The Hohm adventure...

Let the adventure begin!

2009-10-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those moments in life where you were facing something that was so exciting that your stomach had some butterflies, but also so scary that you felt sick all at the same time? I gave up a long time ago to try to figure out God's plan for our lives and I gently fall into the knowledge that He can see the entire picture and calling for our lives. So...let the adventure begin!

Enough already!

2009-07-06T20:05:00.001-07:00

I have noticed a pattern in my life, and not one that I am particularly proud of. I started reading back through old journals, you know..the ones that you write even when you're a kid about how a friend was mean to you at school or a boy that you like and you write your name with his last name next to it...oh come on girls, we all did it! It occurred to me that I only write something in a journal or blog when I am feeling kind of down or upset....so I said enough already! Anyone can find something wrong with each personal situation, family, friend, or stage in life if they are looking for it. I simply want to give thanks. I give thanks to my heavenly father for simply giving me the air to breathe each day. I give thanks for each time I hear one or both of my children laugh from their gut...the true joy that cannot be faked. I give thanks for having the privilege of being apart of kingdom work with the love of my life and seeing lives changed for eternity. I give thanks for...family who knows the true me and loves me anyway, for sunshine, true deep friendships, a great new song and the memories of an old one, for the ability and honor of forgiveness of others and the humbleness of being forgiven, for knowing that God supplies all your needs and will give wisdom to anyone who asks.....the list could go on forever. I literally, in the "woe is me" moments of life, often have to stop and say...enough already, I am thankful for ________. It is often difficult to get that first couple of perspective changing things to be thankful for out, but after that...it starts to flow out of me and suddenly I can see things the way I was meant to.

odds stacked against....

2009-03-10T18:54:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get the feeling that the odds are stacked against you? 2009 has proven to be a fairly difficult year and there are several things I have learned. #1 It doesn't come as a surprise to our heavenly Father when trials or difficulties come. He is in complete control. #2 We are never promised that life would be easy, only that we wouldn't have to be alone through it. #3 Family means everything......treasure every moment. #4 When things are difficult, it's hard to rely on any feeling of your relationship with your creator...because at times you feel abandoned in the moment. This is why we have to build on rock....and not sand. #5 The Word of God doesn't change, but it is amazing how the promises on the pages will look different in difficult times.

If you are having a rocky start to your year as I have....may you be encouraged! I pray that through the fire...I come out stronger and more refined. If that doesn't work - then you can just laugh at this picture of Rayna and think of how much you want to do that to the crazy part of your life :)

Happy Birthday to me :)

2009-01-07T20:02:00.000-08:00

It's my 32nd birthday....but to most people, I have told them that i'm 29....and will continue to be 29 for several more years. I haven't blogged in so long.....but family, ministry, my job, and yes...our little kiddos have taken up all my spare time! Ah...who am I kidding, i've just been a slacker. I get inspired when I check out other people's blogs from time to time and do realize that I have much more to share. We have had an amazing fall/winter and are excited for a brand new year to see what God has in store for us. We just spent 2 weeks in Wyoming with 8 adults, and 7 kids all under the age of 8 in the same house for a solid week....and it felt a little like a circus but was really a lot of fun! Jon and I commented that we barely saw Rayna that week because she had so many cousins to play with. We relaxed, played Wii, saw several movies, took the kids bowling....and in general, just ate like pigs and it was great. Personally, Jon and I have continued to be challenged in our walk with the Lord and are taking a break from the book "11" by Leonard Sweet and started reading "The Emotionally Healthy Church" by Peter Scazzero. We are in the first couple of chapters and it has been an amazing eye opening conversation and look at ministry. Rayna in her last semester of preschool, in her first ballet/tap class, and says a lot of phrases like "mom...i know that already! as if she's already 15." We repainted her room to a true princess room with dark pink walls and huge lime green, brick red, and pink circles on her walls. Our bouncy baby boy Owen is almost 2 already! Owen is talking a lot now but I am having a hard time understanding what he says half of the time.....so he points and repeats his garbled word over and over and over and louder and louder until I understand what he is saying. He loves to wrestle with Rayna and attacks her often. He loves balls, trucks, and pretty much anything that makes noise. Until next time......may you go on an incredible faith journey this year.....

a long needed update

2008-07-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

In the last 6 months, we have been updating our house with starting to paint the outside of the house this summer, watching God do amazing things through the students at EPIK, had a princess and superhero party for Rayna's 5th birthday, and getting into a routine with our two amazing kids. Since the introduction of facebook, I have been majorly slacking on my blog...so sorry to all the bloggers out there! We are so blessed and love our life.

new kitchen pictures

2008-01-06T14:03:00.000-08:00

here you go mom... This weekend the hardware will be put on and behind the sink will be finished. It is really great and we are enjoying it!

Things to be thankful for...

2007-12-10T19:33:00.001-08:00

Here are a few pictures of our precious babies... We'll update the house pictures when they're all done! It's getting close for the kitchen to be done, so it's getting exciting!

FINALLY...some updated pictures

2007-11-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

Well, I sold out and went shopping on black friday and replaced my digital camera that broke this summer. I had been taking some pictures along the way of the progress of the house, but it was a disposable camera and it wouldn't put it on the blog...I'm thinking because they weren't digital? Not sure, but here are some updates. Our kitchen is gutted, the new cabinents are coming in 2 weeks, Jon finished laying the rest of the hard wood through the kitchen on Thanksgiving, the wood floors will be sanded and finished in a few weeks as well. After that, we can paint and really feel like we have a house to move in. There are lots of other projects to do, but nothing as major...except the siding, which Jon and some of our youth leaders are going to tackle replacing rotted boards and do some stone work as well this winter. Now that we have a family camera, I'll update my blog more often...I promise!
Our gutted kitchen

Our TV room...with one coat of paint on it.

Glimpse

2007-11-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

heres a glimpse of what the hard wood floors that we are laying in the main floor looks like... it is called Australian Cyprus. Can't wait for it to be finished.

Moving

2007-08-20T07:19:00.000-07:00

Well we are moving... just thought I will give you glimpse of what is to come for the hohm family. more pics and updates in store but it has begun. I am beginning to think what did I get myself and family into, we will see.

This is the house. We got a God sized deal on it and by the looks of it we needed it because it has some love to put into it. So God help us to love it. It needs to be re-sided we are looking to put james hardie board on it which is awesome and we have been advised to go that route over vinyl but we will see what the prices determine for us. but a new face lift will give it much better curb appeal. We will make sure to post all the pics and changes as they occur but this i just a glimpse of what we got ourselves into.

back yard. I would like to take the big window out and put a sliding glass door there being that we are residing the house anyway now would be a great time to do those changes. we also need to do some landscaping and I would love to put a cool patio where the sliding glass door is.

this is a picture of the top floor which you get to by the living room. two bedrooms and full bath and master bedroom with master bath on this floor. The 3 Bedrooms on this floor have all hardwood floor already which are pretty nice so that is a good thing going for them. the master bath has carpeting which is going as well we are thinking heated floor with tile but we also will see what the budget has in store.

kitchen and dining room again carpeting is going fast and wood floor throughout the main floor

this is the main floor living room replacing this window cause it is rotten and the carepet is going don't you love that carpet. Lets just say 2 years of renters and 3 dogs 1 cat the carpet must go

this is the entryway/foyer, it is just cool to say we have a foyer...hahahaha pretty nice size some new lights and paint will brighten it up.

this is the hobby room which the wallpaper has already been taken off. This is going to be the TV room and office. New carpeting and fresh coat of paint and picture a 50inch LCD TV ok so I am dreaming but it is good to have dreams

this is the family room on the lower level check out the carpeting which is going as fast as it can along with the paneling.

Marathon Mania

2007-06-17T18:35:00.001-07:00

Well it's official we did it... Todd, Troy and Myself finished the Grandmas Marathon... Todd and Troy did amazing... Me, I am just glad I finished and I did, if you want the whole story come and find me. It was tough, but when you cross the finish line at that moment all the pain of running 26.2 miles was worth it. All through my mind while running was FINISH just FINISH... You know as I speak at epik and anywhere you will hear me say stuff like "the world is full of great starters but not enough great finishers." and "finish strong" and so on. Well I wanted to back my preaching up so I am just glad I did... So here are a few pictures and know this, if I can do it you can do it... so Finish strong and run this race that God has called us to run knowing at times it is going to be extremely tough but when we cross the finish line and stand before the Lord, it is going to be well worth it... I am proud of all of you.

5K

2007-05-29T09:43:00.000-07:00

I ran in my first 5K on Saturday and am proud that I even showed up to do it. I had a really great schedule downloaded from the internet, and didn't follow it a whole lot...so I wasn't as prepared as I had hoped to be. The good news is, is that it was a 5K run/walk...which I did a lot of the walking too. My one goal, which sounds silly, was to stay ahead of the speed walkers behind me. You know the kind, the swinging hips and pumping arms types...that usually can walk faster than most people can run. Well, everything they started creeping up on me, I'd take off and run a little bit until i couldn't run anymore. The sad thing is, they beat me in the end. My official time was 41 minutes for a little over 3 miles...it's a little pathetic, but at least I showed up and did it. That's the point, right? Next year, my goal will be to run without stopping. That was my friend Nici's goal, and she made it! Until next time...

unpredictable...

2007-05-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

So since having our second beautiful little baby boy...I have been adjusting to two kids, and a feeling of unpredictability in my own feelings and reactions. I can't quite peg it, but I know that I, especially over the last few weeks, been feeling a little out of control. Beyond the crazy schedule and other normal life stuff, I am sure that I am feeling a little on edge and like something's just not quite right. I'm not sure why, but blogging about things that can't be fixed by blogging about it, still is therapeutic for me. Anyone reading this...this is just the rantings of a stay at home mom who is needing an outlet and a good dose of hormones to feel normal again.:) On a brighter note...here are pictures of Owen's baby dedication. He is growing so fast and has become a really good natured baby. There are some pictures of his dedication, our surrogate grandma "Kapi", and Rayna's superhero look, and Rayna's first rockclimbing experience.

procrastination...

2007-05-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

OK, so I need to be pricing for my garage sale this weekend, but am I? NO! I love getting rid of stuff at garage sales, but it is an awful lot of work. I thought, instead, that I would put a few new pictures on the blog and we will have a few updates on our ever changing world, when things are decided for sure. That's all I'll say...for now. Anyway, here is a picture of our new dining room table...shout out to grandpa apa on that one! An adorable picture of Owen snoozing and in the sink, which he is far too big for...and Rayna's latest outfit of choice. Her hot pink skirt, and her "moon and stars" pajama top. Very fashionable I'd say. Hope you are all having a wonderful week and enjoying great weather like we are. Love you all!

Generations

2007-04-18T10:00:00.000-07:00

We have had a really busy couple of weeks with Easter and then grandpa "apa" came to visit his new grandson and Rayna. We had a great time with family and got to see the kid's great grandparents along with aunts and uncles. Owen is growing like crazy and is really really big! He is getting so cute and starting to belly laugh and smiles a lot. We are definately figuring out a pattern for him and he is more predictable now and doesn't cry nearly as much. Rayna just got a big girl haircut and new sandals for the summer. She would live outside if we let her and loves to find rocks, twigs, and loves sidewalk chalk. She can finally ride her bike fairly well and loves to play at the park. Jon and I and the kids took grandpa apa down to Faribault to see family on Monday and stopped at Famous Dave's on the way for lunch. When we got out of the parking lot, there was a funny sound on the van and we found out that we had a flat tire. It's funny how things happen...it was a beautiful day, we had just had a great lunch..the kids were doing good, and it would have been really easy to start to complain. Instead, we started talking about how God had saved us from an even further inconvenience rather than grumbling about the circumstance. We thought about the flat tire happening on the freeway, or late at night when Jon and I were traveling back in the dark. As it was, Rayna got out of the van and got to pick up rocks for an hour, which she loved, and Owen just slept in the van. It was a life lesson for me, a reminder, that sometimes things happen for a reason, and even though we may not understand them, we need to thinking and thanking God for keeping us and knowing that there may have been something that could have been worse. If it's as simple as a flat tire or a major life crisis. There is a reason...the Bible gives us Jesus's promise that he will never leave us nor forsake us. Have a blessed day!

Grandma "Ama"

2007-04-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

Grandma "Ama".....these are for you! It's snowing here so we are really sad...but it's not supposed to stay around for a while. We are gearing up for Easter around here and we get a daily if not many times a day question from Rayna if it is Easter yet. She knows that when it's Easter, we can go on an Easter egg hunt and wear a pretty dress at church. We have been reading books and trying to explain the real meaning of Easter, but to a 3 year old...it's mostly about the candy and pretty dresses. Owen is doing good and continues to be a giant baby. I can't remember, but I think he slept from 9:30 to 3:30 last night? It's sad that I can't remember, but you kind of get robotic about getting up in the middle of the night. Jon is continuing to train for the marathon and ran 12 miles last Saturday. He looked like an old man at church the next day because he was really stiff. I am starting to run some to get ready for the 5K over Memorial Day. Kuddos to Jon...running is hard work. Grandma "Ama", here's some new pictures! Hope everyone has a great day!

love the kidddos

2007-03-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

We are having pretty good days here and Owen has stopped his crying fits, for the most part! Thank the Lord....it was getting to be pretty tiresome. These days, Rayna is taking daily baths and creating different pictures with her shapes...like in the picture. She cracks me up because she is just like her daddy in that the picture is never quite finished. She is always tweeking it and changing it to "create" something new. I know you know what I'm talking about Ginny....you told me about Jon's forts as a kid...never done. She often times wants to be in there for hours at a time...and being the overworked mom I am...I usually let her and just warm up her water! Owen is 2 1/2 months old now and is in the 97% for weight being almost 14 pounds and the 95% for height at 24 inches long. His legs look like summo wrestler legs... Jon has continued to train for the marathon in his new spiffy shoes and has to run something like 9 miles tomorrow. I, on the other hand, am going to follow the "from the couch to a 5K" plan a friend of mine found on the internet. We are planning on running in a 5K over Memorial Day. It pretty much describes me...the couch part anyway. We pray all is well with you and that you have a wonderful weekend!

We love the SISCHO's

2007-03-18T09:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Adam, Danae (Jr. High pastors), and our family of 4 hopped in the good old minivan and took off for the cities. We had 2 objectives...to get out of Willmar, to eat someplace that wasn't in Willmar, and to get to the marathon store so Jon could get a decent pair of shoes for his training. Wait..that's 3 objectives.:) Anyway, when we got to the marathon store, one of the salesperson's told Jon that the running shoes that he was wearing to run in were no good. In fact, he said that because of the way his feet are when he walks and runs, he would have been better off running in flipflops. So, he got himself an official pair of running shoes! Yeah...Jon actually bought a pair of shoes. It's hard to believe because he takes after his mom and holds onto his money until God parts the heavens and speaks to him directly about his purchases...unless it's a pair of jeans. (I love you Jon and Ginny...you are just both so frugal!) I'm just kidding...but it's pretty close! We also got to spend some time shopping at the Mall of America, or Mall of Erica as Rayna calls it, eat at Famous Dave's and went to IKEA to look at lights and dining room tables. These are a few pictures of our family on a fun day with the Sischos courtesy of Danae.

Blessed

2007-03-10T16:30:00.000-08:00

We are so blessed as a family. Thank you Lord for two beautiful children and all that you have given us. Here are a few updates...Owen will be 2 months old this week and is smiling and cooing. It is so cute and we will make a fool of ourselves just to get him to smile and coo back at us. He has been a fussy baby in the evenings mostly like Rayna was, but I know that it is just a season and he will grow out of that. Rayna started preschool a few weeks ago and has two afternoons a week in the preschool at the church. Last Thursday was "pajama" day and she got to bring her "pretty pillow" and wear her pj's. She has also been playing more with her friend Gracie in one of these pictures. In this season of lack of sleep and adjusting, the Lord keeps reminding me of the scriptures that His grace is sufficient for me...and that His mercies are new every morning. We are holding to Him because He is our portion and strength and our hiding place. What would we do without all that Jesus does for us! We pray all is well with you and hope to hear from you soon!

Grandma's training

2007-02-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

So Jon is training for grandma's marathon in Duluth this June...with a couple of his friends...and this is a picture of them running on Saturday when we got tons of snow. I love Jon's expression after they ran 6 miles in the cold and snow...and check out Todd's beard of ice. Jon's waiting for that high that you start to get when you run often....it hasn't come yet as you can tell!

busy busy family

2007-02-26T07:55:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures...things are busy here and I will write an update later. Needless to say, if I'm not feeding Owen, I'm changing Owen...or holding him because he likes to be held a lot...or getting Rayna situated or spending time with her...it's busy. WAY busier than I thought it would be with 2 kiddos. Hence the reason for no blogging in about a month.

Our precious family

2007-01-28T16:06:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! This has been a rollercoaster of few weeks and we are so thrilled to have our baby boy home and growing like crazy. I forgot how quickly they change and grow...and Rayna looks enormous compared to him now. Rayna is doing pretty good with her baby brother and have asked to hold him a few times. Other than that, she stays to herself and her own favorite things to do here at home. My parents came to visit this past week from Wyoming. We had a great time and Rayna really enjoyed the extra attention and people to play with. The week went by too fast and my mom and dad spent lots of time holding Owen and spoiling Rayna and us by letting us sleep in while they got up with the kids. Owen is sleeping about 3-4 hours between feedings through the night and is a really good baby. He has certain ways he likes to be held and really hates his diaper changed. I've never had a little boy and I have quickly learned how fast you need to change them or you might be sprayed! The day that my parents left, Rayna wanted to hold Owen and the four of us sat really close on the couch while they pulled away. She said that we were in a stable like baby Jesus and that we were a family...it was really cute. It has been really great to have Jon home a lot the last few weeks too...I am coming to the realization that he has to go back to work this week and I'll be on my own with the two kids. It will take some getting used to, but I know that routines will happen soon enough. We took professional pictures together this week and baby announcements will be sent to family and friends far away this week...hopefully! Until then, we'll get more pictures up on the blog soon. Love you all!

Waiting is Over

2007-01-16T14:59:00.000-08:00

hey there everyone, while kelli is catching up on much needed sleep I thought I would post a few pics of the eagerly anticipated Owen [a.k.a Ode, Odi, Od or just Owen] he is pretty much the coolest stud you will ever meet...
I am sure Kelli will write more... she was amazing through this whole process by the way... AMAZING

waiting...3

2007-01-04T13:21:00.000-08:00

Living in sweat pants these days and refusing to put a new picture of the belly on the blog. I love the few comments from people who really mean well but say things like...wow, you are huge. I'm glad I know they mean well and really don't take offense, but for all of you reading this, you don't have to tell a pregnant lady that they look huge or have gotten bigger...trust me, they already know. I had an another interesting night last night trying to sleep...or once again, couldn't sleep. I stormed out of bed, woke Jon up, and grabbed a blanket and pillow and marched into the living room because I was so sick of not sleeping and thought I could finish off the series of books I'm reading. (Redemption series by Kingsbury - excellent). After comlaining in my mind and actions for a few minutes, I felt a nudge in my spirit to think of things that I could be thankful for. So, out loud, first with a nasty attitude voice (you all have one and you know what I'm talking about), I began to pray and my tone changed over time as I began to thank God for all of the things that I have in my life despite the lack of sleep and stage in pregnancy I am in. It started with...thank you Lord that I am able to carry a child, that I have gotten to a good stage and no premature labor, that I have a warm place to sleep and a wonderful family who is supportive, that I have a beautiful healthy daughter, and an amazing amazing husband.....and the list went on and on and on for a long time. And you know what? I fell asleep a few minutes later. Isn't that just like God. I also found out today that I have a bladder infection and got on some medication today that should help me with the cramping and help with the sleep. Rejoice always...even if it starts with a nasty attitude voice like it did for me.

Waiting...2

2006-12-29T15:36:00.000-08:00

I am 2 centimeters dialated...but the contractions have stopped for the most part. I didn't have this waiting game with Rayna and I hope I won't get to entry waiting...24 or something like that. The doctor says it could be hours, days, or weeks yet. It's all in how this baby wants to come. In the meantime, I am cleaning out closets and getting ready...didn't believe in the nesting instinct until experiencing it myself. Jon and I are having another long weekend at home and it's great. At the moment, Jon is on the last level of a videogame that is stressing him out majorly. Isn't videogames supposed to take stress away? Just a thought.

Waiting...

2006-12-26T11:35:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas here at home and have enjoyed the down time. Sunday, we went to church and then went to lunch with one of Rayna's surrogate grandparents. They gave her a Christmas gift and it was a pink leotard like a ballerina. She immediately wanted to put it on when we got home and it had little ballerina shoes to go with it. When we went to go to the Christmas Eve service, Rayna was determined to wear the new ballerina outfit. We tried to find the compromise and decided she could wear it underneath her outfit, which was a black crushed velvet pants set. When she got to church, she kept pulling up her pant legs and tried desperately to get me to let her take her shirt off. She walked around with the pink skirt part of the leotard hanging out the top and the pants pulled all the way up. It was so funny...and of course, she had on the black ballerina shoes. Sometimes you just don't want to fight those battles...that's our philosophy. Plus..she looked so cute dancing around. For Christmas, she opened up all her gifts and ours too and was truly spoiled by both sides of grandparents and other ones here who love her too. Our basement is now a disaster filled with more toys that we're not sure where they'll go! Jon and I have a long weekend coming up this weekend, if the baby doesn't come, and we're determined to organize ourselves a little bit more before this little one comes. All day on Sunday and Christmas day, I was having regular painful contractions but there wasn't any consistent timing. Then, I went to bed last night after they had gone away a little bit and slept all night and woke up feeling great? Weird...I guess the baby isn't quite ready yet. That's okay by me, we've dealt with a 36 week baby before, and it is better if they're closer to full term. I'll update anything else happening and we'll be sure to put a picture up on the blog when the baby is actually born. We pray you all had a wonderful Christmas and hope to hear from and see you all soon.

Christmas picture

2006-12-17T20:42:00.000-08:00

I will be sending out an official Christmas letter and baby announcement at the same time after baby Hohm is born...but until then, here is a Christmas picture taken today. We pray you all have a wonderful week filled with some down time and peace.

Countdown to Christmas

2006-12-16T08:33:00.000-08:00

Our family braved the mall yesterday in St Cloud and it was so packed, I can only imagine what today would be like. Rayna loved the pretty lights and Christmas trees. I think I got the rest of my gifts and was waddling big time by the time we were done. Just can't walk normal right now...thanks to the baby and how he is sitting. For the family that is reading this blog, I am getting things off in the mail soon...just can't guarantee that it will make it before Christmas! After the mall outing, I went over to Maria's to sit in her ginormous bath with jets and I relaxed so much. It was heavenly and she said she lived in it the last few weeks of her pregnancies. For a little while, nothing hurt and the baby didn't feel like a bowling ball. It was wonderful. This weekend is filled with getting gifts ready to send, finishing the piles of laundry, and starting to pack my bag for the hospital. We are getting anxious to meet this little baby and Rayna is talking more about her baby brother. Speaking of Rayna...for any of you who have had a toddler...she has hit a patch of weird defiance again and doesn't want to get out of the car or van when we get home. She begins screaming at the top of her lungs and literally would stay in the vehicle for hours if we would let her. If we lived in Florida...that would probably be okay, but it is downright cold here. So, for two nighs in a row, when we've come home, she has thrown a huge huge tantrum screaming at the top of her lungs about not wanting to get out of the vehicle? We have no idea what is the deal, but it is her current toddler issue. Any suggestions? She is 3..and there is sometimes no rhyme or reason to her actions...who knows? Other than that...Rayna is doing great and still very much into dressing up like a princess. Oh...another peek into Rayna. She is a sensitive little girl and lately if I've had America's Funniest Home Videos on..and they do those segments where everyone falls down on their bikes or skiis or something like that, she starts crying! She doesn't like watching other people get hurt! She's done that a few times and it baffles me. Ok...here are some more pictures of our good friends, Matthew & Cristina, and one of me that makes me look like a tent.

cute pictures

2006-12-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

FREEDOM

2006-12-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

I'M DONE! I'M GRADUATED! I can't tell you how excited I am! For all of you who said that I would do fine on that comprehensive final I took before Thanksgiving...I didn't and failed it by two points. BUT, my department had mercy on me and allowed me to take a retake in a written format over the area that I did the poorest in. I spent a solid week studying nothing and doing nothing but studying in order to finish it on Wednesday morning, the day I had my final two classes. So...It's all done. No more whoa is me posts about school...and how much I have to do. I can finally stop and smell the roses and all of the things that I've wanted to do and be. Rayna is enjoying me being home much more and is growing up so fast, it's hard to believe. She is really into writing letters and can write out her name, kind of, and knows how to write a lot of letters and will be practicing a lot. She is still a little princess and likes to be in dresses a lot during the day to dance. As we drive through our town, Rayna loves all the Christmas lights and keeps asking us if there are lights on her house. When we pulled into the driveway last night, she started crying because there weren't lights up on our house...and there's not even a tree up. I haven't let myself start decorating until school was done! SO, this weekend, it's Christmas time...amongst other things like laundry and clenaing the house! Rayna's other latest thing to watch is Charlie & Lola and sometimes tries to talk in an English accent...it's about a brother and sister in England and is super cute. As for the future Hohm baby, I'm not sure if I told everyone that we are expecting a little boy! We are very excited to have a little boy around and I've been slowly gathering things that we need for a newborn again. I slowly went through the baby aisles at Target last night and forgot all of the things that are needed, even just for me. I won't list them for fear of grossing out students that are reading this blog :) I have been having a lot of contractions lately and have had to take it easier and lay down more often to stop the regularity of the contractions. My doctor said I'm 50% efaced already and the baby has dropped, which isn't too unusual but a bit early to be happening. He wants me to get to at least 35-36 weeks...I'd like to get to at least 37 weeks before this baby comes into the world. So...it could be a Christmas baby or New Years baby...because I'm almost 34 weeks now. We get to spend today as a family and do some projects around the house. I love you all! Talk to you soon and should have some pics on the next blog.

friends

2006-11-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

I just read my friend Cristina Cherry's blog about making it to Oregon...and then it hit me, they really did move. I've been so busy and like a robot lately to let it sink in. We are going to miss them so much. So, Cristina, if you're reading this...I am sad and finally able to realize that it all happened so fast. I am so thankful for our time together before you guys took off and looking forward to planning our annual vacation, which is nameless at the moment. For everyone else, I got through my comprehensive final to graduate and honestly have no idea how I did. I left shaking my head and arguing with myself on how I did. It was hard and intense....and I'm bracing for the realilty that I may not have passed. I'm not just saying that, I truly may not have passed but I have the opportunity to take it again in the spring if I didn't. It's like the bar exam...people do fail, and that certainly could be me. Either way, I have 3 days of internship left, and three weeks of classes left until I'm home free...except, maybe this test :) I am glad it is over and I'll find out the results in a few weeks. On the brighter side, Jon's sister Jerica and brother-in-law and two nephews are flying in for Thanksgiving on Thursday and we are really excited to have them here. It will be fun for the cousins to play again and to catch up and Jerica hasn't seen her extended family since she left college over 5 years ago. We are looking forward to it! I'll update with pics of the cousins after Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday week!

home stretch

2006-11-07T18:20:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the neglegence for updates from our family. We are in the final leg as a family to my internship and completion of my Master's Degree....it's hard to believe! I have 2 weeks of internship left at the high school and my comprehensive final is next Friday! I am so excited to be done and have really enjoyed the experience...I really have learned tons and am really thankful for the opportunity to be in this school district. My final class for this semester is on December 13th and then I will be graduated! Rayna will be done in her daycare the week of Thanksgiving and then we have Jon's sister and brother-in-law and family coming for Thanksgiving. They have never been here in Minnesota and it will be great to see them again and for Rayna to play with her cousins because she had so much fun with them on our vacation in August. Please be in prayer for the next few weeks for us, it's the home stretch but it is an uphill climb! Can't wait to finally climb that last hill and thank the Lord for his ongoing strength to complete this season of life.

Youth Convention

2006-10-27T17:35:00.000-07:00

here are some pictures of some of our many students who love our daughter...
we had a great trip at convention a fun tiring weekend

Trip Down Memory Lane

2006-10-12T18:11:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our trip to tulsa to check out a huge youth facility, but on our way we took a little detour down memory lane... all of you who know us pretty well can you guess what house this is... and the only neighbors who were home that I remembered were the murrays...enjoy

Rayna Rocks

2006-10-02T09:42:00.000-07:00

hey gang here is a picture from grand opening of the epicenter with rayna and her balloons
isn't she awesome...
Have a great day
Jon

Grand Opening

2006-09-29T15:38:00.000-07:00

Hey all it is me Jon...
Well Grand opening for students was on Wednesday night and it was awesome... We had a total of around 322 not sure there were different counts but what a great start. God did some great things that night and it was so cool just seeing a dream and a 4 year process come together. I am so thankful to God for placing me here and putting dreams and visions in my heart and I want to just stay broken before him to be a vessel he can use. There are just so many things to be done yet in this community and I want to be apart of them. God is AWESOME... The whole night I just stood in awe of who God is. I was so proud of our leaders, students everyone... well I am not a long winded speaker or writer so love you guys
I stole these pictures from some great friends of ours thanks guys

even more pics

2006-09-16T15:21:00.000-07:00

more pics

2006-09-16T15:07:00.000-07:00

Into a new swing

2006-09-10T08:36:00.000-07:00

It is feeling like fall here this weekend and I love the weather! We are into a new swing of fall activities with my internship and classes up and running and Rayna in her new "school." It has been an adjustment for her but I think she is going to do well there. She goes 4 days a week and participates in the preschool there too. The schedule has been the biggest adjustment because she is there at 7:30am and eats breakfast there. We'll get the hang of it soon I hope! Here are some long awaited pics of our vacation to NJ and a belly picture for my friends and families of this little pumpkin to be. Just went to the doctor on Friday and things are going well and right on schedule for my due date. Cute Rayna updates...let's see...her dad told her if she learns to go potty on the potty chair all the time that he'll buy her a Cinderella dress and a bibbidy bobbidy boo stick and now that's all she can talk about. She's still not too interested in the potty chair but I keep getting reassurance that she won't go to kindergarten in diapers, although it feels that way! She is also really into her Hillsong kids worship video and sings their songs a lot. It is wonderful to see a developed hunger for worship even in a small child. Until next time...

back in the swing

2006-08-22T12:11:00.000-07:00

WELL...we are back from our vacation and I counted the number of days that Rayna and I have been gone this summer and they equal 34. Crazy that the summer has gone by so fast but I am ready for a routine and it's always nice to be permanently home. We had a great time in New Jersey and I'll put up pics soon of our time there. Rayna had a great time playing with her cousins and asked for them all the time when they weren't at "ama" and "apa's" house. We went to the beach, went shopping, and just spent time with our family...it was very relaxing. I am proud of Jon too...he was actually able to relax and not have to think and stress about all of the great things that God has allowed him to be in charge of. He was like a little kid on the beach digging for clams and playing with Rayna and his nephews. Rayna's newest antics involve her being very girly and wanting to wear certain dresses everyday. For a while, she had to wear what she called her "red and white and black" dress, which is actually a 4th of July style dress, that she wore everyday in Wyoming. Then, while we were in NJ, one of the ladies at the church gave her a purple flower girl dress from her niece's wedding...it has a long story attached with it, but anyway, it was her "princess dress" for Rayna and she wanted to wear it everyday. She has been wanting to carry purses and jewelry and is into a lot of things that are "pretty" in her mind. It is so funny because it is such a switch for her. She starts at her new daycare next week and I start back at the school part time this week and next and then full time in September along with classes. The newest addition to the family is growing larger and I am definately looking pregnant these days. I will have to put a belly picture on the blog and the ultrasound pictures too. Until next time.

home sweet home

2006-08-02T19:58:00.000-07:00

We made it home to Wyoming and stopped to see Rayna's great grandma and grandma and aunt and uncle along the way. Rayna travels so well and was very excited to get back to the "brown house." She is confused as why Jon isn't here yet but he will be home on Friday from camp. Rayna has a newly painted light purple room and she thought it looked "cool." We have a lot of unpacking to do but it is so good to be home. My last day at my job is tomorrow and then we have a big week of Vacation Bible School next week and then off to New Jersey a week from Friday! The summer is flying by! When I get pictures developed, I'll put a few new ones of Rayna up. Until then...

scary night

2006-07-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Sorry I've been neglectful on keeping updated, but the baby isn't cooperating a whole lot and the 3 year old baby is making it difficult too! For starters, Rayna did very well in her swimming lessons and even blew bubbles for the first time on the last day. I have still been battling the good old all day sickness and just generally feeling like a slug. I can't wait for it to pass, and my belly is getting bigger too. This week was pretty quiet until last night we had a scare. Rayna and I were trying to fall asleep (in my bed..I are developing a bad habit of letting her sleep with me) and all of a sudden we heard some loud thumps. Rayna and I both sat straight up in bed and kept hearing something in my parents room being beat or "clapping" as Rayna said. I finally called out for my mom, too scared to get out of bed, and she came in and shut the door quickly. My mom was sound asleep and my dad was up watching TV and said he saw something flying overhead. He finally realized it wasn't shadows and was a bat. They have lived in this house for 15 years and never had bat problems! ICK! He began trying to stun the bat with a towel to at least get it outside. That was the "clapping" sound that Rayna heard. After a few minutes he got it outside but it wasn't dead and he had to take a shovel to it. Now imagine trying to go to sleep after that. Rayna requested that our door be closed when grandma finally left. Then this morning, Rayna woke up vomiting and generally sick with a fever. My mom talked to a few people at work and they said that animal control should be called to have the bat tested for rabies. The animal control people came out and said that we should take Rayna in and look for bite marks! ICKY beyond ICKY! So, we took her in and the doctor said she had the good old fashioned virus junk going around and tonight as I'm typing this, she is singing to her music and following grandpa around like a puppy dog. We haven't heard if the bat has rabies yet, but they are testing it and I'll update you on the results. Crazy night! Needless to say, we're all going to bed early tonight. Well, enough of the long blog, but wanted to update everyone. Love you all!

rayna's new baby

2006-07-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

My mom just bought my little girl a new baby last night. She hasn't had it out of her arms since...which is strange because she has never played with babies or dolls before. She holds it and feeds it (she shoved goldfish and teddy grahams into the doll's mouth last night for a snack). She has been very motherly lately, and just said to me, "Mommy Kinsey...you are not to play with the computer." I guess she hears "Rayna Kinsey" quite often when she's doing something wrong. It's very strange to hear yourself, your tone, and your words quoted in a 3 year old all day long. We love you JON & DADDY! We were just looking at your picture on a past blog and Rayna said, "I love my daddy so much." We miss you terribly. Until next time.

Wyoming

2006-07-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

Rayna and I are in Wyoming for a few weeks getting spoiled by grandma and grandpa while Jon is at camps. My parents computer is weird and won't let me blog there, so I'll occasionally slip up to my mom's work to update any changes. Rayna and I start swimming lessons today in a "mom and tot" class. Rayna is having fun playing with my mom's old bead necklaces and new toys...and a fenced in backyard (yippee!). I am busy working on garage sale stuff for my parents, finishing Rayna's baby book, and starting to study for my comprehensive 4 hour final exam in November for my counseling license. We will be here until the first week in August. Updates later...with pictures of Rayna at her swimming lessons.

baby heartbeat

2006-07-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Jon and I heard our new baby's heartbeat today after 10 minutes or so of searching....it made me panic a little. The nurse thinks its a boy just because it was being difficult! It feels more real now hearing the heartbeat which the doctor said sounded really strong. I'll have an ultrasound in a month and will for sure post the pictures. I leave on Thursday for Wyoming and am really glad because it's supposed to be in the high 90's and even 100+ degrees here by weekend. Poor Sonshine Festival people...glad I'm skipping this year. Love you all and will post when we get to Wyoming. Oh...another cute thing Rayna did today is...I asked her to pray for me because I was feeling pregnancy icky and she prayed for mommy not to be sick, and then she said...hey mommy, I gave you peas...(which means peace). It was adorable.

lots of activity

2006-07-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

Well...lots have been happening here. Rayna had her 3rd birthday party with all of her little friends. It was a lot of fun hearing how excited all of her friends get when they see each other. As more and more people came...our little house seemed really tiny. Rayna had been practiciing singing happy birthday and blowing out the candles for weeks before her party. When everyone sang to her, her face couldn't have been smiling more...she was so excited. She got upset when we cut her Elmo cake though! It wasn't that she didn't want to share, the moment had just gone too quickly and she didn't want her pretty cake cut. My parents were able to be here for that week which was also a lot of fun. Jon and I also celebrated our 7th anniversary and we took my parents to the cities and went shopping at IKEA and then to Cheesecake Factory. We found Rayna her big girl bed and will get it when we get all of the epicenter furniture. THEN...Jon and I went to Tulsa, OK with 15 other youth leaders and students to see the Oneighty building (a large youth ministry with a facility) at Church on the Move. It was really good for our leaders and students to see a youth facility in action. THEN....over the 4th of July, a family in our church gave us the use of their lake cabin as a little getaway for the holiday. This cabin was wonderful and we spent the time with the Cherry's and Jessica...and then other friends came out on different days to visit. We were there for 3 days and just relaxed and swam. Rayna loved the "ocean" and loved to go up & down the spiral staircase that was in the cabin. She also loved her "pretty room" which was filled with flower decorations. She did get scared of the fireworks, which she called "funder." Anything that is loud noises are called "funder (thunder)....or the ice cream truck" which is actually the garbage truck that wakes us up once a week. I am leaving for Wyoming on Thursday for 3 weeks while Jon is at camps and doing a lot of work on the epicenter. I am not working much anymore and my last day is the beginning of August before we go on vacation to New Jersey. It was a hard decision but I couldn't juggle the very part time job on top of everything else going on this fall. The baby is still giving me lovely morning sickness and an extreme fatigue that I don't remember with my pregnancy with Rayna as much. I feel like I could sleep all the time...it makes it hard to get a whole lot done around here. We pray all is well with you and I will be blogging on Wyoming too.

Epicenter Update

2006-06-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Hey all it is Jon Again...Well as you can see this is the outside of the epicenter, we are eagerly awaiting its completion so we can really utilize it the way it is intended to be. I wanted to put this picture up on our blog to give you a glimpse of what we saw. We walked outside of the church and there was a complete rainbow above the epicenter, really cool. As we stood and gazed upon its beauty and completeness it suddenly dawned upon us that this was an absolute perfect picture opportunity. Upon finding the camera and trying the take the picture, the rainbows top disappeared and the whole rainbow didn't fit in the picture so here is a glimpse of what we saw. It was awesome, I don't think I have ever seen a complete rainbow before and for those few moments we were just in awe. It was like God's smile upon what we are doing for students in this community.
Talk with you all later

A Tribut to Dad

2006-06-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in a while and thought this would be a fitting time. We are heading to that day that up until 3 years ago I really didn't pay much attention to. What day is that. FATHERS DAY. Yeah I would say your typical happy fathers day to my father but that was the extent of it, I never really told him how I felt and how I appreciated him until I moved out of the house and realized all that my Dad did for me and taught me. Now that I am myself a father I am entering upon those days as well. So students of EPIK and anyone else who may be reading this blog, appreciate your dad. Let him know how you feel, do something special for him on that special day.

We just got done talking about posers fakers and wannabe on Wednesday nights and the last one was entitled who's your daddy? Talking about our heavenly daddy. Abba Father. So remember your Abba Daddy Father Loves you more than life itself even if you have had a terrible experience with your earthly father.

Dad Hohm I love you and appreciate all that you have done for our family and all that you continue to do for our family. You are truly amazing and have been that perfect example of a father that I hope to be for my children. The word thank you is truly a small word but the only word fitting to tell you. I love you.

rayna praying

2006-06-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

There was a video I tried to get on the blog, with no success, of rayna praying for fries, mommy, daddy, and rayna at our local burger king with some teenagers. she's the best! On the other hand, the picture of rayna sleeping is what I would like to do a lot of the time. The lovely morning sickness....or all day sickness has set in. just for a season and it is for a good cause! LOVE YOU ALL! I'll keep trying to get the video on there....not sure if blogspot has video capability.

changing family continued!

2006-06-02T07:10:00.000-07:00

My visit with my new doctor went really well...he even prayed with me at the end....he reminded me of our doctor in Shepherdstown. Well, we are about 6-8 weeks along, just as I had figured, and are due the end of January with a "wee little one!" We are really excited and Rayna is sitting on my lap right now singing at the top of her lungs. She is going to be a wonderful big sister. The only downfall with having a January baby is that it probably means we can't go home for Christmas because I'm at risk of another preterm labor. That makes me very sad but the doctor said to plan on Thanksgiving....so for the family that is reading this, this is just for your info. I am also kind of in shock today because I realized when I woke up today that I am not scheduled to go back to my internship until end of AUGUST! I am very excited for some time off to spend with Rayna and my family and catch up on all the things that I haven't had time to do this semester around the house. We are having a huge garage sale next weekend to get rid of stuff! Until later...

changing family...

2006-05-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! Just wanted to formally give the news that our family is growing! Jon and I are expecting our second child the end of January. We are really excited and I have been feeling great so far....thankfully! When we have told Rayna about the new baby, she just says..."no, not yet, no baby yet." My mom has sent a few books about being a big sister and she likes to read them. I go to the doctor on Wednesday, so I'll give the official due date and any news then. Until then...

pictures of our precious...

2006-05-26T05:55:00.000-07:00

sorry...

2006-05-24T16:11:00.000-07:00

sorry sorry sorry...for neglecting my blog to my friends and family! I got scolded on my friend's Cristina's blog and threatened to be taken off her list, so I had better step up! I have really fun pics of Rayna and I plan on putting them on soon, I promise! Well...updates...life is good, one more week of internship, a few more things to do for classes but not actually having to go to them, and then I get to have a great summer just working here and there and mostly spending time with my spectacular little girl! She is really into her "flute" right now (really it's the barrel of a paintball gun) and she plays a little ditty that she heard on one of her videos. She puts the end of it on her cheek and sways back and forth while singing the little flute tune. It's hilarious! She entertained us and half of one of our student Katie's open house guests on Saturday night playing her "flute." What is ironic is that the paintball gun barrel that she uses is Josh Palke's gun. Josh Palke was the student that passed away 4 years ago in a tragic four wheeling accident and Josh's parents gave the paintball gun to Jon to use to reach out to Josh's friends. Jon has since then become a paintball fanatic and is speaking at Josh's graduating class baccelaureate tonight. Jon was so honored that his class asked him to speak tonight. Until next time...and it will be sooner than a month!

beautiful day

2006-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

March and April have been months of trials....but today is a beautiful day and I am choosing...to soak it all in. I am recovering from my crazy onset of appendicitus and surgery to follow on Easter weekend and feeling better everyday. The other day I was laying in bed thinking of something profound to put on my blog as God has been dealing with me a lot lately about attitude....and all I can remember today is that no matter what comes our way, I choose joy. Jon and I have been talking about how crazy and random the last few months have been...rayna in the hospital while Jon was out of town, losing a student and going through the grief and steps with the family, and then this appendicitus, which frankly, I had to laugh at. The timing was impeccable at the worst possible time, but I still want to be a person who chooses joy. That's what we're supposed to do and commanded to do in God's Word. Joy..... Remember, Perseverance....leads to character...leads to love. If this is a character building time for our family, I want to choose joy and let the molding happen. Rayna, of course, has been amazing and spent Easter weekend with Tom and Kapi (kathy) and got to ride a tractor. They got some cute pictures of her in her Easter dress that I'll put on the blog when they give me a copy. Today is the kind of day when I found a new favorite song, the birds are singing, we took a walk as a family and went swinging in the park with Rayna, and I am working on choosing joy through any circumstance.

2006-04-12T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here are a few cute pictures of Hannah and Caleb from Thanksgiving! I still haven't developed my pictures from Christmas and when I do, there will be more cute pics of Rayna's cousins. Thankful for the upcoming weekend and a little break to celebrate Easter and spend time with family.

the end is in sight

2006-04-09T20:07:00.000-07:00

3 1/2 weeks of classes left...4 papers left to write...8 weeks of internship for the semester left...and the end is in sight. I am looking forward to a wonderful summer with my family and spending time doing things that don't require a lot of brain power. Rayna is doing good and always keeping us busy. Lately, Jon and I have both been putting her to bed together at night and she has been sleeping better. We've come to the conclusion that because of all of the uncertainity that comes with each day for her, it's no wonder she's reacting to all of the changes. Not knowing who was going to be there when she wakes up...or where she is going that day....has caused her to have to adjust. I am anxious to put my time focused on her even though my heart has been focused on her and my family this whole time. Didn't know it would be this hard....but in the thick of things, I can't quit now. God is good to us and we are thankful for his blessings and holding us up.

pieces back together

2006-03-31T11:35:00.000-08:00

Do you ever have a couple of weeks that are just so unbelievable that it's as if it never happened...but you look down and there are pieces of yourself all over the place as a result? I am very excited that April is tomorrow because March of 2006 is a month I will never forget for lots of reasons, but I want to forget all in the same breath. There was a weekend earlier this month that I had scheduled for Rayna to be with her Grandma Bevie and Jon was going to be in Duluth with the youth and I was just going to get the pieces of my life together and get schoolwork out of the way so that it is not a huge weight felt all the time. When Rayna came down with Rotavirus and I ended up in the hospital with her, that weekend became a different focus. Well....this weekend is a weekend, prayerfully, that I can pick up the pieces of our lives and finish schoolwork, sleep, and just rest in the knowledge that God does give us mercies new every morning. Cristina and I are heading to the clergy cottages to do all of those things and more and she is even going to teach me how to paint on a canvas! Jon will be resting somewhat here at home and Rayna is going to Tom and Kapi's...and ride the tractor. She is so excited to go that she couldn't settle down for a nap because she knew when she wakes up, that she get to go with the Palke's. Oh, a side note...Rayna's newest thing is that she wants to wear her favorite black shiny dress shoes with everything and she has to put them on herself! Doesn't matter what she's wearing, she has to wear her black shoes and she even has to sleep with them. Rayna has been so sweet during this last week too and asking me if I need hugs and if I was ok when the tears just didn't seem to stop at times. I know I've learned a lot of things this last week dealing with the grief, but the greatest lesson is that God's promise of new mercies every morning takes another reality when you don't know how much you're going to need for that day.

A Post With A Picture

2006-03-29T06:37:00.000-08:00

Hey all it is Jon again well actually on the same day... thought it would be nice to give you a picture of Rayna Kinsey our favorite little girl with one of her friends at church... Rayna is growing so fast I can't even belive she will be 3 in June... She is so much fun...she is learning to dress herself and is currently at this very moment walking in shoes that she put on herself I won't tell her just yet that they are on the wrong feet, she isn't complaining so why ruin a good thing. well have a great day
Jon

A Tragic Loss

2006-03-29T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, this is Jon jumping in on Kelli's blog wanting to share a little of what happened this past week and pay tribute to an amazing young man, son, brother, grandson and student...Jon Bonnema in the picture you will be able to see him the young man all the way to the left and Adam his friend that also passed away is all the way to the right and shane the driver who survived is in the center...please pray for him for he will have a long road to travel and I pray God's grace will truly be sufficient.
Well I am glad that Monday and Tuesday are over, we had Jon's funeral on Monday and Adams on Tuesday and those were two too many...thanks for your prayers for Kelli and I and I now ask that you transfer those prayers to Mike and Gwen the parents of Jon and Adams parents [names I do not know]...

our sweet little girl

2006-03-01T19:59:00.000-08:00

Here are a few updates on Rayna and her world...She is getting bigger and growing taller every day. Her hair is getting really long and we need to cut it soon. I will have pictures up on the blog once I find my chord to my digital camera. Tonight she spent her night with her "Bevie" which is her Wednesday night grandma while we are at the youth service and she will be spending the weekend with her over our winter retreat next weekend. "Bevie" has already planned some of their activities and is really excited to spend more time with her. Every Wednesday Rayna asks to paint and play playdoh or whatever else Bev brings for them to play with. Rayna has been talking a lot about having a surprise birthday party with hats and candles! This year's birthday will be fun. She is still singing at the top of her lungs any and every song she knows...it is so cute. The daycare that Rayna has been going to for the last two years is closing in three weeks. She is going to be spending a few days with some other moms until she can get into another daycare. Please be in prayer about the next daycare we find for her while I finish my internship this fall. We are so blessed with such a beautiful little girl.

juggle

2006-02-28T17:10:00.000-08:00

As I am plowing through my internship and attempting to keep up with work, church, and my beautiful little girl....I have realized that I can only focus on one thing at a time to do it well. I feel like an idiot today because I've spent the last 48 hours trying to figure out how to redo a decision I made yesterday that could have potentially got me in a lot of trouble in several areas mentioned above. It's interesting that sometimes the more we attempt to do, the more powerful we feel...that is until we fall flat on our face trying to juggle all of the plates. I wonder if that's why God wants our whole heart and our whole attention. He knows how powerful we can feel if we are able to even attempt to juggle a lot of things...but He sees the falling flat coming up.

closer

2006-02-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

On the day that I created this blog for my friends and family, many things have occured to me. First of all, no matter what pressure I am feeling from the life I have created for myself, or just from simply living life, it is so important to have a sense of thankfulness for what that pressure can do to mold and develop my character. I have been working on one of my last difficult classes to complete my Masters program and tonight, I finished the final for that class and feel a sense of just coming over the top of the mountain. Being over the top of that mountain gives me a sense that all the other responsibilities left is downhill. I've been looking up the side of that mountain, climbing slowly for so many years, that it seems almost impossible to think that there is another side. I think this realization leaves me with a better understanding of thankfulness for each and every step it took to get there. This is true in not just a meaningless example of school, but for any difficult situation in life. Sometimes it seems like each step up that mountain feels as if it will never end...but with each step, character is forming inside your private world. God doesn't allow us to bear more than we can handle...but in those almost breaking moments, its as if He is cheering us on at the top of the mountain encouraging us that there is more on the other side of the steep climb.

Up and running

2006-02-11T08:25:00.000-08:00

On this beautiful relaxing Saturday, my loving husband is attempting to teach me how to blog and get my online world up and running. It is something that I have wanted to do for a while, but other things always seem to get in the way and eat up my time. This is going to be a way to communicate with our friends and family about our life in Willmar and with our beautiful little girl, Rayna. This is my very first blog so please bear with me. For those that viewing this for the first time, please come back and see any updated pictures of Rayna.