a bad day, or he's having a bad day. You don't always feel the same. Or you just want to be angry, and the other person feels differently about it. We just look at it and say God's been with us every step of the way." For a couple who has been through so much, the Ferlaaks are remarkably upbeat.</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Coming to terms with why</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The couple's faith in Christ has provided them with comfort and hope. Jody, who graduated from Bethel with a degree in media communications, was a believer when she met Chip. Early in their relationship, she invited Chip to attend services at Woodland Hills Church, where one of Jody's professors, Greg Boyd, serves as pastor. "I just knew that they might have a lot in common because Greg also came from a Catholic background. And for Chip,<em>Letters from a Skeptic</em> [Boyd's best selling apologetic] helped answer a lot of questions he was kicking around at the time. Three weeks later, he was serving coffee and doughnuts with me. We kind of went from there."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The couple's spiritual growth has been evident as they've dealt with the tragedy. Jody observed, "As a mother, if Teagan would have run out in the front yard and been hit by a car, I would be feeling guilty or wondering what I could have done differently. But just the randomness of it and the fact that we had never eaten there [the Old Depot] was almost too coincidental. Why did we happen to be there at that moment? You think God has to use it somehow…that He has a big plan that we can't see yet. But something good is going to come out of it. We're just looking at it on the flip side of that coin."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the months since the accident, Chip and<em>photo by Tara C. Patty</em> Jody have discovered that their story has touched others. "Over the last year and a half, many people have said that we're an encouragement or an inspiration even when we feel like we're falling apart," said Jody. Chip gives an example: a close friend and his wife were considering divorce, but Teagan's death made them reconsider their plans. "We look at things like that and [wonder] how many people will come to the Lord because Teagan died. It's hard now, but a hundred years from now when we're in heaven, we'll probably say it was worth it because families and people were saved. Sometimes, that isn't a comfort in the here and now, but I think in the future, that [thought] will bring some comfort."</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The trial</span></div>
<div class="image-caption-container" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; border: 1px solid rgb(47, 76, 138); float: right; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin: 3px 0px 3px 10px; padding: 8px; width: 240px;">
<img alt="angel" src="http://www.bethel.edu/publications-archive/focus/past-issues/spring-2003/images/angel2.gif" height="106" style="border-style: none; float: right;" width="125" /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><b>God Sent to Us an Angel</b><br /><br />by Jody Ferlaak<br /><br />We hope to dwell on memories, How His angel blessed our lives With the way she smiled, The way she laughed, The blueness of her eyes.<br /><br />We'll fondly think of nightly prayers And be glad we were a part Of all the times she asked her God To come into her heart.<br /><br />We know she rests with God today And oh, what joy that brings. Yes, God sent to us an Angel— We just never saw her wings.<br /><br />In celebration of the life of Teagan Mackenzie Ferlaak. Born on March 18, 1997. Went to Heaven to be with Jesus on July 30, 2001.<br /><br />Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."—Matthew <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://4" x-apple-data-detectors-result="4" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">19:14</a></span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ferlaaks continued to lean upon their faith in the days that followed. The woman who had been behind the wheel on that fateful day faced criminal prosecution for her actions. Although she had not contacted the Ferlaaks or expressed remorse for the accident (aside from comments made by her attorney), Chip and Jody wanted to make a statement to the woman whose actions claimed their little girl's life.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Obviously, there is anger, but both of us came to the realization fairly early on that there's a greater cause out there," explained Chip. "One of the basic tenets of the Christian faith is that we're all sinners. This woman didn't have Christ in her life and perhaps because of that, this event happened. I felt we needed to send a message of Christ's forgiveness to her, some kind of hope."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As believers, the Ferlaaks knew that medications and doctors could not prescribe the peace that only the Lord can give. Chip and Jody wanted to tell the driver that in 10 years, upon her release from prison, they wanted to help her avoid repeating what happened. "We wanted her to get better, to not be a miserable person for the rest of her life. To us, that would be justice for Teagan," said Chip.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">However, reaching such a conclusion did not come easily. Jody remembers the emotional turbulence. "In the weeks and months leading up to that [day in court] I spent a lot of nights awake, or awakened from nightmares. As the sentencing came closer, I had a lot of dreams. I felt like Jonah, like God was saying go to that city and tell this woman to repent," said Jody. "I kept seeing her face in those dreams."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The inner conflict brought more pain. "Because I felt so cheated out of Teagan's life, there was a part of me that wanted to see this woman get what she deserved," Jody continued. "But it was almost like God said, `I can't and won't let you do it. I want you to give her a different message.' I couldn't shake the feeling that He wanted me to pray for her instead."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ferlaaks had occasions to see the woman at preliminary hearings and court dates before the sentencing. Jody's changed attitude prompted her to view the woman differently. "Every time I've seen her I've felt sorry for her. And I feel like I've been the fortunate one. I was raised in a Christian family. I grew up with a dad who was a pastor and have known the love of Jesus my whole life. I could have been her, raised in a family where there's abuse and alcohol, [a place] where you know no love or hope."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Court officials gave the Ferlaaks the opportunity to stand behind the microphone and have their say at the court sentencing. Their remarks caught many in the court room off-guard. "When we were speaking, her [the driver's] family looked surprised," recalled Jody. "We laid out how she had affected our family—what we went through physically, what we've dealt with, and what we will deal with—to paint a picture for her. And then we left her with the sentiments that we hoped she would come out of this a better person. She had ruined a lot of lives already, but she shouldn't ruin her own. She still had a chance at life." The Ferlaaks made it clear, however, that they were pushing for maximum civil penalties.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The driver's family members weren't the only ones astonished by the Ferlaaks' words and offer of forgiveness. "A lot of family and friends couldn't believe it," said Chip. "Many said that they couldn't have done that. In some ways, that [reaction] has been good because it gives you a good avenue to share your faith."</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Oprah Winfrey Show</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A few months later, on April 22, 2002, the Ferlaaks told their story on national television. The Oprah Winfrey Show planned to do a segment dealing with forgiveness and was seeking viewers who had forgiven someone of a horrible crime. With the statements made in court fresh in her mind from just weeks before, Jody e-mailed details of their story. Three hours later, the Ferlaaks received a call from one of the show's producers.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Since the program aired in two days, Oprah staff members were on the Ferlaaks' doorstep the next day. "They filmed two hours of interviews in our home," said Jody. "They work with really tight time frames, so that night, we flew with the producers to Chicago and did the show the next morning. They wanted us to recap our stories, talk about what happened, and how we're moving on with our lives."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Revisiting their story on television has helped in the healing process. "You live the experience over and over," said Jody. "It's just constant. Every day is defined by what happened that day. In my prayer life, I've asked God to give us opportunities. It was a horrible thing that happened, but we've asked God to help something good to come out of it. I constantly pray for the opportunity to speak, to share our story or to bump into the right person."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Oprah program (rebroadcast on April 10, 2003) featured the Ferlaaks and four others who responded with forgiveness in the face of great pain at the hands of others. To fit within the Oprah format, the Ferlaaks' piece was tailored a bit. According to Chip, the two were asked to avoid Christian terms or words that would cause people of different faiths to tune out the essential message of forgiveness. The couple would have liked to have shared more about their Christian faith on camera, but are grateful that at least the show's producers and staff members were exposed to the unmistakable message: it was Christ's love and forgiveness that allowed the Ferlaaks to in turn forgive the driver.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">For the Ferlaaks, appearing on the Oprah Show was a tangible answer to prayer. That prayer has been answered in unexpected ways. For example, the Oprah segment included the Ferlaaks' e-mail address so viewers could contact the couple. "A lot of people e-mailed us," said Jody. "Chip would sit down with the Bible next to the computer. We'd give biblical responses back and had many opportunities to tell the heart of our message. It really opened up a lot of doors."</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Reaching out to others</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Answering e-mail messages is just a part of the outreach that has occurred as a result of the accident. The couple has had opportunities to speak in their area, to appear on both Christian and secular radio stations, and to address audiences from college students to church congregations.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Auto insurance covered the family's expenses, but after the accident, many well-wishers sent generous gifts in Teagan's memory. Such generosity has allowed the Ferlaaks to establish a foundation in Teagan's name. They have raised additional funds through several golf tournaments as well, enabling their foundation to award college scholarships to four Gaylord-area high school students each year. In the future, the couple would like the foundation to help families in their area that are dealing with tragedy. "Down the road, we'd like to help families who have situations like this and who don't have the [insurance] coverage like we had," said Chip.</span></div>
<div class="lead" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The gift of life</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Life for the Ferlaaks has changed in many ways since the accident. They've welcomed a new baby, Isabella, born four days before the one-year anniversary of the accident. "We were surprised when we actually plugged in the due date and it was the day that Teagan died. We were kind of like, `OK, God, what is this all about?' And then Isabella nearly died during her delivery," said Jody. "We realize that if God wants any of our kids at any time, they're His. We've always felt that our kids are truly gifts from God."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Although every parent tries to protect his or her child, the Ferlaaks know firsthand that shielding youngsters from every danger is not possible. "The kids still have to be kids, and they still have a lot of living to do. We can't really shelter them or protect them so much that they don't have a normal life," Chip reflects.</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"And we certainly aren't guaranteed a life free of pain now," adds Jody. "If something is going to happen, it's going to happen. No matter where you are or what you are doing, life is fragile and can be taken from you at any moment."</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The accident has given Chip and Jody unique motivation to tell others about Christ. Jody explains, "It's been easier to talk about faith to family members. You just say, `Look. You don't know when you could go. It could be tomorrow. We were sitting there having lunch and it happened. Are you sure about your faith?'"</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ferlaaks are sure about their faith. Christ is their strength, their solace, and most of all, their hope. Concludes Jody: "Often what gets me through the day is to wake up and say, `I'm one day closer to heaven. I'm one day closer to seeing Teagan again.'"</span></div>
<div class="p" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Ferlaaks reside in Gaylord, Michigan and welcome your prayers for their family. They can be contacted by e-mail at<a href="mailto:chip2jody@hotmail.com">chip2jody@hotmail.com</a>. Portions of the program that featured the Ferlaaks can be accessed at the Oprah Winfrey Show archive at<a href="http://www.oprah.com/index.html" target="_self">www.oprah.com/index.html</a>.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" class="silvatable grid" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; border-right-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; empty-cells: show; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 1ex; width: auto;"><colgroup><col class="align-left" width="100%"></col></colgroup><tbody>
<tr class="odd" style="vertical-align: top;"><td class="align-left" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-style: none !important; border-top-color: rgb(68, 68, 68); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px;"><h4 class="heading" style="margin: 0px 0px 1px; padding: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: normal;">Hope for the Journey</span></span></h4>
<img alt="trees" class="float-left" src="http://www.bethel.edu/publications-archive/focus/past-issues/spring-2003/images/Trees.jpg" height="149" style="border-style: none; clear: none; float: left; margin-right: 1em;" title="trees" width="160" /><br />
<div class="p" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: normal;">Traumatic life events take us on a long journey into a new dimension of growth and maturity. We know we can embrace the grief that comes with this journey because of the words of Christ, echoing to us from the Galilean hillside: "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted" (Matthew 5:4, TNIV). While it is not always obvious where we are in the grieving process, many researchers and authors have attempted to help us understand it. Initially, as we engage the reality of a trauma, many feel a range of emotions from anger to numbness. Our responses may vary from weeping to withdrawal. The good news is that God, having created us, knows us completely. He fully understands our feelings and respects them. Certainly Jesus modeled this as He confronted the anger and anguish of His good friend, Martha, when her brother, Lazarus, died (John <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors-type="calendar-event" x-apple-data-detectors="true">11:21</a>).</span></span></div>
<div class="p" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: normal;">Because trauma forces us into a new situation, former coping strategies may be inadequate. For the Ferlaaks, being excellent parents to a healthy and happy family was lost and a new perspective was needed to deal with new challenges. This may seem overwhelming. Letting go of dreams, habits, and hopes can be crushing. It is in this part of the journey that friends and family play a critical support role, providing consistency in a time when our world is shaken. Familiar scripture is also of great comfort, reminding us of God's faithfulness and unchanging promises.</span></span></div>
<div class="p" style="margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); line-height: normal;">Families in grief also need to develop a new framework that adjusts to the traumatic event and allows it to exist within their lives. The Ferlaaks embraced a framework that utilized forgiveness but did not neglect accountability. Forgiveness frees the grieving person to deal with difficult issues, while faith actively builds the new construct and provides strength to implement it.</span></span></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px;" />
<span style="font-family: "uictfonttextstylebody"; font-size: 17px;">Sent from my iPhone</span>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-13656918197750950242015-02-10T18:07:00.000-05:002015-02-10T18:07:01.983-05:00P.S. "I didn't even know I liked poached eggs until I met you."<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs9nvNlcq_eSV2F16sFOSwIh91fa9c_KFBOatXV8kZ-zVuYSkiu05WeXBLg6JlRt-PPbxuQU801wogHp5-rNzop4T0YdQlkAHv2cYCb_7Vt7yZ9yHrRFp3Mc8nWbpbqHOW1Ez/s1600/poachedeggslo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs9nvNlcq_eSV2F16sFOSwIh91fa9c_KFBOatXV8kZ-zVuYSkiu05WeXBLg6JlRt-PPbxuQU801wogHp5-rNzop4T0YdQlkAHv2cYCb_7Vt7yZ9yHrRFp3Mc8nWbpbqHOW1Ez/s1600/poachedeggslo.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnSNcQC24nhoBSfyICdwmLs4tj0c4RUWpiTeaPKZeo9jHmbanyw7biiZHTsvgyg137bWcWbOXChVUDyn8emGQzdDqNB0F7o-J19RKzWLiw4AcKvWTlJrkrN1vgoZbmxg9CDVm/s1600/detail1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnSNcQC24nhoBSfyICdwmLs4tj0c4RUWpiTeaPKZeo9jHmbanyw7biiZHTsvgyg137bWcWbOXChVUDyn8emGQzdDqNB0F7o-J19RKzWLiw4AcKvWTlJrkrN1vgoZbmxg9CDVm/s1600/detail1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy80Ux50YKQAbg74Gausl7oHmGxSEIvNgCafJPKpZ_NC9CnjV7eFPwswH-eUSR5vE7bKE6zppwvVCI9nVnlQFYdpo_h-mLSsakdaZ5LNSS05H4elaZNs9ur6p2zpxXOALNt88T/s1600/detail2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy80Ux50YKQAbg74Gausl7oHmGxSEIvNgCafJPKpZ_NC9CnjV7eFPwswH-eUSR5vE7bKE6zppwvVCI9nVnlQFYdpo_h-mLSsakdaZ5LNSS05H4elaZNs9ur6p2zpxXOALNt88T/s1600/detail2.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6tiNi5n1zJFu9-xZM1dlP1qDH4ZU6JIWKTuyRTp9V6MI84EUsR1SKCQHHT-0tfic3glVRKZTSWT1EQlaSADXPcJ1rV07atQH5u-tG-lv4lI0wfO0a-WrTMHJB_Y91lC4DHEF/s1600/detail3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb6tiNi5n1zJFu9-xZM1dlP1qDH4ZU6JIWKTuyRTp9V6MI84EUsR1SKCQHHT-0tfic3glVRKZTSWT1EQlaSADXPcJ1rV07atQH5u-tG-lv4lI0wfO0a-WrTMHJB_Y91lC4DHEF/s1600/detail3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Sometimes it's quite a struggle for me to balance the things I "have to do" and the "things I enjoy doing" from day to day. It's not that I don't like being a mom and staying home to care for my family. It is quite a blessing and privilege in my life to be able to do so. But I do struggle with days in a row where the routine-ness of it adds up and it can make me weary. Making meals, cleaning up, starting laundry, folding laundry and keeping tabs on kids' homework isn't always a thrill day in and day out. Especially so in the long winter months here in Michigan.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">So I find myself very thankful to have my hobby and outlet in scrapbooking. I am on two different design teams {both <a href="http://www.mayaroad.typepad.com/" target="_blank">Maya Road</a> and <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy</a>} and it is truly the creativity that I crave that keeps my spirits up at times. I wonder if my kids or anyone will care to look back on some of the photos, stories and things I've made years from now, but even if they don't I know that it has been fun for me. Just as some people sit and watch sports on tv or paint or do crossword puzzles or work out. Whatever it is that fills a certain point of happiness inside of you I think is an important part of life.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Even if it means you document things like how much you appreciate breakfast with your husband on occasion. =)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">I am actually getting excited to do lots of picture-taking and memory-making when I get to join Chip for a weekend in Palm Springs, next week. He will be out there for some golf adventures, and I am meeting up with him to round out his week. The warmth and sunshine are high on my list of "things I think I will love about Palm Springs"! I know there will be some relaxation, good food, fun memories and hopefully some great scrap pages when I get home from the trip too!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">I'll be sure to post some pictures of our trip- both on FB and Instagram too. So if you don't already connect with me in those places, feel free to send me a request!</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">I hope my phone has room for all the photos I plan to take!</span>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-27067810063530672652015-02-02T11:03:00.000-05:002015-02-02T11:03:56.748-05:00Love notes.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB5L1bY-_asgvs3F2J3Fhou1UYDOrxUbcLKoztffjqQ4j-vfdz7fFRWRbFl2kygHgl1CEAiXIJr2KgybMjznsOWMvj6ekjY72UbGJ1mISvbS2kw9bSJstu7X3Mf8Kx2Stno98/s1600/ahappyplace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuB5L1bY-_asgvs3F2J3Fhou1UYDOrxUbcLKoztffjqQ4j-vfdz7fFRWRbFl2kygHgl1CEAiXIJr2KgybMjznsOWMvj6ekjY72UbGJ1mISvbS2kw9bSJstu7X3Mf8Kx2Stno98/s1600/ahappyplace.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT20M20RNJoVxh65NCvAfFDM90Gz2ctW8UElG4HeSlHLUI6rT00BS8KHN07qB0P20fqBycoUB0ighEpQfjlzfJLaJ1gSseEgu0JeP4bt5B7TfqOA41gOdqdTQVwzh8W6valWVx/s1600/detail1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT20M20RNJoVxh65NCvAfFDM90Gz2ctW8UElG4HeSlHLUI6rT00BS8KHN07qB0P20fqBycoUB0ighEpQfjlzfJLaJ1gSseEgu0JeP4bt5B7TfqOA41gOdqdTQVwzh8W6valWVx/s1600/detail1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIWxEzYnDr_wh2zmq67KSImQ4nzYM8vcbNoNwlzCwmEz_m34Gzc1XDUFVOYt8wfOY6TcHKKmiYuBeZgaZl5mZzYLVoUs03WyBJh0_PrX0ECwbPAEEHpqdhH9VvZbv7F2e3yI3/s1600/detail2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIWxEzYnDr_wh2zmq67KSImQ4nzYM8vcbNoNwlzCwmEz_m34Gzc1XDUFVOYt8wfOY6TcHKKmiYuBeZgaZl5mZzYLVoUs03WyBJh0_PrX0ECwbPAEEHpqdhH9VvZbv7F2e3yI3/s1600/detail2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60FVJjorn4UwffL9vD9T5ZIGGZgWK8pe7FMnfYivcLyqO08wm1jgAeuepQomh7W3KdphQxSZwSvTdI19OI40I5-JdMHJGwl8ZUPBZ_nNwPM9BF0cRQoQUULCUqNdLtFZIUcmL/s1600/detail3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi60FVJjorn4UwffL9vD9T5ZIGGZgWK8pe7FMnfYivcLyqO08wm1jgAeuepQomh7W3KdphQxSZwSvTdI19OI40I5-JdMHJGwl8ZUPBZ_nNwPM9BF0cRQoQUULCUqNdLtFZIUcmL/s1600/detail3.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYmFbstsu4GcSKbjjLLUMxUl4mlxCUuab_v39pXLWpp6FZoExKOQNK5nDZo_JX5mskoDCfHYYQSatu_yFPmMSESnq0iitvWYEGJf24_XuLP32Ze80w-SARie_AejiYMENMEiW/s1600/detail4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYmFbstsu4GcSKbjjLLUMxUl4mlxCUuab_v39pXLWpp6FZoExKOQNK5nDZo_JX5mskoDCfHYYQSatu_yFPmMSESnq0iitvWYEGJf24_XuLP32Ze80w-SARie_AejiYMENMEiW/s1600/detail4.jpg" height="186" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3t_TlmWTkJb3Ik6E0U1yiGn9umhQ2EfoJZuQofGzcvzhThiuKMDZDTT0WFdPfoExn9ceWoFwGE_Jc9yakB4XIiFs1Jz5OxQUwm9uSiNg4ky9Fos0UyVTBaUj8sY7HZG6p8gb/s1600/detailjournaling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3t_TlmWTkJb3Ik6E0U1yiGn9umhQ2EfoJZuQofGzcvzhThiuKMDZDTT0WFdPfoExn9ceWoFwGE_Jc9yakB4XIiFs1Jz5OxQUwm9uSiNg4ky9Fos0UyVTBaUj8sY7HZG6p8gb/s1600/detailjournaling.jpg" height="224" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Hello February and fresh starts!</span> I love new beginnings and today is what I have termed it a "grace day" at my house because it's Monday and school was cancelled due to weather conditions here in Michigan. Instead of snowing, blowing and sub-zero temps, we instead have blue skies and sunshine! So it is simply a good day to relax, kick back, stay in pj's {we do that a lot in the winter around here!} and just enjoy this unexpected break in life.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">To that end, I have decided that it was the perfect time to jump back on to my laptop and share a tiny bit of my heart. Okay. Maybe a bit more than just my heart, as I am feeling mixed emotions about sharing these photos and thoughts behind them. I think this month of February is a wonderful backdrop for me to post "love notes" to my kids and this blog has always been a spot for me to get things down and out and saved in a spot for future reference.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">As much as I want to express my thought and heart toward my kids {my girls especially} I sort of believe that this is a message that others might need to hear too. If you can see past the images- which I didn't realize had so much to 'say' when I ordered prints of these photos, then maybe the true message can start to settle in.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have been self-conscious about my body, shape, size and flaws since as long as I can recall, and yet even so I think there is such worthwhile lessons in embracing ourselves- just as we are and as God created us to be. He never makes mistakes or messes up- certainly not on people whom He loves so much! That is the heart of this scrap layout and if my kids realize I love them just as they are...then how much more must God love them too!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I am so humbled and blessed to be able to stand in front of a camera, snap a few photos and then be brave in sharing the struggle and beauty that comes from learning to love it all. He loves us in spite of all we will never be- none of us can measure up to perfection- and yet we are loved in spite of our failures, flaws, insecurities, pride, and His grace covers it all so that in His eyes we ARE perfectly whole because of who He is! His love never ceases to amaze me. His grace has changed me from inside-out and I hope that His love will be the one thing my kids seek more than anything else this world has to offer. There is nothing greater than knowing God's love firsthand. It is the greatest love of all!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">The world tells us that things or being a certain size of having financial security or a job or spouse or house or degree or adventure or happiness or any other number of things will fill us up. But the truth is only God's love and grace can be enough to fill us with true peace, contentment, and assurance of Hope. To that end I pray that I will be a tool for Him to shine that message to my kids and anyone else who has ears and open heart to receive that message. </span><span style="color: #e06666;">He is Love and all we ever need!</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-33288604690610898512014-11-07T19:33:00.002-05:002014-11-07T19:33:50.027-05:00Nine years later.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZibQl8qsAsnnZe6V9mUNazLTUK611DSuLW6ElDdHNC5FABYvhofVjnpDrREkgFK7CpfafDKgKjsF_hxShyphenhyphen4kx9ukPIMmocMJhTQbDKmruhHVBWey1jK_O8wNO1LccjGr-WDH/s1600/afamilyphoto2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZibQl8qsAsnnZe6V9mUNazLTUK611DSuLW6ElDdHNC5FABYvhofVjnpDrREkgFK7CpfafDKgKjsF_hxShyphenhyphen4kx9ukPIMmocMJhTQbDKmruhHVBWey1jK_O8wNO1LccjGr-WDH/s1600/afamilyphoto2.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Today is the day. Nine years of blogging later, and a whole lot has changed since then. As one would expect life to change in close to a decade. I am one of the most resistant-to-change-persons that I know of, but looking back on some of the blogposts and the stories and photos that I shared makes me grateful for change though too.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Nine years ago blogging was not all that popular. I had found a few blogs online that I liked to read as often as they were updated- mainly crafting, inspiration type blogs. With an occasional stop over to Dooce's blog, because honestly I liked her sarcasm and funny stories about her Avon-selling mom. But one day I decided to hit "create blog" and Nitty.Gritty. was born.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I knew I was going to write and post pictures about my family. That was a natural thing for me to do after keeping a journal for many years, and then after our loss of Teagan and Wyndham's ongoing healing and special needs I had come to write frequent emails and updates which I would send to family and friends. I figured blogging would be an easy way for those people to pop in and see what was going on in our lives and find out what needs we might have that they could add to their prayer list.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">But not long after I started sharing pictures and stories I started receiving emails and comments from people I had never met. It was a neat thing to be connecting to people in cyberworld, and at times your stories and emails had me in tears at my laptop. There felt like something bigger going on. Something bigger than a blog.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have never regretted sharing so much of our lives- the ups and downs and everything in between. In fact as I re-read some of the posts last week, I found myself so thankful that I had these things written down. I never would have remembered even half of the stuff posted on here! But the details are important and one day I am sure my kids will enjoy looking back and reading first-hand accounts of some of their childhood antics. I feel bad that in this season of my life I don't write or keep record of our day-to-day stories in more detail- although I am thankful for Facebook to post where I post way too many photos and snippets of our lives. It is a cool record of everything under the sun- including what we eat for dinner. Which basically documents how many times we eat waffles in a week. =)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">When Nitty.Gritty. was started, I had two fewer kids. I wasn't on any design teams, nor did I own any 12x12 paper or Thickers. {My craft friends know what that means!} =) I didn't have any kids in theater productions or on swim or debate teams. I basically had more time in my life to write.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I appreciate that some people have stopped in here daily for years, and I wish I could have a cup of coffee and zucchini bread with each of you! You have made me want to be a better writer. One day that might happen yet!</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-50024861145792189602014-09-12T14:42:00.002-04:002014-09-12T14:43:16.027-04:00This is the stuff we will want to look back on...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXv-ZX3olNkut8xct51U2dgQdhr19PwNiBMHGqxvd7AZSIvAesWjjDEkbHf_cz8zM3hHC57k_I2TNBjyhitTP5mhsTATJQ67JoEPH4BXL75bQ9CK4jtZlwTZAweBQtG_7ME3X/s1600/allteague.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaXv-ZX3olNkut8xct51U2dgQdhr19PwNiBMHGqxvd7AZSIvAesWjjDEkbHf_cz8zM3hHC57k_I2TNBjyhitTP5mhsTATJQ67JoEPH4BXL75bQ9CK4jtZlwTZAweBQtG_7ME3X/s1600/allteague.jpg" height="108" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">This guy.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Four years old.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Attending preschool 3 mornings a week.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Still not always using the potty when he is supposed to.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Wakes up totally grumpy.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Or.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Totally sweet.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">But the sweet wears off usually by the time he has to go to the potty.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He sings when he plays games.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He plays games when he eats.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He eats like a puppy most of the time.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">And he whines like a puppy when it's time for bed.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He loves playing tricks, and bugging his siblings and can't have Daddy leave for work without giving him a high-5, exploding knuckles, hug, kiss, pinky promise and arm bump.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">His idiosyncrasies are almost too much to deal with in a given day.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Yet our days wouldn't be the same without them.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He can drive us all crazy, and then melt us all in the same two-minute time span.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He must have some hidden super power or something. Because with a single tight squeeze around your neck, you forgive him for all the little crazy and big things he's done and all he makes you feel is Love.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Oh, Teague.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">What a guy.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-88263038333755452412014-08-18T10:01:00.000-04:002014-08-18T10:01:31.275-04:00A life interrupted.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdcgAen6y7xn1ygldHZlgx8NaD_Svnl8F-qbUH1WoMWbr6qhUdU5sePTL4zaGig_3ohChyphenhyphenhU_mRkQhrzY7JLME2WPV60vMszUqN7aaPqRrwMhmC2nl3q3sWcE_xmdp3e9Ntfj/s1600/a7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggdcgAen6y7xn1ygldHZlgx8NaD_Svnl8F-qbUH1WoMWbr6qhUdU5sePTL4zaGig_3ohChyphenhyphenhU_mRkQhrzY7JLME2WPV60vMszUqN7aaPqRrwMhmC2nl3q3sWcE_xmdp3e9Ntfj/s1600/a7.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingWQrZLCIb6HXzVlaWsP3TfRv21X_AsaoLn8JuUujIE3Xz1kwhHWf_ib52rHoc2Ku0zsUt-Kkng3UstbsIBc8dAPlKDpctI9WNrulWk0TIMjdSiZrZak0Pc2SdNmaQIX2ISaF/s1600/ahazel2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEingWQrZLCIb6HXzVlaWsP3TfRv21X_AsaoLn8JuUujIE3Xz1kwhHWf_ib52rHoc2Ku0zsUt-Kkng3UstbsIBc8dAPlKDpctI9WNrulWk0TIMjdSiZrZak0Pc2SdNmaQIX2ISaF/s1600/ahazel2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJwGoaJN2nsYEQESLy-Hbtx2JKrVMdLNmvSuuKlPOvS_QIPhZ9LQbiNtdvUrMFmYCXHOmL93VSKs-oCpnEFGXYsjFX7d4Ej3V8T488ZcC5YrObGzMELzKlcYwObXZ-obh_Hs0/s1600/a6.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4L_xRrpjo8N7KKEkNMzpsCCO4KWx04bIW7zxrGzDH0_C8PVqOztAzT1lGVQfHCQG5GXmUPou9Oxpn6HuDAiW90pQZRxaIPcQH7TdTbmhdPwqN4E5N9NWNVoBGhgOPohAmkPEA/s1600/apics2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4L_xRrpjo8N7KKEkNMzpsCCO4KWx04bIW7zxrGzDH0_C8PVqOztAzT1lGVQfHCQG5GXmUPou9Oxpn6HuDAiW90pQZRxaIPcQH7TdTbmhdPwqN4E5N9NWNVoBGhgOPohAmkPEA/s1600/apics2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ETUHmWg0P6SEVISWB0q7EG5YT9a3KgyaQKiCC_zK4RsQdj1OXb5dSC5J2Nj0Kre8jwBWjZF_foSTmpMqRvoBW3LaosI8-A0ZcGxzuhE0UW2FGihZJjH_Skm-oXjDXxaRFOQ_/s1600/bayshorecokefloatday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1ETUHmWg0P6SEVISWB0q7EG5YT9a3KgyaQKiCC_zK4RsQdj1OXb5dSC5J2Nj0Kre8jwBWjZF_foSTmpMqRvoBW3LaosI8-A0ZcGxzuhE0UW2FGihZJjH_Skm-oXjDXxaRFOQ_/s1600/bayshorecokefloatday.jpg" height="238" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_QqIarAzUkXcmds9fXM4R92VZ-_yxs2IjzbzSBZFVzK6e3qgWUV8bxci6IvHQv_Pr5CcEa8WNKql4SH5o53f34VO613umfLEGjkAMtKNWYiLUPu1WUWZFIBPuYa6abfhOu0D/s1600/asummerpic2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy_QqIarAzUkXcmds9fXM4R92VZ-_yxs2IjzbzSBZFVzK6e3qgWUV8bxci6IvHQv_Pr5CcEa8WNKql4SH5o53f34VO613umfLEGjkAMtKNWYiLUPu1WUWZFIBPuYa6abfhOu0D/s1600/asummerpic2.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclrFXboTSICv1sqldOowED8lG76XgImN5JffEMmf18CTOQ8k6f-_bnknSdW-Lclhc8Id0kjRiddwDiWOcGMApUnQE1NqS8fNkg4stVa5OWxS1G0NcYTknVWe9vMte_tUvf2e1/s1600/blogbook2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjclrFXboTSICv1sqldOowED8lG76XgImN5JffEMmf18CTOQ8k6f-_bnknSdW-Lclhc8Id0kjRiddwDiWOcGMApUnQE1NqS8fNkg4stVa5OWxS1G0NcYTknVWe9vMte_tUvf2e1/s1600/blogbook2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">All of a sudden six months have passed and really, if anyone is still stopping by at all that is a small miracle in and of itself for this blog. First of all, my apologies for NOT posting and sharing or at least putting up a graphic that says, "Nitty.Gritty.Out.To.Lunch." or something to indicate that I was still here. Just not "here".</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I can tell you in the past several months there has been a lot of living going on in our life and family. So much so that I don't find or make time to blog like I want to or should. There has been a couple of birthdays. And preschool graduation. There was a new puppy...and a lot of fun and cute pictures with our sweet goldendoodle, Hazel. And then there was the tough decision to find her a new home after a week of Wyndham having such high anxiety over a puppy that she literally wouldn't eat. So Hazel got a new home. There were tears and life lessons and I could practically write a whole book on just that week in our life alone! Maybe one day I'll write that story.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">In addition to puppy days there were days at the beach. And riding the one cent pony at the grocery store. There was a week of camp. And grandparents here from Michigan. There was Coke Float Day and maybe you got in on that with is- even if it was a virtual celebration. I could probably write a book about how Coke Float Day has evolved and become almost a summer holiday all its own. There have been parades and pool days and more days spent by the pool. There have been a couple of day trips to Chicago and days recovering from those days- which means catching up on laundry and sleeping in as late as we can. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Our summer has been full in so many ways. From fresh local produce- our favorites are the jumbo blueberries, cherries and peaches to gourmet cupcakes and walks to the park. There have been lots of days that felt like fall and only a handful that we needed to turn the A/C on- which is rare for where we live. There have been new friendships formed and new experiences- including Brock finishing driving school and getting his permit. There has been so much and yet really we have just so enjoyed "doing nothing" for nearly three full months. It has been a wonderful summer and we have one week left to enjoy it to the fullest.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">So with all of that going on behind the scenes of Nitty.Gritty. it's no wonder there has been a quiet lull on this blog. But something else has happened. Something that stirred in me and brings me back to my laptop to click away and put my thoughts down in this place.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">It's a book called, "Interrupted" by <a href="http://jenhatmaker.com/home.htm">Jen Hatmaker</a>. Maybe you have heard of her and/or her book. It is in easy to spot places like Barnes & Noble and you can pick up a copy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_9?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=interuppted%20jen%20hatmaker&sprefix=Interuppt%2Caps%2C543">right here online at Amazon</a> too. I don't know Jen. I have heard her speak briefly at a weekend conference via satellite. But after reading this book I feel like I know a big part of her heart. She writes this book so authentically and candidly. I actually laughed outloud at times and that's not normally how I read books. I cruised through this book in a matter of two days- which also speaks to the readability of it. The way and they why she wrote this book so resonated with me and that is what made me want to dust off this blog and write again.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">If you have followed Nitty.Gritty. for any length of time then you know full well that Chip and I have lived a life that was interrupted one Sunday during brunch. We recently marked thirteen years since that day happened and we are still learning lessons and living in light of so much of the events of that tragedy. I can't help but shake the feeling all these years later that there must be a big purpose or point to the pain and hurt behind our interruption. Knowing just how much God loves and cares and acts out of goodness and justice simply doesn't add up to the amount of pain and hurt we have endured. But we KNOW He is in it and over it all. So we have hung on and clung to His promise of faithfulness to us- even when we can't see or understand His ways in all the twists and turns at times.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Some of what Jen writes in this book touched on the parts of me where I still sense such a deep longing or where I just want to see the senseless parts of life make sense. She reminded me in sharing her own life journey that God CAN be trusted in all of it- to the point where we can literally pick up and start new again if we are putting all our trust in Him for what comes next.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We have been in places like that- even with our last two moves when we didn't know where we were going or what we were doing next. But God knew. And sometimes I think He leaves us hanging without a clue as to the next step to test us and see if we are willing to get out of the boat and follow Him. Not just with our words and rhetoric. But with our whole hearts and selves. It's easy to give money, or to raise a hand or nod approvingly to the sermon being preached in church. It's a whole other thing to get up and actually respond and do something. Especially something radical.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have wrestled and prayed a lot since reading "Interrupted". It's one thing to read the book, but another thing to be moved. It's one thing to read the Bible, to know it, to study it, to love it, to lean on it, to believe in it, to turn to it, to memorize it and study it and share it. It's another thing to let it so penetrate your heart and mind that you are different each and every day because of the truth in its pages.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have wondered and questioned why things have happened in our lives the way that they have- especially in regards to the move to Minnesota and back. It hasn't made sense in my practical and structure-loving mind. I have asked God to show me how or why or what to do as a result of this. I have opened my heart and soul for Him to use me- use our whole family here in any way that He feels led to do so. Sometimes I have felt like I missed the calling when I was single and more able to pack up and serve Him in Africa. Being a SAHM {stuck-at-home-mom as I refer to myself many times <span style="color: #ea9999;">=) </span>}in a mostly middle-class white America feels like a box- a very blessed and wonderful box, but a box just the same. I have wondered how God could use me or why He would need me here. This part of Jen's book made sense to me and makes me realize that no matter where we live or who we are or what we have to offer, God can use it all and He wants too. As long as we are willing to say 'yes' when our life gets interrupted.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">"We have the privilege of serving Jesus Himself every time we feed a hungry belly, each moment we give dignity to someone who has none left, when we acknowledge the value of a convict because he [or she] <em>(I added that pronoun)</em> is a human being, when we share our extreme excess with those who have nothing, when we love the forsaken and remember the forgotten. Jesus is there."</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"> </span><span style="color: #bf9000;"> * * * *</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I still can't say that I fully understand or ever will fully understand how God wills, moves or works. But I am willing to open my heart to His ways and be moved as a result in every little or big way that I sense His call in my life. I am willing to be interrupted, inconvenienced, embarrassed, put on the spot, broken, and uncomfortable for the sake of His glory and kingdom. Not because I am worthy or great. But because of what He did for me on the cross. It's the least I can offer back to Him.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-14089998227758751132014-03-01T22:12:00.002-05:002014-03-01T22:12:09.041-05:00Ready for spring...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5HupQUwErrOOzEBTeLJnfgrtXrVEjFsYeXLdEE2P6yDH5WuEu361E1V5Icp6o_ZvciDSOLzq6dfbbhgdWnxF5g4Q314tf3vqQood1yC5fk-I3hZiryhqJ9rX-70pqE0WBWRy/s1600/DITLlayout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5HupQUwErrOOzEBTeLJnfgrtXrVEjFsYeXLdEE2P6yDH5WuEu361E1V5Icp6o_ZvciDSOLzq6dfbbhgdWnxF5g4Q314tf3vqQood1yC5fk-I3hZiryhqJ9rX-70pqE0WBWRy/s1600/DITLlayout.jpg" height="294" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1B1Br-Bi0x2wPbh_c1lydE42S7QawxpZzxkf-L5psfFOTByCfNNYA7-6Q1qHHlwojv6o8YYNh7xAG5VGOQWOZjAJT0TPhnrMzghyphenhyphenGkNQm07KC7kTR9Aksh5xkyAEmGUbyxQ4/s1600/DITLtootsierolls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW1B1Br-Bi0x2wPbh_c1lydE42S7QawxpZzxkf-L5psfFOTByCfNNYA7-6Q1qHHlwojv6o8YYNh7xAG5VGOQWOZjAJT0TPhnrMzghyphenhyphenGkNQm07KC7kTR9Aksh5xkyAEmGUbyxQ4/s1600/DITLtootsierolls.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspf3DHWlbhjb_FwOnHQVA3EHCdgPts0YpCr5llkw2oi7VSB5rckyz3vVn8XtGFHkExYQYAR0tREdT5oNe3QfN4AdRmTrU4qjvJQGCk9c6rVJGz8xbEPd5MAqh00EGCJ4P34yD/s1600/babythismoment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhspf3DHWlbhjb_FwOnHQVA3EHCdgPts0YpCr5llkw2oi7VSB5rckyz3vVn8XtGFHkExYQYAR0tREdT5oNe3QfN4AdRmTrU4qjvJQGCk9c6rVJGz8xbEPd5MAqh00EGCJ4P34yD/s1600/babythismoment.jpg" height="319" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: inherit;">Hello March 1st!</span><span style="color: #666666;"> I would like to think that it signals the onset of spring, but we are getting more snow even now as I write this blog post. We had a couple of inches over night last night, so between the accumulation of new snow and the cold temperature {today was right around 20 degrees here in west Michigan} it doesn't seem all that hopeful for an early spring. But they do say March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, so we are perfectly on course to do that!</span></strong><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><strong>March 1st also brings the opportunity for anyone who wants to get a<a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/march-kit-c-288.html"> Cocoa Daisy kit, add-ons or Day In The Life kit the chance to do so. This month's Grey Street kit</a> has been a big hit with the subscribers and we as a design team all loved it too! The greens, gray and splashes of other colors make it fun and definitely get you wanting spring even more so!</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><strong>I loved scrapping the page about Teagan's rainboots and the sweet memories they bring to my mind- even all these years later. March is Teagan's birthday month and so those memories are even more vivid as we prepare to mark another birthday without her here on earth with us- but never far from our hearts and minds! She will always be such a colorful, cherished part of my memories and I am glad that her stories can still find their way onto my scrap pages.</strong></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><strong>I loved scrapping Teague's newborn baby picture too. There is something so amazing wrapped up in the hopes and dreams of a new baby. Teague is quite a handful now, than he was all tiny and sleeping in that photo, but I still have huge dreams and hopes for all of my kids! I am sure that never changes- even as they grow and change themselves. Here's to a bright future, a new beginning with the onset of spring...and hopefully sunshine to start melting all the snow!</strong></span> Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-26369469210490690012014-02-25T08:53:00.001-05:002014-02-25T08:53:21.995-05:00Memories...old and new.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAzX8WjerHqYr5P6K6Dh7eV-dG3oLVXjmdNEW_G7H17OAOZWMNck188dXJ99lbVQqcvblcXLEZ11eEGZXMZ6LVJVYprBf5NUeVGnJbE3a2sbf4IH8_ioul-ihPagsivmuEbm7/s1600/DITLdearteagan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAzX8WjerHqYr5P6K6Dh7eV-dG3oLVXjmdNEW_G7H17OAOZWMNck188dXJ99lbVQqcvblcXLEZ11eEGZXMZ6LVJVYprBf5NUeVGnJbE3a2sbf4IH8_ioul-ihPagsivmuEbm7/s1600/DITLdearteagan.jpg" height="320" width="243" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbAiJj0dPsWAULEziiC7U4y_EBbHsboxxMls5Ndprxt-U0PSiYoOcn_c_66yqA6VQNbYfmvfV91FKXICMLtm_YVvIWmuZTMCe8uBzMk28QPrredv97YIawMMGvUxZdTSFBsD6/s1600/asetbacksdetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmbAiJj0dPsWAULEziiC7U4y_EBbHsboxxMls5Ndprxt-U0PSiYoOcn_c_66yqA6VQNbYfmvfV91FKXICMLtm_YVvIWmuZTMCe8uBzMk28QPrredv97YIawMMGvUxZdTSFBsD6/s1600/asetbacksdetail.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkmEjMJKencLGdXYkNAE-q_CRlDyufhSwkpc6xSjSlLHLVluePTTuaarSJ0YQkG5sbx8Y61YSOAlkQlPPQtBGpl5C6FbKc8pugEWCj7Fcg_MsO_FpayDvB7j3EJmJnd1K2wzK/s1600/birthdaybrock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdkmEjMJKencLGdXYkNAE-q_CRlDyufhSwkpc6xSjSlLHLVluePTTuaarSJ0YQkG5sbx8Y61YSOAlkQlPPQtBGpl5C6FbKc8pugEWCj7Fcg_MsO_FpayDvB7j3EJmJnd1K2wzK/s1600/birthdaybrock.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNjwefAAuUV711hxrt8tCVMhakz9Ys_w3lh6iU3MiKuxJvZAE_LFyIpAf74Px0lPC5cA1ugFupfTe9TaH3RXjJoFdjHfaTRhXL9eEuatSCumjtmnybBZGrwLHNICTdAZLOGtj/s1600/brockslatte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNjwefAAuUV711hxrt8tCVMhakz9Ys_w3lh6iU3MiKuxJvZAE_LFyIpAf74Px0lPC5cA1ugFupfTe9TaH3RXjJoFdjHfaTRhXL9eEuatSCumjtmnybBZGrwLHNICTdAZLOGtj/s1600/brockslatte.jpg" height="243" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAHexkJSobg0ffu9R36tbEAFst8G6oQL-gYEiBYVYwAMVUJGm6JFpWNKUtQwY3cS3LaCsKfSVfR8I-LixmbUv4dI7kgs6ZVwIeR8whr7XHy0SKXnRxxUo3VoFGpbo5ZAtZiYg/s1600/cheesecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAHexkJSobg0ffu9R36tbEAFst8G6oQL-gYEiBYVYwAMVUJGm6JFpWNKUtQwY3cS3LaCsKfSVfR8I-LixmbUv4dI7kgs6ZVwIeR8whr7XHy0SKXnRxxUo3VoFGpbo5ZAtZiYg/s1600/cheesecake.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #45818e;">I love getting to re-live memories as I scrapbook and create pages and mini books each month. This month <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/">Cocoa Daisy's reveal night</a> is earlier than usual- it's happening tomorrow, the 26th due to the short month of February. So here are a couple of sneak peeks of Grey Street to tide you over until the full reveal tomorrow. <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/february-kit-c-285.html">This kit</a> has some fun pops of green and yellow and of course, gray. I have enjoyed documenting moments and stories that still impact me years after they have happened. Small details, but so big in the scheme of stories I don't want to soon forget. And even better to capture on page and pass along as the years go by. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #45818e;">They fly by so fast!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #45818e;">Proof of that is Brock's 15th birthday last week. He ended up getting a snow day and school cancelled last Tuesday. But the weather turned sunny and nice and so our whole family went out to a Japanese steakhouse and to the Lego Movie to celebrate such a big day. It was fun to have an unexpected "family day" to mark the occasion. There was a morning homemade latte to kick off Brock turning 15 and homemade vanilla bean cheesecake to round out the day. We all feel so blessed to be a part of Brock's life. He has been a great kid and a truly nice-guy as a teen too! The best of both worlds for our family and I am pretty sure he is turning into a pretty great young man right before our eyes as well. We are glad for all the moments and years we have had with him, and I hope to scrapbook more of them as the years go on. Yay for living the memories and capturing them on page too.<span style="color: #e06666;"> =)</span></span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-41368273078102044832014-02-14T14:25:00.000-05:002014-02-14T14:31:49.553-05:00Beyond the fluff of Valentine's...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HtfjCDVJnMOrXxM65YcgMzimwlGMVz2oo0Y5-y84oGRtjd7uI2P7XhHGCdj7Qmf8_omEXUuih_C8c3rbQQK-YxhHsQptxmNtml7dd9NJ2dZfzz7iH9yKcjQGI0TA4kLa4B8L/s1600/abedsidepic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3HtfjCDVJnMOrXxM65YcgMzimwlGMVz2oo0Y5-y84oGRtjd7uI2P7XhHGCdj7Qmf8_omEXUuih_C8c3rbQQK-YxhHsQptxmNtml7dd9NJ2dZfzz7iH9yKcjQGI0TA4kLa4B8L/s1600/abedsidepic.jpg" height="204" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNw-tpF0YBnlrxN40Lk9-qwb04r31vui7aa8fj2P6e4TEt77c2SMqssFkesdaMN-gRRjDqTTxdE35adDGJtpOSZ1LpOoa59wktWTWydo5_a7aA3fScenDuNYm8s6zqCabRVvoT/s1600/abedsidetable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNw-tpF0YBnlrxN40Lk9-qwb04r31vui7aa8fj2P6e4TEt77c2SMqssFkesdaMN-gRRjDqTTxdE35adDGJtpOSZ1LpOoa59wktWTWydo5_a7aA3fScenDuNYm8s6zqCabRVvoT/s1600/abedsidetable.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
<span id="goog_549561687" style="color: #444444;"><strong>What I would love to write in this space today is how dreamy and sappy it is to be celebrating Valentine's Day with my true love. Who doesn't want the perfect love story at some point in their life?! Especially on Valentine's Day. But the truth and reality in this great big world of ours- even on Valentine's Day- or maybe especially so on Valentine's Day!- is that true love isn't as pretty and sweet as the cards, flowers, dark chocolates and fairytales that consume this holiday would like us all to believe.<span style="color: #e06666;"> Those things are great.</span> <span style="color: #a64d79;"><em>They are awesome and special even!</em></span> <span style="color: #134f5c;">They do say,<em> "I love you"</em> and they can certainly communicate what is in one's heart.</span><span style="color: #bf9000;"> I am not writing off dark chocolate sea-salt caramels wrapped up with a bow ever!</span> But I am sharing my own heart and thoughts about what I have learned love to be. And I can tell you, it's not all rosy and chocolates.</strong></span><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">In fact the deepest, most pure love that I have ever experienced in my 41 years of life most often has been shown to me not in the form of a tangible gift at all. It hasn't been showered on me when life has been it's prettiest. It has been in some of the deepest, darkest pits of life that I have felt loved, supported, cherished and comforted. The times when I look back in my life and know that love was holding me are times when flowers and chocolates would have failed, and even felt offensive as a gift of love. It strikes me as interesting that when I have needed love and care the most in my life that the most thoughtful, most meaningful gesture of love has been simply having someone sit next to me and weep with me, or hold me close and cry with me.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has shown itself faithful and true to me in an embrace at the airport in Chicago standing next to baggage claim.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">It has stood by me as we sang, "It is well with my soul" as we said good-bye to Teagan at her memorial services.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has lifted me when I felt I couldn't bring myself to say, "I forgive you". Love was wrapped around me when I claimed that truth and it helped set my heart free.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love was there when I cried out and wept over a load of fresh, warm whites to fold and found myself unable to breathe. It whispered to my heart, "look to the Heavens and trust me for your very breath".</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has wrapped its tiny newborn finger around mine and made me believe in joy and Hope in this world again.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">It has gotten up with me in the middle of the night, too many times to count, and helped give a shower or start a load of laundry and held a sick child.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has walked in the door and placed take-out on the counter. Too many times to count that as well. =)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">It has scrapped the snow off the windshield and started the vehicle so that the inside was warm for travel. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love tells me to "text him a grocery list" and says "no problem" when I say thank you for doing that errand/chore for our family again. And again. And again.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">True love has shown me that it's not a tiny box wrapped with a big bow at precisely the right moment in time that reveals the heart, but the way it grins and smiles and says, "you look beautiful" even after a sleepless night or a ruthless day spent just trying to keep my head above water. Love looks at me when I am at my worst and says, "There is nobody in the whole world I would rather be next to at this moment in time, except you." </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has dared to say that it would be easier for us to be apart, but it is far better to hang on and trudge forward together. Love has believed in the future of us even when the present has looked dim, and the questions outnumber the answers in life.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has said, "I'm sorry...I messed up...and I'm trying." It has allowed me to say the very same things.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has seen the ugly side of me. More than once. And yet it stands by my side to this very day.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has taught me so many things about God, others and myself.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">It has been poured out to me in unexpected people, places and things. It has been undeserved, unmerited, and unleashed to me since as far back as I can remember.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Love has changed me, saved me, redeemed me, and it makes me want to be a better me. Not just today. Not because of flowers. Or chocolate or any other thing that can be bought or sold.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">True love comes from the heart, comes from Above, and comes in such subtle ways that I sometimes miss seeing just how beautiful it is.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #444444;">Today- this Valentine's Day- seems as fitting a day as ever for me to pause and look back and say thanks. To all the Love I have been given in this life. I am humbled, grateful, and my heart is overflowing with gratitude for such love. I only hope I can shower some of my love and gratitude back to God, to Chip who has showered me with so much and still gives me all these years, and to my family, friends and strangers too. One of my favorite things about true love is that it never runs out, gets old, dries up or falls short. It can be given and shared and it only grows from there!</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-4522400916729015022014-02-02T22:01:00.000-05:002014-02-02T22:01:41.802-05:00Color Swatch...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOUUopxp9YX0OybbRr0oAeDldRqG1MZ-GtJcOYINLwg3DQp7IlQ2qBfx83AG7SZvfhyp7cLC7R-fCumLyeMhlJZhQ_oUkI5AMjneXSeqmPaHfVyc7m8Hw9qBxbDyxyHB7nyBz/s1600/acupcakelo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdOUUopxp9YX0OybbRr0oAeDldRqG1MZ-GtJcOYINLwg3DQp7IlQ2qBfx83AG7SZvfhyp7cLC7R-fCumLyeMhlJZhQ_oUkI5AMjneXSeqmPaHfVyc7m8Hw9qBxbDyxyHB7nyBz/s1600/acupcakelo.jpg" height="311" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-TrHb2J22gRRJ6dqmK6TmnGzYrOGJx2U56fo7P_ujsmo87XFJgFp4P2H-_VnpGkTBDwbra8NWK_eo181f4s054NVioZhhWx2k8MGkGkHJkbHmHLEPx-Lo1vnj5TGE3fSbCaC/s1600/ahappyabbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-TrHb2J22gRRJ6dqmK6TmnGzYrOGJx2U56fo7P_ujsmo87XFJgFp4P2H-_VnpGkTBDwbra8NWK_eo181f4s054NVioZhhWx2k8MGkGkHJkbHmHLEPx-Lo1vnj5TGE3fSbCaC/s1600/ahappyabbers.jpg" height="320" width="312" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RgHHrXVByWEfA26d9QtNy0LZBzi9SRlp0mrj2jX0TIF2sbrnSVi3_ScBPF2572uYwvHkyYtEbjfaCB0JME0ivsbZmmaRBnniVDzeWE57Aw_fqGqbyk3-r8IuQgry4NGAwI_N/s1600/alittlemoments2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0RgHHrXVByWEfA26d9QtNy0LZBzi9SRlp0mrj2jX0TIF2sbrnSVi3_ScBPF2572uYwvHkyYtEbjfaCB0JME0ivsbZmmaRBnniVDzeWE57Aw_fqGqbyk3-r8IuQgry4NGAwI_N/s1600/alittlemoments2.jpg" height="315" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXyYML_Wf4pd5sfmZav7gJG3oXKpvTApf1_WuW5HG2zE3LlD1lfHTsa60YOLAmXE8n9XMxBN9E8YE02VK9K_q8_e9nBtJP38_dyD7tYAp0yFWAYg7UUHt9T98XgTyMS-Lr7kx/s1600/avahappylo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTXyYML_Wf4pd5sfmZav7gJG3oXKpvTApf1_WuW5HG2zE3LlD1lfHTsa60YOLAmXE8n9XMxBN9E8YE02VK9K_q8_e9nBtJP38_dyD7tYAp0yFWAYg7UUHt9T98XgTyMS-Lr7kx/s1600/avahappylo.jpg" height="317" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfJg_4nUwux26Gjdqe3otXlfiaSZapAEsadrRL4rKj5vXbLvi3Tq3Fbn6FrN074IdQBgUJNCw9M2eKDCvEFbyTZlopyfmNu88qFX5xmZcgKeguyYuu2GPxNYxxtm9Qz1bT5WK/s1600/bestbudslo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGfJg_4nUwux26Gjdqe3otXlfiaSZapAEsadrRL4rKj5vXbLvi3Tq3Fbn6FrN074IdQBgUJNCw9M2eKDCvEFbyTZlopyfmNu88qFX5xmZcgKeguyYuu2GPxNYxxtm9Qz1bT5WK/s1600/bestbudslo.jpg" height="309" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyg1pANDPXqVZ2AOvfmYBQVynipiVzPjXLQ8KDkZDDgjrDmafWi1sE6XECD54vZCBj8enojXlDCsZ9nQaD0QwAmRev4ysmKoTP7-eonkTGnO4f0UDCWxN4v87vwi3XcsdX5SXf/s1600/box2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyg1pANDPXqVZ2AOvfmYBQVynipiVzPjXLQ8KDkZDDgjrDmafWi1sE6XECD54vZCBj8enojXlDCsZ9nQaD0QwAmRev4ysmKoTP7-eonkTGnO4f0UDCWxN4v87vwi3XcsdX5SXf/s1600/box2.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8iqzr9BrRSIEaKQaVR5hIasy_h5-qWQuCPsegBUoIVCDSz_oBIHJTLQOjXbaZi_zVEOZ_FtUeZtv1L2TbNPZSSsiWVNwjKuwgwcz8Cv3mx3GotiiYcICz0fIXWpMA9JSEgf3/s1600/ahappymix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8iqzr9BrRSIEaKQaVR5hIasy_h5-qWQuCPsegBUoIVCDSz_oBIHJTLQOjXbaZi_zVEOZ_FtUeZtv1L2TbNPZSSsiWVNwjKuwgwcz8Cv3mx3GotiiYcICz0fIXWpMA9JSEgf3/s1600/ahappymix.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<b><span style="color: #666666;">I have been having a blast scrapping and making things with<a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/february-c-285.html"> Cocoa Daisy's Color Swatch kit. It is available for purchase now!</a> If you are a new 6-month subscriber, you can get 40% off your first kit...such a great deal! This kit is bold and colorful, but there is so much in it and on the reverse sides that you can tone it down and go for some subdued projects if you like those too. So many options and loads of fun! Now that is a winning kit for sure!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #666666;">I am also making some Valentine cards with my scraps right now, so if you leave me a comment and tell me one thing that you are loving in or about your life right now, I will choose someone to mail a card to. Just leave an email in your comment so that I can send you a note and get your mailing address in return if you're the lucky winner of some happy mail! Here's to lots of love, color and happiness all month long! </span><span style="color: #e06666;"><i>Happy February, everyone!</i></span></b>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-18704132158207374362014-01-31T11:57:00.000-05:002014-01-31T12:11:16.727-05:00Letting your light shine.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pQqf0F_TR0syACdBpECQMoUnjQ9lYTiu0oMxrDKnxh4-lzg_8ALnaHqTT6uavMi9s7vOnjniezDaB9dLe2e2pHFckwpmbLQ9eNgE8-spNopIRzhriRXQzZL2t9EWb1UNrV_P/s1600/ajessandteagan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5pQqf0F_TR0syACdBpECQMoUnjQ9lYTiu0oMxrDKnxh4-lzg_8ALnaHqTT6uavMi9s7vOnjniezDaB9dLe2e2pHFckwpmbLQ9eNgE8-spNopIRzhriRXQzZL2t9EWb1UNrV_P/s1600/ajessandteagan.jpg" height="351" width="400" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I may have shared this story in years past here on Nitty.Gritty. But it's a good one, and this photo recently showed up in my FaceBook feed and so it just seemed fitting to share it and the story that came to my mind right away when I saw it. This picture is of Teagan and her friend, Jess, taken on a day that they had a playdate at our house. Now, you can probably tell just by looking at this picture that these two little girls loved to play, be loud, laugh and enjoy just being little girls! We knew Jess from our local church. It was one of the places that we made some lifelong friends when we lived in Gaylord. Church was one of the places that practically "felt like home" for us- in part because of the great friendships we did for with so many people there, but also because we spent a lot of time there- besides the usual Sunday morning church services.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Jess and Teagan didn't just love to play and laugh and have fun when they had playdates at home. But they loved to be loud and have fun at church together too. Sometimes that felt appropriate- like during game time in the gym, or while singing and learning funny songs during Vacation Bible School. I loved and appreciated the good times these girls, and lots of other young friends of theirs shared in church. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">But one Sunday morning stands out in my mind when I see this picture of Teagan and Jess. The new auditorium had recently been built and was the new worship sanctuary for Sunday mornings and other large events/gatherings. It seats about 1,100 people and let's just say that there was a lot of time and money invested in that big, new auditorium.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">This particular Sunday morning the girls had connected at church during Sunday School, and they were still happily hanging out as the morning services ended and the parents gathered their children or just talked and fellowshipped together before it was time to part. The girls chose this Sunday morning to go running up and down the large aisles of the new worship center. But they didn't stop there. They ventured up on stage and were running and laughing and playing behind the big curtain and by the podium as well. When I realized that Teagan was a part of the noise and rambunctious behavior in the auditorium I gave Chip "the look" to go get her immediately and put a stop to her wild antics. I watched the girls run and laugh even more for a minute or two as they realized they were 'caught' and were being called to bring their fun and games to a halt.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Their response to Chip when he ushered them down from the stage was that "they were just playing and having fun!" Of course they were! But I could feel the 'eyes' of other church goers on them and on us as parents that made it feel anything but "fun".</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">On the ride home from church that day Teagan got a little lecture on "how to act in church". We reminded her that the sanctuary was "God's house" and that she should be careful of how loud and wild she was in that place from now on. She seemed to understand, and yet she was still grinning and told us how much she loved playing with Jess and her others friends at church too.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I could never have imagined on the ride home from church that day that it would only be a matter of months later that I would be standing in that very auditorium honoring and remembering Teagan's life at her memorial service. I remember that day so clearly as well. How my heart was so shattered and how my mind was still trying to come to grips with the reality that I would never see her laugh or run or dance and twirl on this earth ever again. I could hardly believe that we were sharing stories and pictures of her life in remembrance of her- because to me she was still so full of life and joy and I wasn't prepared to let any of that go!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">And yet Chip and I stood hand-in-hand with our hearts broken and wounded and clueless as to how it all happened and more so, how God was going to mend the brokenness that we felt to the very core of our hearts. I pictured Teagan running and laughing in the very place that hundreds of flowers now served as a reminder that she was gone. Her smiling picture on the memorial alter made my heart ache more. I wanted to turn back time to the day she ran and laughed so loudly that I sent Chip rushing down the aisle to scoop her up and halt her fun. I wanted to turn back time and do it all over again.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Only this time I would have wanted to hug her and tell her how happy I was that she was simply being who God made her to be. I wanted to turn back the days and watch her twinkle and shine on that stage with her friend, Jess, as only two little girls can in the midst of their play. I wanted to look on their joy and grasp how it was one of the purest forms of worship in that space that day. Their actions may not have been perfectly in line with what other church-goers or Chip or I had in mind for them in that new auditorium. But in retrospect, and certainly in light of the reality we faced at Teagan's service, their actions were in perfect accord to how God wants us to come to Him with our hearts and lives. He wants us to come as little children. Not caring about what others think or even how we see ourselves. He wants us to come to Him in worship, recognizing who He is, and putting all of our self aside. True worship is singing, dancing, praying, sacrificing, embracing all of who GOD is, and truly being humble in spirit and simply being who God created us to be. There is nothing we can bring to His alter that He doesn't already 'own' or have access too...except our hearts. He wants our hearts to be poured out to Him as our love offering. We can come "too loud, too wild, too clueless" as to who He is, and yet He accepts us as we are simply because we come. He just wants our hearts. Plain and simple.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I am so glad to know that Teagan invited Jesus into her heart and life just the day before she died. She knew that Jesus died on the cross for her sin, and truly the most important thing that anyone can do, who understands who God is, is to give their heart to Him by asking forgiveness of their sin and inviting Him into their life. God does the rest. I miss the mark far too often when it comes to living the simple way that God wants us to live. He wants us to shine for Him, lean on Him, shout for Him, share our joys and sorrows and everything in between for Him, and just be who He created us to be. Nothing more. Nothing less. It seems so simple. And it is. Even a child can get it and live out their days letting their life shine for Him. I am so glad I had a front row seat to Teagan's life. Especially on the day she ran through the auditorium in response to just being who God made her to be.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-19076830873359906102014-01-27T08:29:00.000-05:002014-01-27T08:53:24.656-05:00Snowed in. Again!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL0TV0mJNaKmZg92qtBJ5ZqXoJy8bjRNkiLN9ywKvehXYrBiYSSw3uDoGeIwtMraoQKrXMWEWwjepvU5J_QVxdU7XGmdfpgXDFuHuZ5AcJ-5tkrWayjYDtyKtf1yXjbOpP6JZ/s1600/alittlepeek1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeL0TV0mJNaKmZg92qtBJ5ZqXoJy8bjRNkiLN9ywKvehXYrBiYSSw3uDoGeIwtMraoQKrXMWEWwjepvU5J_QVxdU7XGmdfpgXDFuHuZ5AcJ-5tkrWayjYDtyKtf1yXjbOpP6JZ/s1600/alittlepeek1.jpg" height="320" 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/AVvXsEhsIPs-1B43325XJO1mAX6gBHqgnz39-QC4hkUrbSRwryvNt5RO-iayntdweY27IgI5ci_PuSKQbF3ILeWFjHgz490hhgc2QWXGiut_zQXIG8pm5Rob5l0K_MRVLHqhhdIkwhof/s1600/avadetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsIPs-1B43325XJO1mAX6gBHqgnz39-QC4hkUrbSRwryvNt5RO-iayntdweY27IgI5ci_PuSKQbF3ILeWFjHgz490hhgc2QWXGiut_zQXIG8pm5Rob5l0K_MRVLHqhhdIkwhof/s1600/avadetail.jpg" height="221" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzatCFcAZqeBLOiLu1lXC3yHEA7RPajMTwbyv_cR5XpEHv0O1WSY5bZH06cxrm0g6qWq08fUnaude7_a5VEMLXqsueaUQT0aGs3dfORdVPRcJkTMA0OqRr51i6ElbMQ61t9YLo/s1600/colorswatchpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzatCFcAZqeBLOiLu1lXC3yHEA7RPajMTwbyv_cR5XpEHv0O1WSY5bZH06cxrm0g6qWq08fUnaude7_a5VEMLXqsueaUQT0aGs3dfORdVPRcJkTMA0OqRr51i6ElbMQ61t9YLo/s1600/colorswatchpeek.jpg" height="320" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcAMDHYk9AYthKmSM1gUE__LyGTBOKVTixUg2zmWX8oWdBNrtXvNHxywEmyWenvz1fEpDzYqlR4QUSF-axIlntv3CloPEetBzEX3jvBhq479Tpy3gZJY1i-z7ro5lRoCrc-In/s1600/agrandmacouch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcAMDHYk9AYthKmSM1gUE__LyGTBOKVTixUg2zmWX8oWdBNrtXvNHxywEmyWenvz1fEpDzYqlR4QUSF-axIlntv3CloPEetBzEX3jvBhq479Tpy3gZJY1i-z7ro5lRoCrc-In/s1600/agrandmacouch.jpg" height="208" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9QlTfXKUCjpoMz3gS8uNOtYRk4d7fdSbj_Cw0wbUGkrHlHxKn16QwlliQfEVjO6yASXYeNso4UC8aekDzJdwGAWhlaOXQZvNGlpgG14WHSUz1oWaDYAtn4AmJ4XcP5jPycFp/s1600/ateagrandma1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT9QlTfXKUCjpoMz3gS8uNOtYRk4d7fdSbj_Cw0wbUGkrHlHxKn16QwlliQfEVjO6yASXYeNso4UC8aekDzJdwGAWhlaOXQZvNGlpgG14WHSUz1oWaDYAtn4AmJ4XcP5jPycFp/s1600/ateagrandma1.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDJab9yeTH4Sq6acpah8pbcn4_Une3bQH3zQvBOP0jFf9w3Lp9lHmMHeUbTteueMCL6sgx2FGjf7OteOGEEXjD-TKsfJ4snw1Ovtd-3_1cDBOvyvtd3_QJ7YnEe6nOam6lF5J/s1600/athreeonbench.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFDJab9yeTH4Sq6acpah8pbcn4_Une3bQH3zQvBOP0jFf9w3Lp9lHmMHeUbTteueMCL6sgx2FGjf7OteOGEEXjD-TKsfJ4snw1Ovtd-3_1cDBOvyvtd3_QJ7YnEe6nOam6lF5J/s1600/athreeonbench.jpg" height="320" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zYSiSvwClfTILGAAkkpNdE2piBEjm_b21h_c1iGjcJ4ZBOAAIzcGSbRLdvkby3QQN3dNdFQxO8buam5HwRbopRE3fc_qGQgL1rlFiny5ef-D4RTESAXMt57eilh_s8Ky3GXG/s1600/atlunchwithgrandma.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zYSiSvwClfTILGAAkkpNdE2piBEjm_b21h_c1iGjcJ4ZBOAAIzcGSbRLdvkby3QQN3dNdFQxO8buam5HwRbopRE3fc_qGQgL1rlFiny5ef-D4RTESAXMt57eilh_s8Ky3GXG/s1600/atlunchwithgrandma.jpg" height="192" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0HR9XZgu7xULldWhWDk_6WRQp3uEcSVUdSjb4ZqlDCxob4IHSwKrcKYRv7Y2WyPaV3baM8WT-Ss1m558rspYYREl_twguJMgxBo24jE50g9pn2vIfYI0c9CESCq3DsD_wMJ6/s1600/avagrandma3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0HR9XZgu7xULldWhWDk_6WRQp3uEcSVUdSjb4ZqlDCxob4IHSwKrcKYRv7Y2WyPaV3baM8WT-Ss1m558rspYYREl_twguJMgxBo24jE50g9pn2vIfYI0c9CESCq3DsD_wMJ6/s1600/avagrandma3.jpg" height="320" width="234" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GY_5ZMqyD8Kzd4B_SkaWD7SAZqplLWzs9lmHzfmFiD1TpUtQoLxBeRZiHj1AEDRdSPeOmmbRGLT6EixuQ73hrHEruFOmXoPBzoHNZmd1vbEmGCnGF7BdN21qaVYUdlXDNNbe/s1600/avaphotobomb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_GY_5ZMqyD8Kzd4B_SkaWD7SAZqplLWzs9lmHzfmFiD1TpUtQoLxBeRZiHj1AEDRdSPeOmmbRGLT6EixuQ73hrHEruFOmXoPBzoHNZmd1vbEmGCnGF7BdN21qaVYUdlXDNNbe/s1600/avaphotobomb.jpg" height="320" width="281" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #45818e;">This has been quite a winter all over the nation and world, I believe. We are in the midst of another 'arctic blast' here in Michigan and on our 3rd consecutive snow day...with a weekend in between. So the days all sort of blur together, but we are cozy, warm and we love staying in jammies all day long. Last week's days off were added fun since Grandma Genie {my mom} was in town staying with the kids and I while Chip was in Orlando for the PGA merchandise show. The unexpected time the kids got to spend with her and the low-key schedule compared to getting ready and doing school drop-offs and pick-ups was nice for all of us! We played games, had Ava's room painted {pale pink}, baked and ate good food, sang songs and hymns, watched funny DIY shows and a couple of movies, ate popcorn and just all-around had a great time enjoying Grandma at our house. We were sad to see her go, but happy for my dad, since we know how much he was missing having her around too!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #45818e;">I didn't get much scrapping time in, and had actually planned to do quite a bit while she was here. But the time spent doing other stuff just filled up my craft free time. Still, I am so excited to share peeks of the layouts I made with the next <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/january-c-284.html">Cocoa Daisy kit for February...called Color Swatch! It is one of my favorites! I received the paper add-on as well as the Paint Chip add-on kit and it is a wonderful mix of items for crafting.</a> I have plans to make some Valentine's a am hoping to make a couple of other little projects too. The pinks and fun watercolor/paint patterns and designs add some charm and whimsy to each project. Tomorrow night is the big reveal for this kit, so join us over at <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/forum/">the message board</a> and see for yourself! If you sign up for a subscription there is a special 40% discount for your first kit right now. And trust me, when you get snowed in with a box of Cocoa Daisy goodies, it's a wonderful thing! Stay warm and safe everyone, and have fun crafting!</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-10534972583188948512014-01-01T16:22:00.000-05:002014-01-01T16:22:30.253-05:00Not always "out with the old".<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ6xr1Bp2D2vp3EAsUoRLC884uUiojKStBEw8GdW3Is0WQwSa7omPpY0qgFRSOG6fgSoUaubSRG4t-YQa9F5XeLz47AxyBzLYFv-7aujjq3rrfav8Q3t1WiiCjdw8vj4vGmLG/s1600/amoosepage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJ6xr1Bp2D2vp3EAsUoRLC884uUiojKStBEw8GdW3Is0WQwSa7omPpY0qgFRSOG6fgSoUaubSRG4t-YQa9F5XeLz47AxyBzLYFv-7aujjq3rrfav8Q3t1WiiCjdw8vj4vGmLG/s320/amoosepage.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVWtKdWn2tizIO7qaqIwhVYgKEgnsm4kZQqHf2366qLQih0-106JN_ML28rBc4UOc5c-H6jVlkkAsNTfVyW6MtOEs7sJ-QEhO4sNPr-K-6X4f2-6DPsKBweqe0nQ2LZMhXGwF/s1600/antlers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwVWtKdWn2tizIO7qaqIwhVYgKEgnsm4kZQqHf2366qLQih0-106JN_ML28rBc4UOc5c-H6jVlkkAsNTfVyW6MtOEs7sJ-QEhO4sNPr-K-6X4f2-6DPsKBweqe0nQ2LZMhXGwF/s320/antlers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1I1dprpdpgcP-0iAqssli_HouBoLcws7Arpd3tzsxLsohEUd3jumwd0hC-QHAZJTwNfNSdloejbyT_SX8YP6NP6zpJ-HLawUrlX39MUZSpQkxp3k-LiBliNd0lQF33IsHvWBC/s1600/antlersonbed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1I1dprpdpgcP-0iAqssli_HouBoLcws7Arpd3tzsxLsohEUd3jumwd0hC-QHAZJTwNfNSdloejbyT_SX8YP6NP6zpJ-HLawUrlX39MUZSpQkxp3k-LiBliNd0lQF33IsHvWBC/s320/antlersonbed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4-99_PlvZVd47cUB4-Mt9pL0CZKtJOWhHH-OqXZn61-P1SFGxy-4TEsSeNQYwxBTIIGFk8Bl2U5imGwIx77QNCGvAacUWOkH-FrQhjrbZ84oWnECI9yprU8pWx4oVyVfGHUB/s1600/blueprintmini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq4-99_PlvZVd47cUB4-Mt9pL0CZKtJOWhHH-OqXZn61-P1SFGxy-4TEsSeNQYwxBTIIGFk8Bl2U5imGwIx77QNCGvAacUWOkH-FrQhjrbZ84oWnECI9yprU8pWx4oVyVfGHUB/s320/blueprintmini.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQavtxnj4OeuVqgtjb2dSdv66aqKk3luDJuGGw9J9YnF0WN53tx7K5P6qaSgVpbX4lCUVHzbdjBS9A4mJbsZtZjCvy2nbcjsWhDPaggR2c0zBZ1wSQ8XjtWbimFF6pc8G-YNh/s1600/blueprintpage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLQavtxnj4OeuVqgtjb2dSdv66aqKk3luDJuGGw9J9YnF0WN53tx7K5P6qaSgVpbX4lCUVHzbdjBS9A4mJbsZtZjCvy2nbcjsWhDPaggR2c0zBZ1wSQ8XjtWbimFF6pc8G-YNh/s320/blueprintpage2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJv4X36k7QVNhps-Cy9bvnHqmhTRKRDD4TKHEzdvuM_Hpo6WcH1TCxMtRaCnNWYZ8oS8RnPx9kTYuuZkCyijpQnA1Mxoa5PUMocIFATi2svKiMMZ9tmZitC3_nBxdE57u3Y5s/s1600/dressedup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRJv4X36k7QVNhps-Cy9bvnHqmhTRKRDD4TKHEzdvuM_Hpo6WcH1TCxMtRaCnNWYZ8oS8RnPx9kTYuuZkCyijpQnA1Mxoa5PUMocIFATi2svKiMMZ9tmZitC3_nBxdE57u3Y5s/s320/dressedup.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><em>Hello to 2014 and a whole new year ahead of us, right?!</em></span> As much as I don't like getting older, I do love the fresh start of a new year. Yes, I know that every morning is another new day, but a whole new year just feels big and the way it gets celebrated is a big deal sometimes too. It is nice to be able to look ahead and feel like there are endless possibilities, new dreams, adventures and joys to be discovered. I am ready for all of that and more. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af;">Having just turned 41 a week and a half ago I am fully aware that there are things that need to be changed in me, moments that need to be grasped and savored, and some things that simply need to be accepted. I titled this not always out with the old, because the truth is old and used and the past can all be truly wonderful things too! I find that some of my quirks and old habits aren't so bad...they are simply "who I am", including things like embracing a trend like loving antlers and not letting that fade even after a year or more. My "birthday moose" arrived in the mail and it was the perfect timing for me to scrap a page about it with the first Cocoa Daisy kit of the year~<span style="color: #76a5af;"> </span><a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/january-kit-c-284.html"><span style="color: #76a5af;">Blueprint.</span></a> I loved everything about this kit and had so much fun making my pages and little mini book to be filled in as this month goes on. <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/january-kit-c-284.html" target="_blank">This kit and add-ons are now available for purchase</a> and I can tell you that if you have thought about getting a monthly subscription, Cocoa Daisy is the place to get yours. The kits seem to get better and better, and I'm not even sure how that can happen! I just know I love to get my box of goodies in the mail and have never been disappointed, ever!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af;">I am hoping to 'celebrate' the everyday even more than I have done in the past. Somedays it is easy to do that, and some days it is quite a chore! Last night, for New Year's Eve I was ready to sit home with our 6 kids as Chip worked the event hosted at his golf club. I knew if I went I would have to scramble to do extra things at home so that I could safely and happily leave the kids together while I tried to sneak away for a couple of hours. {Brock is 14 now and once the littlest guys were in jammies and tucked in bed I knew it wouldn't be too hard a job for him to hang out.} I knew Chip would be busy making sure everything was going smoothly and so I would end up 'alone' at times and honestly I don't know too many members of the club all that well yet. I also haven't had any reason to dress up and so I was dragging my feet about going to the party for all those reasons and more. I am the queen of making excuses to stay home. Just ask Chip.</span><span style="color: #e06666;"> =)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af;">Instead, at about 9pm I decided I was going to make it happen and at least go to the party for a short while. I had 2 choices of dresses and put this one on first. I figured it would be better to be overdressed than underdressed for a New Year's party. I was just surprised and happy that the dress still fit! I wore it twice back in 2001. For those who have followed this blog forever, you know that that was 4 babies ago for me...so it's practically a miracle that this dress still fits me! I could have used some different shoes, and I actually ended up shoveling snow in this dress and heels. But the night turned out to be a fun escape from my usual nightly routine and even though my feet are a bit sore from late-night dancing, it was good to spend time together with Chip- even if he was "working".</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #76a5af;">Between antlers and scrapping and wearing an old dress, I am feeling good about what this new year holds. We went through so much change the past few years that it feels exciting to just settle down a bit more and see what a year can hold when there {hopefully} won't be changes and transitions in houses and schools and jobs. I have to say there is something wonderful about things staying the same too. Especially when you realize how good it is. Here's to 2014 and everything it holds- old, new and maybe another night out dancing before the year's end too! </span><span style="color: #e06666;">=)</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-45307216765947553462013-12-27T13:48:00.001-05:002013-12-27T13:48:58.039-05:00Christmas recap and a little merry & bright scrap!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw6M6kVmdm-SnUqThiDD5dKxUgTqQeZg8hqhITcBJirOKxnmUvUosrAhNmwPdeW_2OGM5M9P8SvYQqEhe-65azi9Gd8OknhxT7e-lrHKh3HZ4cFc8pkj2IxQXF0xyMDSOZYYe/s1600/christmasathome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw6M6kVmdm-SnUqThiDD5dKxUgTqQeZg8hqhITcBJirOKxnmUvUosrAhNmwPdeW_2OGM5M9P8SvYQqEhe-65azi9Gd8OknhxT7e-lrHKh3HZ4cFc8pkj2IxQXF0xyMDSOZYYe/s320/christmasathome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAYLFnzrNGNGMvhSdvclQakuYNPa_KEVxoWWz85CQZgrP-XtNsc5AAeFatTP0gkM-22i7OdqVMtHE_6Hmuq04YIa2LCKRooC4Qbggw4ZXaZjTKhfUJlknto3Zw-YrnWLMaRTu/s1600/ateaguesanta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSAYLFnzrNGNGMvhSdvclQakuYNPa_KEVxoWWz85CQZgrP-XtNsc5AAeFatTP0gkM-22i7OdqVMtHE_6Hmuq04YIa2LCKRooC4Qbggw4ZXaZjTKhfUJlknto3Zw-YrnWLMaRTu/s320/ateaguesanta.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQREOm8htwQcWjGEIpw3fOKjdsg8BfK4OzQcSqcxPrwYab-LEP45mLEHXoK7t30yeeA2kJdPRYDHvm6KCBtgzr-DVJumQx6MvvswvwJk1oP79fwKjY4Qa0a4hyPbb8b7U-abuP/s1600/birthdaycupcake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQREOm8htwQcWjGEIpw3fOKjdsg8BfK4OzQcSqcxPrwYab-LEP45mLEHXoK7t30yeeA2kJdPRYDHvm6KCBtgzr-DVJumQx6MvvswvwJk1oP79fwKjY4Qa0a4hyPbb8b7U-abuP/s320/birthdaycupcake.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0BmgkMlDkIGM62OE7wnKU12YkHxNDKyslTnLpFsoPJsdRHSnuWpZQovd7_vz6OBCWKoDCqJSb5srrd3kSlXAeNPgV9ZTlE007i5UIzXjtKvpfXhKzuxHGoLfe7d5a6IqHvLf/s1600/achristmasprint.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe0BmgkMlDkIGM62OE7wnKU12YkHxNDKyslTnLpFsoPJsdRHSnuWpZQovd7_vz6OBCWKoDCqJSb5srrd3kSlXAeNPgV9ZTlE007i5UIzXjtKvpfXhKzuxHGoLfe7d5a6IqHvLf/s320/achristmasprint.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-IWvkN2IHGNFKc_9NXMOdOLgx3FJAro_wJHZzXLEn33hZqCDp7WQEw2SejjU8ooQqadlPkwQQM87IYRxfCMe9PNpySwV4AwXUb-C_MX3ebJqdz6NvXU27CPeSX8tVen_xOKN/s1600/adetailpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP-IWvkN2IHGNFKc_9NXMOdOLgx3FJAro_wJHZzXLEn33hZqCDp7WQEw2SejjU8ooQqadlPkwQQM87IYRxfCMe9PNpySwV4AwXUb-C_MX3ebJqdz6NvXU27CPeSX8tVen_xOKN/s320/adetailpic.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHE8-iGZA-io0WIXw99y-ZH-iErbysH151bmIZ94kz0apvlFmXqKxrUFHXPAGhHbBezcKtDSnI1dpp3RHEZMV3M4IRDTVaDbueXWYoAZBeABfLvQhJOrHSQe7-EBJl_Wrq6Fc/s1600/amoosedetail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHE8-iGZA-io0WIXw99y-ZH-iErbysH151bmIZ94kz0apvlFmXqKxrUFHXPAGhHbBezcKtDSnI1dpp3RHEZMV3M4IRDTVaDbueXWYoAZBeABfLvQhJOrHSQe7-EBJl_Wrq6Fc/s320/amoosedetail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKPiUj_nrNDny7ckOkNGZYhj85u1ckHXsA_WbOjgUVkNcMReMzWP7KS2W3DGrFKQzU2_SWQcs0AT7Ogr1CuQ6d0l8YD5EP3wmxFDpZCQtES7dQsCOyVd8pTgRLaIwugr2JXQH/s1600/anotespeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKPiUj_nrNDny7ckOkNGZYhj85u1ckHXsA_WbOjgUVkNcMReMzWP7KS2W3DGrFKQzU2_SWQcs0AT7Ogr1CuQ6d0l8YD5EP3wmxFDpZCQtES7dQsCOyVd8pTgRLaIwugr2JXQH/s320/anotespeek.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"><em><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Merry</span> two days after <span style="color: #cc0000;">Christmas</span>, everyone!</span></em> I hope you have enjoyed or are still enjoying this extra special time of year! My family and I have had a quiet, cozy first Christmas in our home here in Michigan. There was lot of snow and cold outside, but we have found ways to stay warm, busy and have full tummies inside! From Santa brunches, to my birthday to Christmas services and chocolate soufflés, it has been a pretty great time together. We sure miss being with others and sharing these moments with family and friends, but we are grateful for our home, our health and all the other undeserved blessings we have received this year.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Our tree was cut by Chip, Brock and Ava and although it's an 11-ft Frasier Fir {for only $25!}, it almost feels too small for our living room space. We definitely thank God for the home He opened the doors for us to move into and even as we are finishing off a bedroom and bathroom in our downstairs and have had some frustrations with that project, we know that this place is a real gift for all of us.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/blog/" target="_blank">a mini tour of my scrap space on the Cocoa Daisy blog</a> if you enjoy seeing where I create and scrap in my free time. I have sort of liked the slow pace of just the 8 of us being here for Christmas because I have been able to make several cards to send to friends, and I just loved <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/december-kit-c-280.html" target="_blank">the January Cocoa Daisy kit~ "Blueprint"</a>, which debuts live tomorrow night at</span></strong> <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/">www.cocoadaisy.com</a> <strong><span style="color: #666666;">at 9pm eastern time. It is always <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/galleries.php" target="_blank">so fun to see the layouts and projects that my friends on the design team create too</a>. They always inspire me and the kits that Christine puts together each month are just so full of great things that fuel the creativity in all of us! I feel so lucky to be on the team at Cocoa Daisy and I am looking forward to lots of fun memories to be made AND to be scrapped in the coming year too! Merry Christmas and all the best to each of you who still stop by here and read the slim posts at Nitty.Gritty. This next year could be the year I get back to blogging like I used too!</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-86442602840320775722013-12-13T17:00:00.000-05:002013-12-13T17:00:31.046-05:00The moments that matter most.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE45bAmwAVNxRnwqMb0DunAswlP5iyvxypDrnhc1AfQ_dr_t6JwTS3K0PqMGLFKPqHLJaZFYTGXsPNYh4z5LEjZQMT2yu1ci5etWKtOESlf3YakdL1ijYcuqE0TxiW-NcY0hRv/s1600/atable2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE45bAmwAVNxRnwqMb0DunAswlP5iyvxypDrnhc1AfQ_dr_t6JwTS3K0PqMGLFKPqHLJaZFYTGXsPNYh4z5LEjZQMT2yu1ci5etWKtOESlf3YakdL1ijYcuqE0TxiW-NcY0hRv/s1600/atable2.jpg" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Wow. So many thoughts and emotions going on in my heart and mind today, that I just need to put them down somewhere. This is my outlet~ my mother's heart that has never stopped beating even when this world broke it in two.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">This note flows out of that brokenness. It flows from the place in me where I can still 'see, feel and recall' the brokenness in such detail all these years later. It flows from the heartache an empathy I am feeling for the families in Newtown, CT who are re-living their pain and nightmare on this anniversary eve of the loss of their own little ones. It is spilling out from the goosebumps I got as I read the text from a dear friend who is headed to the ICU to quite possibly say her final goodbye to a special little girl even as I type this out.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Life is cruel and cold at times, and my own experiences have softened me toward other broken hearts in this world. When I hear of other hurting hearts, my own heart remembers a time and details that have yet to fade year after year. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">The details of Teagan's final days and moments are etched on my heart and mind forever. The littlest moments were elevated to some of my most precious memories in light of her loss. It is those moments that matter most. The moments that we all have with our loved ones every single day. But for some reason, we don't hardly recognize their greatness or worth. Often times we even get annoyed by them, or frustrated and worn down. By their timing, and their frequency- by their 'mundaneness' among all the long to-do list we all have every day. These moments are the ones I cherish the most. Yet I STILL take them or granted far too often, even after learning the lesson of their value and worth having been schooled by sudden loss, heartache and grief. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">They are moments we all have with the people around us. We sit down at a meal and eat together. Do we listen and laugh? Do we care about the smallest accomplishments our children or spouses have made that day? Do we see how sweet their tired eyes are as they wake to another day...another good morning hug...another bowl of Frosted Flakes? Do we have any idea how special it is that we can hug them and hold them in our arms? Do we study the color of their eyes? Do we tell them how much we love them- even if we are all running late and we can't find the cellphone or keys? </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I can remember sharing the last bowl of tapioca with Teagan on the night before our incident. She was delighted over a bowl of warm tapioca. She and I sat at her small table and talked about how much we both loved real whipped cream. The earth didn't shake. The mountains didn't tremble. But it was a moment I will never forget. There was love and innocence in that time and place. There were dreams to be chased and more dancing to do when we were done! There was no reason to believe that moments like this weren't going to last forever. Hours later I would wake her up from her cozy night of sleep and help her get dressed and brush her hair and tie a ribbon in it one last time. The details were about to change. Forever.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Some days I mess it all up. I hurt from missing Teagan. I hurt because I miss the sound of her voice- her joy and delight over the littlest things. Sometimes I miss her so much that the people around me wonder what they did to make me mad. They wonder what they could do different to make me smile. Some days I wake up so sure that it must have been a dream, but it's real every day. Some days the strength comes and my heart and eyes re-open to beauty, happiness and joy. I am reminded of the details that I cling to and they make me want to love more, live more and try to be better- even with a broken heart.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I write this as I sit at the little table where Teagan and I shared countless meals and that last bowl of tapioca. I haven't ever been able to part with it {plus all the other kids have used it countless times too for the very things Teagan loved and used it for- playing Playdough, coloring pages, eating meals and snacks and hosting tea parties at it too} and I love being able to have a tangible remembrance of those special times spent with her. I am thankful for all the new memories made at this table, and I am grateful that broken hearts heal little by little. I am reminded again as I my heart weighs heavy for others facing grief and sorrow and heartbreak this Christmastime, that each and every moment is a gift. Every detail a blessing. The smallest moments blur together and get lost even more so this time of year. But if even for a moment we open our eyes to them and see their true worth, we will hold a priceless treasure in our hearts forever.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-66096452027772025662013-12-02T08:42:00.000-05:002013-12-02T08:42:10.962-05:00Hello, December!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdQdl6h6YtMq1URxe8IfbI8j_km7d0CtWyjwT58VYx0ML8TSSUzCfucg1bbKnxNpmCrECvRsllDz2aJwrahmda6c1WDTlAMY0ZtpyTSKBiwnPWy3BiAB6xp8OqBV6zHYd3YPL/s1600/achipandme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdQdl6h6YtMq1URxe8IfbI8j_km7d0CtWyjwT58VYx0ML8TSSUzCfucg1bbKnxNpmCrECvRsllDz2aJwrahmda6c1WDTlAMY0ZtpyTSKBiwnPWy3BiAB6xp8OqBV6zHYd3YPL/s320/achipandme.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3burCBZHYhfB4WK_7-3V3raqmi9s22VXAgqb8cf4VqM8hA_Uwp9kq9wdAlgvDjzNUl5_CzZqAKEdvy3KCg7s7prn7JOlMPoTd_OYn_fX2GVAgd4sOgyKFyVir_cs-5KAX_A69/s1600/decminibook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3burCBZHYhfB4WK_7-3V3raqmi9s22VXAgqb8cf4VqM8hA_Uwp9kq9wdAlgvDjzNUl5_CzZqAKEdvy3KCg7s7prn7JOlMPoTd_OYn_fX2GVAgd4sOgyKFyVir_cs-5KAX_A69/s320/decminibook.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmAd0wZI7yMqhyphenhyphenMOMli8P7kCd2EO12KkH20CPYPeFDZ6_fWWO5fqvkrWvPdoCQTupxKEjqN-RIP4J-UWEoPymuUQN9KZaAn-wgOg8nFJbDlN7EJEW1WM8QQbXw5XrufwplbJx/s1600/apage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifmAd0wZI7yMqhyphenhyphenMOMli8P7kCd2EO12KkH20CPYPeFDZ6_fWWO5fqvkrWvPdoCQTupxKEjqN-RIP4J-UWEoPymuUQN9KZaAn-wgOg8nFJbDlN7EJEW1WM8QQbXw5XrufwplbJx/s320/apage1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOzIFplm9jcbcCvXD55FAju-vU8oDq_TSR7MyWfG6WZM6Z9xg601Zuj1M4SkRwmgarv9gd39gdk9KPEDIbYhrPq0Sb81-dYV8c1NR2I2EsXUOZ7Hwz8jltRVBYC4N2wB-oqBN/s1600/asweetdreamslo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitOzIFplm9jcbcCvXD55FAju-vU8oDq_TSR7MyWfG6WZM6Z9xg601Zuj1M4SkRwmgarv9gd39gdk9KPEDIbYhrPq0Sb81-dYV8c1NR2I2EsXUOZ7Hwz8jltRVBYC4N2wB-oqBN/s320/asweetdreamslo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Somehow November had a way of slipping by very quickly and here it is December again! We had a quiet Thanksgiving Day weekend, just our family here in Michigan. The snow came down most of the day before and during Thanksgiving, and we ventured out around the corner and had our meal at the clubhouse. It was nice to not have any prep or clean-up. But we missed the warmth and smell of turkey dinner- not to mention leftovers! So the next day we made a Thanksgiving dinner at home. It was just as delicious the second time around.</span><span style="color: #e06666;"> =)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I am doing some Christmas crafting and if you are wanting a deal on some supplies too, today is your day to grab some at Cocoa Daisy. <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/the-daisy-boutique-black-friday-sale-items-c-135_192.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Cyber%20Monday%20Sale&utm_source=Cyber%20Monday%20Daisy%20box%20sale" target="_blank">There is a special on Daisy boxes and stamps for cyber-Monday.</a> You can also get the <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/december-c-280.html" target="_blank">December kits or add-ons right now too</a>. I made a mini December album and a couple of layouts with mine. I am loving the washi tape in the kits for some holiday crafting too! Always one of my favorite things; one can never have too much cute tape, if you ask me!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I hope that this month brings you some special holiday memories, and some good food and most importantly, a deep peace and thankfulness for the gift of our Savior! </span><span style="color: #274e13;"><em>Jesus is the reason for the Season!</em></span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-66060007139954769792013-11-25T11:43:00.000-05:002013-11-25T11:43:42.240-05:00Thinking about "home again".<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nSHU7-2-MHXzkYTVKk_6lJaYIUZeH7K-ha56RYFpJn98tI0uhJebQME1UbgD8b9m_523aun9bPOnfMqrsx-PsDzQEKeXbq3OvgdCsxp5DQACnGD3lxoFWfoDxONMYCEWYgPO/s1600/ahomeagain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-nSHU7-2-MHXzkYTVKk_6lJaYIUZeH7K-ha56RYFpJn98tI0uhJebQME1UbgD8b9m_523aun9bPOnfMqrsx-PsDzQEKeXbq3OvgdCsxp5DQACnGD3lxoFWfoDxONMYCEWYgPO/s320/ahomeagain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VxuR9ci3P2p58swSFYcV7I_QXVsiTuDMKNMFd6NJzP6dSDjbp8Z3i6w8YmVy8EOCYKIwI5OX4hTItrzOCoDiMhunpXjGO1wnwU0QVs_RpEDpygYAvsUaEAakBRF_py5ZTtKt/s1600/apeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-VxuR9ci3P2p58swSFYcV7I_QXVsiTuDMKNMFd6NJzP6dSDjbp8Z3i6w8YmVy8EOCYKIwI5OX4hTItrzOCoDiMhunpXjGO1wnwU0QVs_RpEDpygYAvsUaEAakBRF_py5ZTtKt/s320/apeek.jpg" width="243" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZe_QqnVm6RUMT5ZRLoHjQ2bNlvC6wbOUfoTuIhqvlcm8ir2xEtDQPj1iqcJ0Qf0j48z7C5GKCoZgAkjz_EvZTP6-c8Ea5eSHPLiS_IDE-g2HlGTsmgoqXDKHJ0nhFUxVIBaN/s1600/06christmaspic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZe_QqnVm6RUMT5ZRLoHjQ2bNlvC6wbOUfoTuIhqvlcm8ir2xEtDQPj1iqcJ0Qf0j48z7C5GKCoZgAkjz_EvZTP6-c8Ea5eSHPLiS_IDE-g2HlGTsmgoqXDKHJ0nhFUxVIBaN/s320/06christmaspic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">This week is already the week of Thanksgiving. It feels like it has come from nowhere all so quickly. Our lives here are so busy and full from day to day. I know I am a broken record for saying that, but between school for 5 of the kids, a house project under construction in our basement, band concerts and sleepovers and everything in between, it just turns into a blur from day to day. This last week I had high hopes of getting on top of some things around the house and I was motivated to get ahead of myself with all that comes with Christmas too. Instead, I ended up laying on the couch for 2 full days due to a fever and cold that hit me hard and knocked me out! I was miserable and barely did a thing as I stayed bundled in blankets and tried to let my body rest in order to fight off the crazy virus.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Isn't that how it goes sometimes?! We think we are going to go one direction, and life takes us a different way. I know that on so many different levels! It is a hard lesson to learn to surrender and roll with it. I am still feisty and love being the one behind the reigns as much as I can.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I couldn't help but be reflective as I opened up my <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy kit for December</a> this past week. I had very little energy to do anything with it, up until this weekend. It is called <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/forum/" target="_blank">Home Again- and the reveal is happening tomorrow night on the boards</a>, instead of the traditional 28th of the month due to Thanksgiving going on that same day. It is a kit filled with some adorable Cocoa Daisy exclusives, including the sweet wood veneer home and heart cut-outs. As we continue to settle in and finish up {we're completing a bathroom and bedroom in our downstairs for Brock} some home projects, I am so thankful and overwhelmed with the gift of home and family that we have to celebrate and say thanks to God for this year. It has truly been a wild ride to get here and it is still crazy for me to wrap my head around how it all came about. I have looked back at how many moves Chip and I have had since we first got married~ 9 of them, if I counted correctly. How life changes from year-to-year is amazing to me. Seeing my kids in this picture above taken in 2006 and looking at us all now is a wonder to think about. The growth, the changes, but most of all to me the reality that home has very little to do with where you are, and everything to do with the love you pour out wherever you may be. People thrive on love. I hope that you feel it where you are at right now, and that you can pour it out to people around you too- no matter where or what you are doing.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">They say home is where the heart is. I believe that to be true. And having a set of antlers there makes it even better if you ask me too. </span><span style="color: #e06666;">=)</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-458758514913671652013-11-01T13:30:00.003-04:002013-11-01T13:30:53.471-04:00Online fun is about to begin!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsuEkC4o9-2ukY6Pc51dDkd2_k1vZl_0GfyGygYCit_q31-NgL166fMNFcBVxqLceFINBdiWzCk9wgp_v5jkMJjaGqHLNsavOTE_35T1K0Wn7apWZ5AIZDjwxqb1Gag6_a8Jz/s1600/FallCrop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsuEkC4o9-2ukY6Pc51dDkd2_k1vZl_0GfyGygYCit_q31-NgL166fMNFcBVxqLceFINBdiWzCk9wgp_v5jkMJjaGqHLNsavOTE_35T1K0Wn7apWZ5AIZDjwxqb1Gag6_a8Jz/s320/FallCrop.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJiVt0xFQQe_mEouK8TRCjcekF8uOpbAgemPL3lLc5YdSVe6iUx7Q0u0xA9GAhlXbdXg1HAdKMltjFPXNxhonJPgcU1-Mc4E9rnzR09HLrLJfvjO_d0iwbL1Yu7sDCiSs6TxJ/s1600/alayerswelcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJiVt0xFQQe_mEouK8TRCjcekF8uOpbAgemPL3lLc5YdSVe6iUx7Q0u0xA9GAhlXbdXg1HAdKMltjFPXNxhonJPgcU1-Mc4E9rnzR09HLrLJfvjO_d0iwbL1Yu7sDCiSs6TxJ/s320/alayerswelcome.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKaUPoZqfGDsULx_w7QF0A0SYJP5Jfsg58CI3y7FOZFcvkYlnJ16IP-I_Rdg_KQT0RcKpXsXTdknsNFryrjViluh6yOzvbYgSfd7o-ZFdCDA0yudcrLaqdM-CVivJ2BRQERvF2/s320/aprocesspic.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<strong><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><strong>Happy first of November to you! I can't believe another month has come and gone! I do love the fresh start of a new month though, and today is even more exciting if you are into crafting and scrapping as much as I am. Over at<a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/" target="_blank"> Cocoa Daisy we are having a weekend online crop</a>. What does that mean anyway? Well, it means that there is a full schedule of classes, games, challenges, guest chats, giveaways and more! It means when you click over there you will be inspired, learn new things, meet new people and just have an all-around good time!<br />
<strong>I am teaching my first class over there this evening at 9pm eastern time. I have had so much fun putting my project together and have enjoyed making a beautiful mess with the <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/november-kit-c-279.html" target="_blank">November Stargazing kit! It is available</a> now and I think the combination of colors and patterns on the papers are my favorite ever, so you will definitely want to get your own set! To do that, you can click here...the <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/november-kit-c-279.html" target="_blank">Daisy Boutique</a> is always open.</strong><br />
<strong>I hope that you will find many things to be grateful for this month and into the next one too. The holiday season always has so much to offer and this year I want to be as intentional as ever in making the most of it all.</strong><br />
<strong>I can't wait to get my first "red cup" of the season either. <span style="color: #bf9000;">Oh yes, Happy November indeed!</span></strong></strong></span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-41760989379982097212013-10-26T09:55:00.000-04:002013-10-26T09:55:16.352-04:00Stargazing, Fall Crop and a life lesson on Monday.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6ZpwCEPnLvw9A0v5pnfMEQs857i5I-SJULz-B1O1rgkJo023CpbuMv6TLZ_8wUHmoQXHOPFOfcr6cg-YcO1qpEkUWpu_IpR4S6T-HIeeknxKuhKkX1rF6ImEa8dp7p3gStJL/s1600/classpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw6ZpwCEPnLvw9A0v5pnfMEQs857i5I-SJULz-B1O1rgkJo023CpbuMv6TLZ_8wUHmoQXHOPFOfcr6cg-YcO1qpEkUWpu_IpR4S6T-HIeeknxKuhKkX1rF6ImEa8dp7p3gStJL/s320/classpeek.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwHmJU7bDosG3okN2tTmb5cdoG_xCmzCQSvPS-YtrPozQJ3YGtJqJkOZvShV1bCtQtIo6e8GA7zFVwMRW4Px-BsV_K1Wy_TDE6NoS3oZvSsJym1KTNaoWo9ockglAQO6PpdOV/s1600/aluckypeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXwHmJU7bDosG3okN2tTmb5cdoG_xCmzCQSvPS-YtrPozQJ3YGtJqJkOZvShV1bCtQtIo6e8GA7zFVwMRW4Px-BsV_K1Wy_TDE6NoS3oZvSsJym1KTNaoWo9ockglAQO6PpdOV/s320/aluckypeek.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CJqff8Foalhtog9vx9JiZjoDiKxkxxdnMbGoq3Bgp_-7k3BTZ5CAfIZypxcKjilp2QIhL1xwfFJUeQeJfLLmVfMJtFQkpWdOg2ugxYve9Rn7t88SHTzBpAsoD_ShB5BnXWs_/s1600/anovpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CJqff8Foalhtog9vx9JiZjoDiKxkxxdnMbGoq3Bgp_-7k3BTZ5CAfIZypxcKjilp2QIhL1xwfFJUeQeJfLLmVfMJtFQkpWdOg2ugxYve9Rn7t88SHTzBpAsoD_ShB5BnXWs_/s320/anovpeek.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6i7KlzpUrCTOLINgIJrS65VkwKlV2WR5HvDCGefPJOKWOy7Nlav_12jx-ZC4Jy4TuxmrkeW1AWRIHwWDM2UrnD4neGf_7EaeAd1TDE5UnxcYLub8XNimiepuJ7XxewHRBRKJi/s1600/classposterbig.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6i7KlzpUrCTOLINgIJrS65VkwKlV2WR5HvDCGefPJOKWOy7Nlav_12jx-ZC4Jy4TuxmrkeW1AWRIHwWDM2UrnD4neGf_7EaeAd1TDE5UnxcYLub8XNimiepuJ7XxewHRBRKJi/s320/classposterbig.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
<br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have been busy behind the scenes of Nitty.Gritty. Our fall slipped very quickly into the first white of winter this week when we awoke to a whole backyard/golf course covered in snow. The good news is that it has already melted again, and we also learned how cozy our fireplace heats and makes our house feel. My scrap loft is just up and over the stairway from the living room, so all the heat rises and I was happy to plunk myself down in there and make a pretty mess!</span><span style="color: #e06666;"> =)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">The next kit is just about to be revealed. It's called <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/october-kit-c-278.html" target="_blank">Stargazing and it is full of Cocoa Daisy exclusive designs and products</a>. It is my favorite kit and combination of 'stuff' and has made me happy as I cut it up and crafted with it. I get to be the host on <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/forum/" target="_blank">the message boards on Monday night when the kit goes live,</a> so feel free to stop in and say hi while you get the first look at everything in this kit. It's a good one!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">The following weekend- Nov. 1-3 is the fall online crop. I am teaching a class called, "Layers of Goodness:: 1 class, 3 ways" and it has been fun putting it all together, so I am excited to share it with whoever wants to log on next Friday night. I promise it is easy, fun and hopefully it will kickstart some ideas in your own head that you can turn into a cool project of your own. This is such a great time of year to settle down and make pretty things. If you're like me, you wish someone would jump in and make dinner and do your laundry so you can scrap some more! </span><span style="color: #e06666;">=)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">My kids have had three days off of school this week due to parent-teacher conferences and fall break. They all received really great reports and assessments from their respective teachers. I am a proud mom to them as they have been through so many transitions and yet still are making the most of it and trying their best through all of it. I am thankful for teachers and staff that have helped them succeed too. Wyndham also started school and has gone to her new classroom for the past 10 days. She attends a local area learning center and we have been so proud of how she has settled into her new routine and she is very happy to be back it school it seems. There are about 10 students in her class with various challenges and issues. There are several other classrooms at her school too, where we have seen just how blessed Wyndham is to be functioning at the level that she is at. There was a bit of heartache and heartbreak for me when we first toured the school and I saw just how many kids there are with life challenges far greater than the ones we deal with every day.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I'll be honest, it was hard to see the severity of some of their special needs. This world throws out a lot of curveballs and when they hit innocent little kids it is hard to swallow. But in those same hallways and classrooms I saw people helping and caring and meeting needs that made me realize just how lucky these kids are too. There is something very special about those who serve and teach and love people with disabilities. I am sure the ones serving and caring would tell you story after story about how they feel blessed to do what they do too. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">As Chip and I dropped Wyndham off on her first day we stayed and helped her get settled in and just observed her interactions for a bit. The first part of her class the teacher goes over the basics, such as calendar, weather and lunch orders. You know, the important stuff in life! =) Each student gets a chance to respond to what month and day it is and the teacher goes around the room letting them say or point to the answer on the smartboard on the screen up front. It was quite the lesson for me as I watched this unfold. First of all, it was a Monday in October. I don't know about you, but a Monday in October can be a pretty challenging thing just getting up and going. But these kids taught me something and I want to share it with all of you...and hopefully revisit this life lesson often, as needed.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">It went like this: As the teacher announced to the class that today was Monday and the month was October, some of the kids started cheering and getting excited as they raised their hand to repeat the answer. One little guy especially could hardly contain his excitement. She called on him first. Willie answered, "Monday and October" and then he clapped loudly and repeated 'Monday' in sort of a chant/cheer format. He was all smiles and even though it was a cold Monday in October, his enthusiasm and sheer happiness over answering correctly was contagious. Little Willie has no idea that so many people hate Mondays. He has no idea that Monday is the dreaded day of the week for countless people going back to school and work or whatever it is that they do on Monday. He has no idea that some people wake up on Monday counting down the days til Friday.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">And it hit me in such a vivid way that we ALL need a little more joy and contentment and excitement and enthusiasm in 'this moment'- even when, or should I say especially when it is Monday! Several of the other kids were all smiles and seemed very happy to announce that it was Monday that day too. Despite all the challenges they had going on in their bodies and minds, they had something going so 'right' too. Far better than many people who aren't labeled "special needs or challenged". Their attitude toward life and learning is something to be envied. I walked into that building feeling sorry for all the kids and heavy-hearted for the families who even need the extra assistance and care of the staff at that school. However, I walked out of that building softened and changed a tiny bit as I realized that maybe I am the one with the challenges and they are the teachers to the rest of us. Disability is only that when we allow it to hold us back. These kids and teachers are ready and even experts, I think, at taking on life just as it is handed to them and making the very best out of it. Even on Mondays. Now that is something to aspire too!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I think Wyndham is lucky to be in such a special place.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-28245167713712361732013-10-01T10:46:00.000-04:002013-10-01T10:46:04.567-04:00Autumn, fall, I love it all.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-Epis_83Lvr_14MAs7O5bF9dzzvNZ1PWnCCK4kVmpFaDju7XXZ8tYCqABjj2z8jk60-a_F_cRdaacL_peih1WVC3keBsG8_nkYI1VlsrFRVp2sRDfoRyZyNRkfoayyESX9Pl/s1600/akitchenpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG-Epis_83Lvr_14MAs7O5bF9dzzvNZ1PWnCCK4kVmpFaDju7XXZ8tYCqABjj2z8jk60-a_F_cRdaacL_peih1WVC3keBsG8_nkYI1VlsrFRVp2sRDfoRyZyNRkfoayyESX9Pl/s320/akitchenpic.jpg" width="242" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7BP7nAU4SRxNbSbDHYuALfc6jmBYtXaVW9lhdcLC8hXhZSN426SIFPOg-u3qrQ37pSiLUr8uMmL-jnm3cM8cNhSKtzhn6EHRr417AAjtrlPEqU1aNpIM3QAAXRufg6NfgCbJ/s1600/apple-pie-bread-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-7BP7nAU4SRxNbSbDHYuALfc6jmBYtXaVW9lhdcLC8hXhZSN426SIFPOg-u3qrQ37pSiLUr8uMmL-jnm3cM8cNhSKtzhn6EHRr417AAjtrlPEqU1aNpIM3QAAXRufg6NfgCbJ/s320/apple-pie-bread-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3Dl9FAkP8ngH2lsDLVgJ7F1iY1uROS5TnXMnfAnJXsgyVjkxjoHXCWJcb_lE3K-dd09H5U6jlZaB4mfl-gEYF66G88Uug_UC_J0NF0fXiaSx94ODSh8cCv5NjClZ_FkpJQ2U/s1600/feathergrid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3Dl9FAkP8ngH2lsDLVgJ7F1iY1uROS5TnXMnfAnJXsgyVjkxjoHXCWJcb_lE3K-dd09H5U6jlZaB4mfl-gEYF66G88Uug_UC_J0NF0fXiaSx94ODSh8cCv5NjClZ_FkpJQ2U/s320/feathergrid.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu4MQ8IW2rAdYJHoK9xWNL5KUGAutBc5UaOnKASLN039b8v1h3pZbdQ6XpLgcYebJZaHqi-ACWrKY89Hky71bYYV8uXRtUL-gkZLR13ZR6cAN3n8e3EMdQap0UX3o8RKeFmKJ/s1600/cdbestdaylo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSu4MQ8IW2rAdYJHoK9xWNL5KUGAutBc5UaOnKASLN039b8v1h3pZbdQ6XpLgcYebJZaHqi-ACWrKY89Hky71bYYV8uXRtUL-gkZLR13ZR6cAN3n8e3EMdQap0UX3o8RKeFmKJ/s320/cdbestdaylo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">I am not sure how September seems to have suddenly turned into October, but here it is and the calendar doesn't lie! Yesterday I baked a new recipe- <a href="http://princessinthekitchen.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/apple-pie-bread/" target="_blank">the Apple Pie Bread found at this link</a>- and it made the whole house smell great. It was pretty tasty {crumbly, when cut and eaten!} and the kids loved it! I am not a great cook, but baking makes me happy and I almost always make someone else happy when I bake too, so that is a win-win in my book. Cooking is best left to Chip, and I am looking forward to the delicious soups and fall flavors that will happen in our kitchen in the coming days and weeks too.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;"><a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy's "Sweater Weather" kit is now available for purchase.</a> You can see more of the <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/october-kit-c-278.html" target="_blank">add-ons and Day In The Life kit at the site too</a>, as well as all the awesome<a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/galleries.php" target="_blank"> design teams' layouts and projects</a>. I so enjoyed meeting my friends in person and love how I get to play with paper and new products each month, but more importantly the friendships that we share online grow with each layout made and chat shared too! That is another win-win in my book.</span><span style="color: #e06666;"> =)</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">Our weather is supposed to feel like summer for another few days here in Michigan, and then the cooler weather will kick in. I love the change of seasons and yet I know I am not going to look forward to a long, white winter yet, so that means we will soak up every bit of fall that we can.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">I have a heavy, burdened heart for some of my friends going through some really tough stuff in life right now. Life and death stuff that sort of sucks the joy of life and makes one miss everything going on about them- like the changing seasons. I know that God is in and over all of it, but that doesn't make the hard times in life less hard. They just point us to a Hope and a greater trust, but developing that comes at the cost of suffering and pain. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">I think the changing seasons is such an 'obvious time' to see God at work and a beautiful reminder that He is steadfast, He loves, He cares about the details, and He is merciful. I pray you will see that, feel it and believe it with your whole heart. He is our portion- no matter how little or much we need. Always.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-36009081155562672972013-09-28T10:55:00.000-04:002013-09-28T10:55:10.388-04:00Time for "Sweater Weather"!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8qQFFZFB_YRzUULZgGZaaHkNgMnUuessSBCJAOV4kHkMk50sbwXynRB-cGdzfoirFS7tLt4a1hTFA8jY_ZttpxB75c8DwGTrY8jmw2LcDKWohSmKJAwdhS-Axz4QAJOJaiwX/s1600/bedd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8qQFFZFB_YRzUULZgGZaaHkNgMnUuessSBCJAOV4kHkMk50sbwXynRB-cGdzfoirFS7tLt4a1hTFA8jY_ZttpxB75c8DwGTrY8jmw2LcDKWohSmKJAwdhS-Axz4QAJOJaiwX/s320/bedd.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwL7YUZGhDb75jPnAmFQFxJGXb3GkPVr7hUpKVv6BuDvwYbYxJvCgBvUnCE5eQQQbcVAiw2HlEJ2MsmAWfB7BBo7p6lq6z0lxYXFlgfH4YxSy-iClEHzABAsDkb4kV1c3V_Td/s1600/bittyfox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLwL7YUZGhDb75jPnAmFQFxJGXb3GkPVr7hUpKVv6BuDvwYbYxJvCgBvUnCE5eQQQbcVAiw2HlEJ2MsmAWfB7BBo7p6lq6z0lxYXFlgfH4YxSy-iClEHzABAsDkb4kV1c3V_Td/s320/bittyfox.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy_nUSTarfiat4xqApPy5qNRvcjou9PE0fRRkX8kLYNIuLf_RM3XGYf1yX8yGkuIFVORU8vVbnR88DtcgLSApmV-JIuQH5DKfmzsb4O46_hNa5_1fgyFBbUIkYhSaWbB3WcyZ/s1600/deerflowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiy_nUSTarfiat4xqApPy5qNRvcjou9PE0fRRkX8kLYNIuLf_RM3XGYf1yX8yGkuIFVORU8vVbnR88DtcgLSApmV-JIuQH5DKfmzsb4O46_hNa5_1fgyFBbUIkYhSaWbB3WcyZ/s320/deerflowers.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifR9YdMEtqJkhBUwrNgH95PVhBIw9ZPikhjrAPKRkDh5rZ4PY1YfQOBp0Wa0RGZ25lwdG7m4zXGBAwFvsEjPOKeGixXs7bAdMQXMjl4CUnBBTyJjrpZTsyt7gK5PaWsuayN19g/s1600/asweaterpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifR9YdMEtqJkhBUwrNgH95PVhBIw9ZPikhjrAPKRkDh5rZ4PY1YfQOBp0Wa0RGZ25lwdG7m4zXGBAwFvsEjPOKeGixXs7bAdMQXMjl4CUnBBTyJjrpZTsyt7gK5PaWsuayN19g/s320/asweaterpeek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">This is the day that for the big reveal of <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy's October kit~ Sweater Weather.</a> Here in Michigan the weather is actually more summerlike than fall, but I don't mind a bit! We still have some settling in to do at our house and I have had fun getting my scrap loft area unpacked so that I could scrap again. This kit is definitely filled with touches of autumn, but the colors and patterns of everything in it speak to much more than that too! I played with the pale orange and blue combo on a couple of my layouts. It has a lot of woodgrain and nature in it, which is always one of my favorite things! So feel free to join a bunch of us on <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/forum/" target="_blank">the message boards</a> tonight and get in on the sweater weather action firsthand. It's a fun night to be online at Cocoa Daisy!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I had to share a picture of our bed that we had ordered and was delivered this week. It is tall compared to our former bed, but we love the look of it and I am now watching for some fall/winter bedding to make it extra cozy when the cool weather does show up! For now the windows are still open during the day and the leaves around us have yet to change color. The golfers are still passing through our backyard all day long as we look out onto the 9th tee. The kids are still playing chalk on our driveway and the air is fresh and warm. I am soaking up as much of this kind of late summer-like weather as possible.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">As always, I hope to blog more than I do as well! Maybe one day life will settle down into a routine. For now, it is still busy, busy busy. The kids all started school at one place, and then within a week we had transferred them to a new school. So between 5 school campuses and moving into a new house in the past month we still don't have a 'normal' schedule and are still making sense out of all the new things in our lives and spaces. But so far the transitions have gone mostly well. We feel very blessed. The sunrises are still beautiful each day, and with the exception of a few mild colds, we are all doing great. Just this morning Chip, Teague and I went to the local Farmer's Market. We have a bushel of Honey Crisp apples to enjoy as a result. There will likely be some baking in my future, and if you have a tried and true favorite apple recipe, feel free to share it with me in the comments today. <span style="color: #274e13;">Sometimes I love the changing seasons.</span> <span style="color: #45818e;"><em>When it means new recipes and warm weather, what's not to love?!</em></span> </span><span style="color: #bf9000;">Happy Autumn to you and yours! </span><span style="color: #e06666;">xo</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-937044473351065402013-09-03T13:40:00.001-04:002013-09-03T13:40:56.324-04:00Home. Sweet. Home.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-du8k30bog4M/UiXsKytT2fI/AAAAAAAAHX4/xK3stZ5ykWU/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-du8k30bog4M/UiXsKytT2fI/AAAAAAAAHX4/xK3stZ5ykWU/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CsNexAM5L7M/UiXsJ3opZUI/AAAAAAAAHX8/lbDqNcPW18g/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CsNexAM5L7M/UiXsJ3opZUI/AAAAAAAAHX8/lbDqNcPW18g/s320/image.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0KPywS5qKA0/UiXsNegLIbI/AAAAAAAAHYE/hB_MOHHY0bM/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0KPywS5qKA0/UiXsNegLIbI/AAAAAAAAHYE/hB_MOHHY0bM/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i2VyPuixUjo/UiXsRNTh-bI/AAAAAAAAHYo/znTdkHry6rI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i2VyPuixUjo/UiXsRNTh-bI/AAAAAAAAHYo/znTdkHry6rI/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYE6ydOsYXI/UiXsSgCSlUI/AAAAAAAAHYk/J2VvV8wTHjA/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zYE6ydOsYXI/UiXsSgCSlUI/AAAAAAAAHYk/J2VvV8wTHjA/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9-a1MgtD9P4/UiXsWkwiHYI/AAAAAAAAHZI/eI-EbrmeAdI/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9-a1MgtD9P4/UiXsWkwiHYI/AAAAAAAAHZI/eI-EbrmeAdI/s320/image.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ5C7xE5r-c/UiXsYdUTE7I/AAAAAAAAHZE/7Np4RG1EO0U/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ5C7xE5r-c/UiXsYdUTE7I/AAAAAAAAHZE/7Np4RG1EO0U/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljnXw9vIz_A/UiXsZn2BK8I/AAAAAAAAHZU/RarxYsGooew/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ljnXw9vIz_A/UiXsZn2BK8I/AAAAAAAAHZU/RarxYsGooew/s320/image.jpg" width="309" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuUBt4lvKS0MtiJOZtcSyWWTXaCoZhYV1NhzEW3iogwtZNM82vdiNtvix5Nnvq9n0minuVTcd2KEWKro6ZGXHeOHGqrLynjBctnQrwTA_tgozbQ27tcai6PLAB8QO4Q_lRQDr/s1600/5thandmain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBuUBt4lvKS0MtiJOZtcSyWWTXaCoZhYV1NhzEW3iogwtZNM82vdiNtvix5Nnvq9n0minuVTcd2KEWKro6ZGXHeOHGqrLynjBctnQrwTA_tgozbQ27tcai6PLAB8QO4Q_lRQDr/s320/5thandmain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">I almost don't know what to say. Life, as we start to settle into our new house, after just one week since our moving date is almost too good to be true. That's not to say that we haven't put in long days or worked hard for what we have. But all in all it has gone so much better and easier than Chip and I had anticipated.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">We have already enjoyed the early morning sunrises, with beautiful pinks and orange hues right outside our bedroom window. We have checked out the local Farmers' Market and have enjoyed cooking some meals and making brownies in our new kitchen as we get unpacked and make it feel like home around here. The space just seems to work so well for the needs of our family, and having a clean slate to set up has gone smoothly just having it be fresh and clean too!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">Today half of our kids started school. They are at three different schools and each of them seemed comfortable and even a bit excited about the new changes ahead of them. I have done a lot of praying about the friends they will meet and make, and I know they are ready to be challenged and grow in many ways as a result of this new experience in their lives too. Wyndham still has a few details to be worked out before she starts her classes and therapies, and Crew is in the registration process for starting preschool too. The house could get very quiet around here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursday mornings! I haven't been home with just one child in years!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">I am pleased to tell you that <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/september-kit-c-277.html" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy's September kit~ 5th and Main ~</a> is available for purchase now! You can get some of <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/september-patterned-paper-p-1997.html" target="_blank">the extra papers</a> too. The rest of the add-ons and The Day in the Life kit have sold out, but as you can see, the main kit is still full of so many great items that I can't wait to get back out of boxes and get to scrapping again! I have lots of unpacking to do when it comes to the kids' closets, my scrapbook space and we have a few big purchases to make- including the bed we are thinking about pictured above. SO much going on in such a short amount of time! It sort of makes my head spin when I pause to think about all of it. But at the same time it truly feels like home here already. It's as if a weight was lifted off of our shoulders when we moved into this place. I don't fully know how or why that it, but I can honestly tell you that it feels good.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">So good in fact, that I am about to go make chocolate chip cookies so the kids have a yummy first-day-back-to-school snack when they walk in the door. Oh yes, for now anyway, life is sweet. and this place feels like Home.Sweet.Home.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-17498370893698271302013-08-28T16:33:00.000-04:002013-08-28T16:33:53.366-04:005th and Main<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNOTLa03LoUAitclXiSpQPRc87MemS6L6YdEzDH0Rheef6smVCcHMuTKY4fx0vS0KcL6_SSotMkFIxvcch8Gy7HpBdYhJQva2G8JGae0dQyinLyIoVDpOHdC_Mi850J1XH9AJ/s1600/afifthpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKNOTLa03LoUAitclXiSpQPRc87MemS6L6YdEzDH0Rheef6smVCcHMuTKY4fx0vS0KcL6_SSotMkFIxvcch8Gy7HpBdYhJQva2G8JGae0dQyinLyIoVDpOHdC_Mi850J1XH9AJ/s320/afifthpeek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmRq7W4izNcyOfbPR6tbL90eUC6NR5wzmZ4TGmPcaduxOI0M8wzuoCxOojWolQgFjhP9ufwwTvByfSmjlAwv49UAnu_9bXUwKIHy5t-gmMFco5zrzbeoTBPm3BBwnttoT4gMz/s1600/agoodpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmRq7W4izNcyOfbPR6tbL90eUC6NR5wzmZ4TGmPcaduxOI0M8wzuoCxOojWolQgFjhP9ufwwTvByfSmjlAwv49UAnu_9bXUwKIHy5t-gmMFco5zrzbeoTBPm3BBwnttoT4gMz/s320/agoodpeek.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwriVJhzFW1dIXwiAtX6UaXoIzvQ0UnLVSMCoJqqo-nMS5MBYjhtcJpQy_cABLEPSIQEU36dIbXCQsphMbEOAACctYoFMgRVbSzjNETa222y-g6nrpTQAZdMu6Oz59ExVmF22/s1600/awesomefeather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikwriVJhzFW1dIXwiAtX6UaXoIzvQ0UnLVSMCoJqqo-nMS5MBYjhtcJpQy_cABLEPSIQEU36dIbXCQsphMbEOAACctYoFMgRVbSzjNETa222y-g6nrpTQAZdMu6Oz59ExVmF22/s320/awesomefeather.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmPMj-Jh09fhwtlkeB7-LYi3AKWd_pYwCt8QjTBFaJQDGEkwdDWJMp2Nt156wsUmTG-wDuyt1YnZI6exqghgkgs6Jce1sJaMnTm15ae0u3xJWi1q9tAZnDwegXBXjucE-Cgtn/s1600/day2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPmPMj-Jh09fhwtlkeB7-LYi3AKWd_pYwCt8QjTBFaJQDGEkwdDWJMp2Nt156wsUmTG-wDuyt1YnZI6exqghgkgs6Jce1sJaMnTm15ae0u3xJWi1q9tAZnDwegXBXjucE-Cgtn/s320/day2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">Cocoa Daisy's full reveal of <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/august-kit-c-276.html" target="_blank">September's kit- 5th and Main</a> happens tonight! Somehow between selling a house and buying a new one and then moving just yesterday I managed to find time to scrap and make the pages you see peeks of above. My scrap supplies are all in boxes right now, but let me tell you this, that I have a fun idea in my head for a mini book with this kit too. I also got the <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/store/project-life-kit-c-268.html" target="_blank">Day in the Life kit</a> this month and it is sweet! It has the perfect set of cards and stamps to fit the great day that Chip and I had celebrating our anniversary in Chicago a couple of weeks ago.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">I can't wait to get my scrap space set up in my new house. I'm not sure where it's going to be yet, but I am sure it's going to make me happy when it is finally said and done and I anticipate lots of happy crafting in this house. Above is a view of our main living/dining/kitchen space as it looks right now. We are already happy with the feel of this home just 24 hours after moving in. Hopefully we will like it even more with each box we unpack!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">Yay for new streets, new kits, new beginnings and new changes to embrace and celebrate. Feel free to stop by <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/forum/" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy's message board</a> tonight at 8 eastern time and see what the rest of these pages and full kit look like. I hope you end up loving it as much as I do!</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-27238177398912540412013-08-23T04:53:00.000-04:002013-08-23T04:53:49.538-04:00The day that Daddy came back.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimPPM0xJtR_wbQG-FAEwgWCXZSi8Tb_zmtBGPDnfnAfYgm-FWoex-_4HJCbwO4itfq9Mu4Criswwmog2G3luZW2qiLSbokue58iyvko_DyqXOxU5cvPCjojbb7Gy3xnMjMBmG/s1600/cooldad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiimPPM0xJtR_wbQG-FAEwgWCXZSi8Tb_zmtBGPDnfnAfYgm-FWoex-_4HJCbwO4itfq9Mu4Criswwmog2G3luZW2qiLSbokue58iyvko_DyqXOxU5cvPCjojbb7Gy3xnMjMBmG/s320/cooldad.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJ4OYDUxQhRCN6skTl4gU8tBWn7_1fd3fyPmBnFDkj_MZS-wUhaLGvS69U9_uWED-kY-e52la0PX1gRbZFmyHxfCFE5PuCbyhqcWvZyzgiWhK9xZZSOtUIHFAvX5hoWbJPtFN/s1600/asoldpic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAJ4OYDUxQhRCN6skTl4gU8tBWn7_1fd3fyPmBnFDkj_MZS-wUhaLGvS69U9_uWED-kY-e52la0PX1gRbZFmyHxfCFE5PuCbyhqcWvZyzgiWhK9xZZSOtUIHFAvX5hoWbJPtFN/s320/asoldpic.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDa3lKyPCBqXnONbwKIQVZ2RiCthVgLR_KygtW-1mhpTMwql0G2re5tsUGORim1ph52r7-IkopH8BDfe3xjKaUE62BGgg3lhsc9XAHQeRPDPOV4xl7sN5H7mRBYruykrYdaBy/s1600/aprint5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaDa3lKyPCBqXnONbwKIQVZ2RiCthVgLR_KygtW-1mhpTMwql0G2re5tsUGORim1ph52r7-IkopH8BDfe3xjKaUE62BGgg3lhsc9XAHQeRPDPOV4xl7sN5H7mRBYruykrYdaBy/s320/aprint5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7o6vtmNOnh-in3orUoemRPZIshQcHIsjJ1y6Gi-L80ZvH3p2fMxkc5t60m_OYB5wNOfSRNMtocEvzUX9Rd_eHmlTB3I3mi_KNPwn8toIczpiDNf6cTqWrGCo9p4HlUHm_mMK/s1600/astreetview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih7o6vtmNOnh-in3orUoemRPZIshQcHIsjJ1y6Gi-L80ZvH3p2fMxkc5t60m_OYB5wNOfSRNMtocEvzUX9Rd_eHmlTB3I3mi_KNPwn8toIczpiDNf6cTqWrGCo9p4HlUHm_mMK/s320/astreetview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsbfTaY7NQ_TBJsjUcdv28D3YPaiwB-7zY2qeRnUTDMDYWOHKedrG4DJIkSYfoaebtkMzB0VK8opFK1Wg03wRUN15ETBWaT8i9yDg24b_wlRKQl8fMSYqABE3cUE_c5zHSI-I/s1600/aweddingpolaroid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsbfTaY7NQ_TBJsjUcdv28D3YPaiwB-7zY2qeRnUTDMDYWOHKedrG4DJIkSYfoaebtkMzB0VK8opFK1Wg03wRUN15ETBWaT8i9yDg24b_wlRKQl8fMSYqABE3cUE_c5zHSI-I/s320/aweddingpolaroid.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">It's 3:47am. I am blogging. That means a couple of things are going on. One is that I am awake and my mind is spinning. The other thing is that the house is quiet and calm because everyone else is sleeping. I guess this is the only time I have available to blog in my life as there is never a dull moment in my day. This also explains the lack of posts. I am usually asleep at this time of the night. I already know I am going to regret being up right now and doing this, even in just 4 hours or so. But I am here for now. So I will squeeze in as much as I can- even though the past few weeks in the life of the Ferlaaks deserves it's own book. It's been that wild and crazy!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">But even a tad fun.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">And a whole lot of amazing.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">And that is why my head is spinning and I am here typing. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Sometimes life gets going. Going in a certain direction. Other times it just stands still. And it drags. Or just is. Still at other times life starts moving, and I can tell something is up. I might not always know why or what or how come, but there's a feeling that something is going on.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">That is what I write of today.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">To do so, I need to finish a blogpost that I started a couple of weeks ago, and never got around to finishing, much less posting. It was a typical summer morning. Chip got up, showered and was saying his goodbyes for the day. The kids aren't always awake. At least not all of them. And sometimes some are eating breakfast and playing on the iPads and Chip and I have yet to get up. We're all over the place with our schedule in the summer. We like late nights {not normally as late as the one I am having right now!} and long mornings. We have very little on our agendas. Except to say goodbye and give Daddy hugs and kisses before he leaves for work.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">This particular morning Chip was saying his goodbyes and as he did I could just begin to hear Teague start to fuss in his bedroom. He still sleeps in a crib {he just turned 3 and we love that he loves his crib and stays put in there!} and so someone has to come and get him out each morning. He got a bit louder just as Chip was putting his hand on the doorknob to leave, and I looked at Chip and said, "Go now so Teague won't have a meltdown saying goodbye". That's what Teague does.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He loves his daddy. He loves his dad a whole lot. With Chip's long hours at work in the summer, sometimes we don't see him a whole lot. So when Chip leaves, Teague cries. And throws a fit on the front step. Then Chip leaves and feels guilty. And I am left with a little guy doing limp body and fussing in the front step for several minutes some mornings. It makes me want to drink more coffee. That's what was ahead of us if Chip stuck around while I got Teague up, so instead Chip quickly left, and I went to go get Teague out of his bed. He started to fuss louder when I got him out. I gave him some morning hugs and kisses. But he just put on his best pouty face and started crying. "Do you want some orange juice, Teague?" "Do you want your little lamby and yellow blankie?" I started asking questions. "Calm down, mister...it's morning time and we get to have a fun day!" This is what I was saying to him as his crying started to get louder and louder. The other kids had joined my question party by this time and they were all using their "happy voices" wishing him a good morning and offering kisses and other ideas like toaster waffles.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Nothing was working.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I just held him for a minute longer. He kept on crying. I asked him to "use your words" and tell Mommy what's wrong. His crying finally got quieter, and he looked right at me and said, "I wanted to give Daddy a kiss."</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">My heart basically melted.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He had been listening to the other kids say their goodbyes, and he had no way of getting in on the hugs and kisses and send-off. I was happy to finally know that there actually was a "real problem" and my "real solution" was that we could call Daddy on his phone and say good morning and goodbye all at once. I took Teague to the kitchen to get my phone and I told him my plan. I dialed Chip and he answered. Which I typically don't like him to do if he's in a car. "What's up?" he asked. He never knows what to expect when I call him. I don't do it often, but there's always a 50/50 that it's a good or bad thing. I said, "Teague was just waking up when you left and he is so upset that he didn't get to hug you goodbye." I fully expected Chip to say, "Put him on and I'll talk to him for a minute." Instead, Chip said, "I'm on my way home."</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I was more than a bit surprised. Chip has a lot on his plate in life and at work these days. Several minutes had gone by since he had left home, so this wasn't just a quick turn around at the end of the block. I set the phone down and Teague just about had another meltdown right then and there. I grabbed his little hand and said, "come outside on the front step...Mommy wants you to get a surprise!" Kids love surprises, but not so much when they are just coming off of a meltdown and the drama of crying for the first several minutes of their day.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We sat on the front step. Brock joined us. We looked at the sky. We listened to a couple of birds. We saw the grass. And flowers. It must have felt to Teague as though I was the biggest phony surprise thrower of all time. At one point I finally told him to be quiet and listen. I could hear Chip's car coming down the street. Teague was on my lap on the front step clueless that his morning wish was about to come true!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I think Teague was about to start crying all over again when I told him to look down the street as far as he could to see if he could see anything. Brock was starting to grin at this point. And a few seconds later Chip's vehicle pulled back into our driveway. "Daddy's home!! Daddy came back! It's Daddy!"</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Teague was so excited. I am getting a knot in my throat right now even as I type it out, because it was a truly magical moment. My little clueless, upset two-year old {at that time} suddenly had his whole morning turned around. His little heartbroken request that he had finally spilled out to me when "he used his words" hadn't just been a cry of hurt and disgust that fell on deaf ears. Instead, his cry had been heard, and more than loud and clear, his heartbreak at not being able to say goodbye and give a hug had turned to complete and utter joy at the surprise return from Chip coming back to more than meet his need.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I actually caught part of the whole scene on one of our iPad cameras. I snapped the picture in this post of Teague and Daddy together for that brief couple of moments that morning too, and those smiles are the real deal! Teague's fussing was so quickly forgotten and his tiny arms wrapped so tight around his dad and the 'drama' of our morning up to that point all melted into a beautiful embrace. I was so happy for Teague. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I was so proud of Chip and my heart melted at just how big his heart is at times too. He chose to come home, when a simple hello on the phone would have salvaged a part of Teague's hurt. He went beyond what he needed to do and it blew me and Teague away. The whole scene has played over and over in my mind the past few weeks.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">It is so late and I am so tired, and there is so much more to this story. The part about how that picture in my mind so parallels what God has been doing in my heart and life too. It's been unfolding for months. Years, I believe.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">God has been up to something.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I've been in a place where the only way 'out' {like Teague in his crib} was going to happen when God chose to get me out. I needed my Father to pick me up and open a door. I was kicking and crying, and even though I could have had a toaster waffle or juice or any number of things to bring me happiness, all the while He had a plan to bring me more than that. He has been up to something for awhile now. And I couldn't see it, hear it, or have a clue what it was. Just as Teague had no clue Chip was already on his way home with a big hug and kiss waiting for him on arrival. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He could have settled for a quick phonecall and chat with Daddy. But Chip had a better idea. And even though it temporarily broke Teague's heart for me to not let him talk on the phone, or even tell him that Daddy was coming home, I knew it was going to be a wonderful and even better surprise in the end.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I knew it would be worth Teague's confusion as he waited on a front step without a clue. I knew it would be more than worth it for him to see that Chip drove back home just to see him! I knew it was going to make the tears of the morning literally disappear. His sorrow would be turned to joy, and it was! Teague's whole morning was made!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">My heart has been so hurt for a long time for many different reasons. Some days I haven't had a clue as to how life has played out the way it has for us. But for some reason- as reason I still don't know or understand- in the past few weeks too many things have happened that make me literally see God's hand in life's details. It has been wonderful. It has been amazing at times. It has been fun even! My heart has felt happiness in the truest sense of the word. Our house sold. A new one just happened to fall into place for us. At just the right place. At just the perfect time. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Chip and I somehow managed to go out on a date together. It has been more than a year since we have done that. And we didn't just get a date. We took a whole day trip together. And nothing went 'wrong' the whole day. In spite of the downpour we got stuck in as we walked from Navy Pier in Chicago to Millenium Park. We laughed together. We enjoyed each other. We had actual conversations. About things other than kids or work. There has been so much going on in the past few weeks that my head is still spinning and we still have a move ahead of us this coming Tuesday. I should be overwhelmed. I should be freaking out. I should be asking myself how on earth is everything going to get done that needs to get done?!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Instead I am blogging. I am doing something I rarely get a chance to do anymore. I needed to write. I needed to come here and tell the world that God is amazing. Even when we can't see Him or feel Him or have a clue if He is even listening to our fussing and cries. I want to assure myself and whomever else reads here that He is. He is real. He gives life to dry bones. He longs to do good things in the hearts and lives of those who love Him. He is trustworthy. He is faithful. He is good and kind and fun even! He is a God who listens, who loves, who makes time for us, who knows better than we know ourselves just how to fill our lives with goodness and joy.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I don't know if Teague even remembers the day that Daddy came back. But one day, maybe one day when all the world has let him down or life is threatening to steal his joy, I want to remind him of this story. That really happened. That was so beautiful and pure and true that it will hopefully stir in his heart a little something that makes him want to be a better person and believe in goodness and Love again.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I have sometimes wondered. I have doubted far too many times in my life. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I am ashamed because I have known since I was about Teague's size that I love a God who is bigger and more powerful than any mind can comprehend. Yet still my trust has worn thin at times and I have wondered if my prayers have even been heard.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He has heard every one. He has a plan to meet every need. His plans are good. His ways are higher. I am humbled and honored to give all my praise to Jesus, my Lord. I don't know what lies just ahead in this next adventure in life. I am just so thankful that I never need to doubt or wonder if God is real. He is. And He is so Good. He is so Good to me.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18733763.post-66738857512711839162013-07-31T15:03:00.000-04:002013-07-31T15:03:38.299-04:00Good stuff and open roads for dreamin'.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OK4aY4bIOmLmTUeQvnTI38j4oxMN4-Wx1gyawFXLjd4RlZm9Vdp5qJmddX0r5x3R5fIsMBPkbIdByUaolMuGovoSJDovq6iqQcIB7syff2KlglxKkVo1Buvr09R6C_MHZkg1/s1600/atdespicableme2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8OK4aY4bIOmLmTUeQvnTI38j4oxMN4-Wx1gyawFXLjd4RlZm9Vdp5qJmddX0r5x3R5fIsMBPkbIdByUaolMuGovoSJDovq6iqQcIB7syff2KlglxKkVo1Buvr09R6C_MHZkg1/s320/atdespicableme2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwa0WOPb7qHzvms2l8xeY2ePpqrwlfhnHIfW-nDu-k8o0LzdCCqhbxs0ADQxS49dP1Rt-qEQyym8iVuDeC0C6ZhZolFzGDrr5GRKnwQa1uKiwoCK0ZBUNstMHenIKmf1kv4LO/s1600/afamilyouting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMwa0WOPb7qHzvms2l8xeY2ePpqrwlfhnHIfW-nDu-k8o0LzdCCqhbxs0ADQxS49dP1Rt-qEQyym8iVuDeC0C6ZhZolFzGDrr5GRKnwQa1uKiwoCK0ZBUNstMHenIKmf1kv4LO/s320/afamilyouting.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-YENeOUiJqcNrzGYQqgPVbW8plHEgqXPjrnWfdapm7nsq-NiTSnxpNemEUPIz6JsGdX3LMh9gBb9-10_2nbtJFDo9STJil0WF8JflRa9igajzzT58Z1IqIqj2AOxmI4FwcDC/s1600/aminionpeek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz-YENeOUiJqcNrzGYQqgPVbW8plHEgqXPjrnWfdapm7nsq-NiTSnxpNemEUPIz6JsGdX3LMh9gBb9-10_2nbtJFDo9STJil0WF8JflRa9igajzzT58Z1IqIqj2AOxmI4FwcDC/s320/aminionpeek.jpg" width="218" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QQ15TYTxfZpz1hvFFs-Zodu4xBZhfXStatfUpmQvGn0TZXuqNW0M-9nt2bIp4hoiwzIerU5iXrUs6eiQiVuwoNCIPlHTuG8Nw0r_7ky1FdBI5j2jGen7-8KI6Db1hLxaT2VR/s1600/aminionlo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QQ15TYTxfZpz1hvFFs-Zodu4xBZhfXStatfUpmQvGn0TZXuqNW0M-9nt2bIp4hoiwzIerU5iXrUs6eiQiVuwoNCIPlHTuG8Nw0r_7ky1FdBI5j2jGen7-8KI6Db1hLxaT2VR/s320/aminionlo.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxW_pjVEXEXy8sjp7cTuyi0zoO_bKdej7cNTDIdiHJpbZ6Gz1O6tt7Ud-JwBKnNZkhFY8hCV8XQmRN5NKGW4b2iL2ZiIRPvNJN-gMm4d8wUX6xEDhqb73GFWMH67ueESC1ZvT/s1600/anopenroadlo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxW_pjVEXEXy8sjp7cTuyi0zoO_bKdej7cNTDIdiHJpbZ6Gz1O6tt7Ud-JwBKnNZkhFY8hCV8XQmRN5NKGW4b2iL2ZiIRPvNJN-gMm4d8wUX6xEDhqb73GFWMH67ueESC1ZvT/s320/anopenroadlo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Our family just marked another year gone by since the tragedy that claimed Teagan's life and altered us forever occurred. It has been 12 years now. I think one of the things that stood out most to me this year is just how much Teagan will always be a part of our life story~ no matter how much time goes on. The memories of that day are so vivid and clear to me, and I doubt they will ever fully fade. There was so much trauma and weeks of hospital and intense concern surrounding all of our injuries and recovery, that I am sure would take a lifetime to forget. I do know that it sometimes still feels like it all happened yesterday, and the ache of the reality that Teagan is truly gone doesn't ever diminish. The hole she left in our hearts and lives is still the same size as it was the day she was taken off of life support. We have done lots of living between then and now, but who she was and how she changed our lives for the better from the moment she was born will never change. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">And for that, I am grateful, and I will always thank God for sending such a vibrant, sweet, beautiful girl into our lives.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I am glad that we didn't get stuck in that place of grief and sorrow that threatens to consume and overwhelm one's life in the days and weeks following death. There was so much pain and darkness in that pit of sorrow. I was so angry to be in it at times, knowing how amazing and pleasurable life had been before being thrown into this place unannounced. I was angry that life for our family was being defined by such an ugly event, and I was angry that our joy had been ripped from our hands without giving us a choice or chance to do anything about it. That was a hard place to be, for sure. All I wanted was out of there, and yet as our injuries and Wyndham's challenges became our new way of life, I realized we would never fully 'escape' the pain and grief. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Chip and I struggled with how to move forward through those early days. I spent many of them weeping and struggling to even catch my breath through my sobs, as my physical pain hurt and my broken heart hurt and life seemed only dark and daunting. I didn't believe we would ever be 'whole' again. I didn't believe there would ever come a day when we wouldn't feel sadness. I felt like all of life was tainted and the only thing I wanted back was a small taste of joy.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I didn't know how that could happen though, because our whole world was pain- from the nightmares I woke up from in the night, to Brock's post traumatic stress syndrome, to Wyndham's injuries and meds and Chip's broken bones...it was all so painful. We didn't even come home from the hospital for 3 weeks. It felt like an eternity. It felt like our nightmare would never end.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">In our sorrows and grief and heartache and pain, Chip and I knew we wanted something more. We wanted to be able to live again! We wanted days filled with laughter and fun and happiness. We were living in darkness and we wanted so much to believe that there was Joy for the taking somewhere in the world again. We made a vow to fight for that together. We cried together for what we had lost and for what our "new normal" looked like now. I knew I needed Chip to be by my side- but fully understood how marriages fall apart in those dark valleys of life. I am glad that as hard as some of the days and months and years have been, that after 12 years of hardship, we are still together. We have had ups. We have had lots of downs. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We have had miracles happen.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We have loved deeper and more easily.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We have looked for ways to make new happy memories.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We have fought for joy and laughter.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We have been blessed beyond measure.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We still miss Teagan everyday.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">We still lean on God as our source of strength, comfort and Joy.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">He is our Rock, our healer and the One who has held us together and carried us through it all.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;"></span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">Our family has grown in number and there have been days that have overflowed with joy and happiness in our life in the past 12 years. I never could have imagined ordinary days being able to be full of happiness again. But we have lived them, so I know they exist. The journey of grief is long and hard and I don't wish it on anybody. My heart goes out to everyone touched by loss of a loved one. Something as simple as going to Despicable Me 2 can be a simple pleasure. Having a healthy family and opportunities to watch my kids grow and learn and to make memories together as a family are the very things that make life so worthwhile. Seeing beauty in the smallest things shows just how merciful, gracious and loving God is. That He cares about all the details of our lives is amazing. It's humbling. That He would reach down and enter into our hurts and cry with us and guide us out of the valley of darkness and death into the fullness of life again is the miracle in our lives everyday.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I sometimes get lost in the place of pity and heartache much more easily than I ever did before our tragedy. I am so thankful that God doesn't allow me to sit and wallow forever. </span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">I am so glad that He put in me- in Chip- the desire to want to live a life of joy again. Even in simple things like baking homemade chocolate chip cookies and dreaming of what lies ahead in life. I am glad that little things- like piles of laundry and noisy kids- are sometimes my biggest reminders of what I love and care most about- the special people in my life are my greatest blessings. The Hope of heaven keeps me going.</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">If someone had said I would have 6 kids, and be on a scrap team and blog and smile when I use a pink vacuum, and riding carts at Target would all be a part of my life at this time in 2001, I never would have believed it. But I am so glad that they way I imagined life playing out versus the reality of how it actually does look are so vastly different, that I hardly recognize the 'old life' anymore. I am holding on to the good memories as tight as I can. But I am ever grateful that my heart and hands were opened to embrace what God has placed back into our lives. It's pretty great, and I am so blessed to be able to say so!</span></strong><br />
<strong><span style="color: #666666;">In case you happen to like the scrap goodies you see in the pages I made here as much as I love them, you can get them for yourself starting tomorrow at <a href="http://www.cocoadaisy.com/" target="_blank">Cocoa Daisy.com</a>. It is a truly wonderful thing to me, to be able to use my hands and create something- just for the fun and joy of it. I never thought that would happen in my life ever again. And now I do it every single month! And lots of times in between too! God is a God of miracles. I take one look at my life as it is now and I know that it is true.</span></strong>Jodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01338865463777681078noreply@blogger.com2