LOVE!

Yesterday and today are my parents anniversary! We are not sure which day they actually got married. Both days are marked on the calendar.

Instead of writing a post about how wonderful they are (You can read their birthday blog here.), because they really are wonderful, I decided to post a "journal entry" that dad wrote to Johanna when she was born. He has a journal for each of us that he has kept up-dated throughout our lives.
Dad gave me permission to blog this... I promise.

 "We met in Bandon, Oregon. Your mother left her career as a social worker, working in a child protection agency in Penticton, to attend a small Bible school where I was a teacher. Under the surface we were immediately attracted to each other. Our feelings grew as we shared common interests. We attended the same church, we shared much time together on the campus, we ministered together door-to-door sharing the gospel (with only little 4 year old Drew Davidson as a chaperon), plus, we went for lunches and coffee together. I remember long beautiful walks on the gorgeous Oregon beach with the waves crashing continuously under perfect moonlight where we discussed at great length our vision for raising a family. And all this occurred before we even admitted that we were attracted to each other.


When we acknowledged our mutual flame of affection it was already a blazing inferno of heat.
We knew that God had brought us together. That He had purposed that we become one and that we should demonstrate what a godly marriage could be. We had no question but that joining each other we were doing God's will. And more - we believed that having a family and raising it in the Lord was our mission. To give you a healthy environment and to instill in you an understanding of God's purpose for your life. We have embraced this concept from the beginning so you can appreciate the joyful anticipation we felt when we first knew that you were in your mother's womb."

Aw... so sweet! *sniff*
Mom and dad got married at a Justice of the Peace. No, nothing was wrong... mom wasn't into planning a wedding.
It is pretty ironic that now "planning weddings" has become a ministry God has used her with.

Mom wore a red dress... she still can't figure out why she wore that ugly thing.

Cool thing is.... 24 years later and my parents really love each other.
Oh... and 24 years later they have 7 kids that love the Lord and think they are the BEST!
Mom and dad, You really did give us a "healthy environment... to instill in you an understanding of God's purpose for (our) life."

Thank you, dad and mom!

I can't resist an opportunity to

 have a Michael Buble Song... :)

My Old Friends!!!!!!

The kids are watching an Avonlea. Ok, ok... so are mom, dad, Jo, and I! 

It is bringing SO many memories back!

They were SUCH a part of my childhood.

We didn't watch a lot of movies as kids, when we did, it was movies like Shirley Temple, Veggie Tales, and "Tales from Avonlea"

These kids are like old friends....

Felix, He's my buddy! 

He reminded me that other kids made mistakes too!

Sarah, she made me wish I was a nicer kid! 

Felicity drove me NUTS!!! How does she sleep at night knowing what a bossy, horrible person she is! 

Gus.... Gus was everything a guy was supposed to be (minus the pipe!!)! How did he possibly fall for Felicity?!?! What was he thinking?

Jasper Dale had my sympathy. I couldn't talk when I was a kid. I didnt pronounce' words properly. I was called "Little Miss Tookie!" Sad, sad.... I think it was because I had two older sisters that talked enough that I didn't feel the need. It's pretty ironic, now you can't shut me up! Anyhow, my sisters used to tell me that I would talk like him  when I grew up. This was traumatic to me. 

Aunt Hetty still scares me!

Ahhhh.... I'm a kid again! 

I can't stop laughing! They are so tiny and cute! 

They have newer episodes that show my friends growing up. 

The little kids are my favorite! 

They are the ones I love! 

Have you ever seen, "Tales of Avonlea?"

Oh Brother!

Peter, Pete, Petoe; he's my brother.

This guy is pretty cute... *Pete, I meant that in the manliest of ways.
I know Peter is going to read this... he reads my blog! *sigh/smile

Cool things you should know about Pete:

- Peter claims that he won't get married. He has held fast to that decision since he was able to talk.
The thing is, Peter is the type of guy who couldn't NOT get married.
He is so sweet and affectionate, crazily good-looking, on and on it goes.
Since he is so convinced that romance is gross and totally not for him, we decided to make some cash.
Beth, Johnny, Jimmy, and I have a contract in writing. I was the only one who was loving enough only to do a measly hundred bucks. I didn't want to rip him off or anything.
Poor Pete; he is going to have to worry about way more than just paying for the ring.
*FYI, I don't think I will really take his money. But, it is on paper....

- Peter is obsessed with fire!
When it was just getting cool this summer,  Peter was begging to start building fires.
We never have to keep the fire going... Pete's on it!
If you have a candle.... Pete finds a ridiculous amount of joy by putting his fingers through it!
He want's to be a fireman. This could be a problem....  he would have to put out fires instead of starting them.


- Peter dances with me when NO-ONE will dance with me!
When I did "Cinderella," I learned a few steps of ball-room dancing... It was SO fun!
I try to drag Johnny around the living room, but he doesn't find dancing all that exciting.
Peter, on the other hand, will whirl me around.
Apart from the times he  "accidentally" drops me, it is rather fun!
No, we don't do any of the "proper" steps... but, hey, who cares!
Anyhow.... it is sweet of him.

- Pete is SO mischievous!
 He reminds me of this crazy kid I used to know... Oh, that was me. :)



- Peter is all boy, which in this generation, I have come to REALLY love! He will come and ask us on Sunday morning if the shirt mom is making him wear is girly. "Pete, it's blue and green with a moose. How could that possibly be girly?" We have to gently reassure him that his masculinity is still completely in tact.

- Peter sings... loud! Pete has an awesome voice. Sadly, he is hushed a lot.
No one understands that some people just have to belt it out.
Peter and I have a lot in common... I sang too loud. Actually, I still sing too loud.
We get it from dad. At church I love to stand by dad because he sings louder than me so I don't have to try to sing quieter.
Every now and then, we will stop singing and realize that the rest of the church is on verse three rather than four. And then there are the times that we make our own rhythm...
But usually it works!

- Peter is not embarrassed to publicly acknowledge that we are his sisters and that he loves us. He will even hug us if his friends are around!

- Peter has a motorcycle/dirt-bike! It is awesome!. Dad loves motorcycles.... Peter has wanted one forever.  After  years of working for the neighbors and saving every penny, Pete got his bike! He loves it.... a lot!

- Peter thinks coffee is the bomb (That is the new word for "cool."). He isn't allowed to drink it... but every now and then I will give him a sip of mine, and he acts as though we have been given a sneak-peek of heaven, which, in a way, I did!

- "Nobody tells me anything!" This is Peter's phrase. He feels that everyone keeps secrets. "What! Lizzy liked Jeffrey!?!?!?!" Marian sleeps in the girls room... meaning she knows way too much! But Pete, he sometimes misses out on big news. "Wait! We have more than one Aunt??!?!?!?!?!?"

- Peter is a little athlete.
I love watching my brothers play sports and cheering for them.... last time we went to Johnny and Jimmy's game, Peter told me that it's embarrassing to have your sister cheering for you when you are only warming up.... Hm... I can't understand why!
Anyhow, Peter is SO stinkin athletic! He is going to all the practices with Johnny and Jimmy right now, even though he is too young to play with them. He played one game; Jo and I laughed the whole time.
He was guarding a big kid. Every now and then, he would ask the guy a random question.... as if it was totally normal to ask "So, do you play soccer?" or "What's your favorite food?"
It was entertaining.


- Peter loves the Lord! I put this last because it is the most important... I like to save the best for last!

The other day, Jo, Mom and I were discussing the importance of godly men in our culture. It is not an easy
thing to be a godly man in this culture.... but we need men.
We have three young "men!" How great is that! How important it is that we pray for them....

Back to Pete.
Peter and I are pretty much the same with lots of differences. Without him in our life, it would be pretty dull around here!
I love him bucketfuls, truckloads, and tons!

You da bomb, Pete!



When I was in "CInderella," Peter and I would sit for hours going through the script.
He did  the parts and sang the songs perfectly! Ok, ok... there was nothing perfect about it.... he made up the tunes and made the prince into a beast... but it was AWSOME!



Sad.... sad.

Peter and Marian were the "Miniature bride and groom" for my cousin's wedding...
many years ago. Peter wasn't all that thrilled!

 Marian played the perfect angel.....

Then there was Pete....

Crazy Boys!

This video cracks me up because the kids were not supposed to touch the camera. Pete and Marian were being naughty, and were caught in the act because the camera was on "video." They thought it was taking a picture. :)

I love you, Pete!

Ten Reasons to Start a Blog!

For all my non-blogging friends who have not started a blog yet. I have come up with some reasons to convince you to start one.

1. It is a space that is completely yours. One place that you can write your thoughts, jokes, questions. Truly, it is your space, to do with as you please.
2. It is really cool to say, "I have a blog..."
3. If your mom is anything like mine, you can get out of tons of chores. You just mention that you were thinking of doing a post and she will let you off anything (I know... that is horrible!)!
4. You can threaten your little siblings with it. If your brothers are being stinkers, you just say, "Peter... I'll write a blog about this!" Works like a charm. Not that I've tried it... *cough cough*
5. You will suddenly find out who else has a blog and get to read them.
6. Someday your kids will read it and know what their parent was like!
7. You will go through life constantly thinking, "Oh, that could be a good post!"  When I was really little, I narrated my life in my head. I dreamed I was writing a book about my life... it would have been quite the book, "She ran through the kitchen, grabbed a carrot, and went out side to sit on the steps and slowly chew it (I'm serious about my love for carrots.)." Now, I go through life writing a blog... sad, very sad!
8. If you cook or craft, you could blog about it. I don't do crafts (At ALL!)... and I'm not a confident enough cook to post a bunch of recipes (They would be like, " Put a little of that in, then taste it, add seasonings, add about a wooden spoonful of this, etc.") so I don't do that. BUT... you could!
9. There is something fun and relaxing about writing a blog. I have been too busy for it lately, but I really do enjoy it a ton. You may find it strangely addictive.
10. I could read it!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

So... start a blog, already!!!!

Sick!!!!!!!

A couple weeks ago, the kids got sick. 

Just tummy ache type.

They lay on the couch all day, drinking ginger ale, listening to Odysseys, and watching old shows. 

Jo and I both envied them. 

When was the last time we sat around for a whole day?

When was the last time we got to watch Hogan's Heroes in the middle of the day?

So... we did a stupid thing. 

We said, " I wish I could get sick for a day."

People! Be careful what you wish for.

Peter got sick again the other day.

This time it was the spewing (That is going to be my polite way to say "throwing up") type. 

I was at work when he first spewed. 

Marian and Jimmy both told me ALL about it over the phone.

Then I came home and was told a couple more times even more descriptively.

Each time it was told it got more... uh, "colorful?"

Because he loves us all so much. Peter decided to share this great flu with the rest of us.

So... We are a bunch of sicko's today. Well, most of us! 

Mom and Johnny got it last night... I thought I was safe. 

This morning, I jumped out of bed ready for the day... that's when I got hit (More like attacked from behind!).

I ended up crawling around on the bathroom floor for the next hour. It wasn't pretty... at ALL!

I try not to dramatize things.... because that is what comes naturally to me.

So, when I was in desperate pain and mom was asking me if I was going to be OK, I answered honestly, "I'm going to die!"

I haven't been sick for three years... truly.
I forgot how much I despised it.

Not only is it painful and yucky.... it's flat out humiliating.
Poor Marian watching me as I sobbed, writhing back and forth in agony on the ground like I was going to die.
She patted my back and prayed out loud for me.... even through the pain of the moment, I couldn't help but be touched.

I think I had it so bad because I haven't been sick in so long... It all added up and slammed me at once.

This week I had four days off, but I had to get sick the one day I was supposed to work.

At Java Bear, you can't just call in sick. If you are scheduled, you have to find someone else to cover it or people die don't get their coffee.
I have an awesome boss...  she took care of it.

Finally.... when I was getting pretty attached to the bathroom floor, the pain stopped. Or at least subsided.

Thankfully, it is a one day flu... I am feeling WAY better!

I spent a couple hours sitting on the couch.

I got a bunch of reading in.

I ate a little and drank some coffee.

Marian and Jo cleaned the house.

We are going to watch a Cary Grant movie.

Marian heated a blanket by the fire and put it on me.
I found time to write a blog.
I guess this sick stuff isn't all bad....
For future reference, I prefer health to living with one foot in the grave.

Doctor: I have some bad news and some very bad news.
Patient: Well, might as well give me the bad news first.
Doctor: The lab called with your test results. They said you have 24 hours to live.
Patient: 24 HOURS! Thats terrible!! WHAT could be WORSE? What's the very bad news?
Doctor: I've been trying to reach you since yesterday.

Oh, Be Careful Little Tongue!

I've been thinking about the tongue and how important our words are... So I thought I would write a blog about it.

James 3

 ¹My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.

 ²For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

 ³Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

 ⁴Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

 ⁵Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

 ⁶And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

 ⁷For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

 ⁸But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

 ⁹Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

 ¹⁰Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

 ¹¹Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

 ¹²Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

 ¹³Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

 ¹⁴But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

 ¹⁵This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

 ¹⁶For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

 ¹⁷But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

 ¹⁸And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Words are very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, important! 

"Oh be careful little tongue what you say."

Can you tell that I am super crazy busy and don't have time to write a blog? :) 

I rarely get stressed out, but last night, I panicked. 

My brain started going through all of the stuff I had to do and deadlines started popping up that I didn't even have to make. 

But... God reminded me that "He's got the whole world in His hands!"

I realized that worry is another form of fear.

Fear is another form of not-trusting God.

Not-trusting God is bad.

So... I prayed, and prayed, and prayed!

Then God put me to sleep. 

Or maybe it was the devil because he saw that I was praying.... 

Anyhow, just because I'm not stressed out doesn't mean that I have time to write a blog.... so, Toodles!

(Now you know that I could totally use your prayers!)