Christmas Break Memories with the Family

- The contagious laugh of a 1 yr. old niece.

- Talking for hours with my sisters --- and having my brothers try to sneak into our room or listen outside our door. (The one time when we went to leave the room, we opened the door and found three boys with their ears up against it. They grinned sheepishly and said "Hey!...We were just...walking by...." lol...

- The sound of Winnie-the Pooh videos in this house again.

- Finding Cara having the time of her life splashing the water in the toilet.

- Turning the lights off in our kitchen in order to let Cara see the star light on the little chia tree and to suddenly hear the family break out with "O Beautiful star of Bethlehem" way off tune and ending it in laughter at the memory of the time we heard it elsewhere. Only my family gets the humor behind the story and it's never quite the same when we try to tell it to others.

- Joking about how next year we'll have Christmas at Davids house (or at Jon and Renee's, which is quite tiny) and hearing Luke pipe up that we could have Christmas in Connecticut with him next year. When questioned about where we'd all stay, he said "The boat. There's plenty of bunk space."

- Sitting around with the family, opening presents and taking the time to look at pretty much each and every individuals gifts as they are unwrapped. Gift opening at our house takes a LONG time!

- Playing a game and hearing comments from a Peanut Gallery of four non-players.

- Enjoying meals together and simply being together/sitting around the table afterwards.

- The Christmas morning brunch that we girls have made into a tradition.

- Singing and playing around the piano with siblings.

- Caroling to the Curtises and being happy that we had enough of us together again to be a "choir".

- ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC. ETC. =)

You know, when I look over this list I realize that the things that stand out to me are not necessarily big and amazing in a way that we'd normally think of. They are just small, little memories... but to me they ARE big and amazing. These memories are a part of my life and it's those little moments of time that become special to me when I realize that they are irreplaceable. I wouldn't trade them for anything.

A Night in the Airport

I'm sitting in the next airport, waiting for 5:30 a.m. to slowly roll around. Since the last post I've..

1. Had the opportunity to witness to the guy sitting next to me on the plane. (We talked for almost the entire flight) Perhaps this was the reason my original flight was cancelled. Pray for Tanner.

2. Eaten half a sandwich, a few chips and contemplated eating my orange --- the last of the food that the other college girls left with me.

3. Texted Anna from school, heard they were so lost, that they were on some dirt road somewhere in Nebraska and that James was trying to google house numbers. They are trying to get to Kansas and I couldn't help but laugh.

4. Called my roommate Bethany and told her I'm going insane.

5. Listened to the Christmas Cantata our church is doing on Sunday-- that I haven't practiced for but am supposed to be participating in.

6. Tried to sleep with my suitcase under my legs and my duffel bag under my head--- didn't exactly work and thus I resorted to this post.

7. Been very aware every time any person comes close to within 5 feet of me. I never knew I could get so paranoid about someone trying to steal my stuff. ;)

8. Asked the Lord to give me rest.

9. Cried --- and then laughed at myself for crying.

10. Tried to talk myself out of the pity party I'm having for myself.

11. Re-read some of the last post and was reminded again that God is in control.---I might have to read that a bunch of times tonight =) but it's a good truth to be reminded of. Anyways, sooner or later I'll get home and then this whole mess will just become one of those memories where you say "Remember the time..."

Sometimes He calms the storm...and sometimes...He calms me.

Well, I'm sitting in an airport right now, because my flight was cancelled. Instead of getting home tonight I'll be spending the night in a hotel and won't be getting home until tomorrow afternoon. Now, as disappointed as I am about this, there are definite positives to being stuck in an airport (and I'm trying to dwell on those right now =), one of those is that I'll end up being on the same flight as two other girls from school, and number two being that I can finish up this blog post that I started over Thanksgiving break.

I've been reading in the Gospel of Mark recently and came across the account of Jesus walking on water in Chapter 6. To give you an idea of the setting, John the Baptist has just recently been beheaded and upon receiving this news Jesus and the disciples went to a desert place to rest. However, the crowds met them there and Jesus has compassion on them.

After a long day of teaching, He performed the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 men. He had told the disciples to "Give ye them to eat." And they said unto him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?" This was something they could not fulfill and so He stepped in and did what was humanly impossible. Having performed this Jesus tells his disciples to go into the ship that they had beforehand gotten and to go to the other side, while He sends the people away.

"And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray."

After a time of ministering, Jesus went to the refreshment of time in prayer. Perhaps He prayed for the souls to whom He had just ministered, or maybe He just enjoyed time thanking His Father for what had just happened. I don't know, but praying obviously was something that He desired to do afterwards.

Now, to return to the disciples....

"And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them."

The disciples had followed the Lord's instruction to go to the other side and now they were caught in the middle of a storm. Was this His plan? Had they heard Him right? What was He doing to them? Had He forgotten about them? I'm sure they had questions running through their mind as they toiled and fought in the storm.

However, it is evident from this passage that Jesus knew exactly what was happening and He let it continue, for He saw them at even and it wasn't until the fourth watch that He came out unto them. (According to what I read online the fourth watch would have been between 3-6 a.m)

Notice in verse 48 it says that He "would have passed by them." At first I wondered why He would have done that, but the more I thought about that, the more I realized that perhaps Jesus merely wanted them to see His presence in the middle of the storm. He wanted them to know He knew what they were going through and thus test their faith to trust Him even when the storm continued. Yet Jesus' desire to bring comfort only caused them further distress. They failed to recognize Him (and His hand at work) and so Jesus immediately comes to them and audibly speaks comfort to them.

"But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened."

The miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 had JUST HAPPENED! And yet already they had forgotten. Already they had forgotten of the power of Christ and of His complete sovereignty and control in every situation.

Now, my initial thought here would be to say that once Jesus had calmed the storm, they would recognize who he was, but reading on it says...

..."And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him"

It wasn't until they came back safely to the shore that they realized it was Him.

How many times have we gone through a trial, a storm, a hard time and wondered where God was, only to come safely out of it and realize that 1. He first of all showed us His presence 2. He then He spoke to us 3. and then He calmed the storm. And all the time that He had been working and trying to show Himself to us, we had completely missed Him!

"And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment:"

After that, I would too...wouldn't you?

"...and as many as touched him were made whole."

He is trustworthy. He will either calm the storm or He will calm you.

Right now...sitting here at this airport...

...He's calming me.

School Stuff

This post is for all of you who think that all I ever do out here at school is play and help with fall festivals and go four-wheeling and do sightseeing and help with cattle drives and...you jealous yet? *grin

Studying...

Some Books, etc. used for classes.

Ahem...VERY Beginner Violin Concerts

Pamphlet Bethany and I made to hand out during one of our presentations

Notecards for Research Paper

Doing a Map Presentation in Missions Class

In Choir - Singing during Missions Conference
Studying with Sarah.

Notes from Class

The Conclusion of it All. =)

Gold, Silver, Wood, Hay or Stubble?

"Work should be regarded less with reference to it's immediate results, or as to how it may affect this or that person; the great question is, will it, when sifted in His presence, be acceptable to Him?"

- From The Complete Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford

The Greater Need

"Each of us must be thoroughly cultivated before He (the Lord Jesus) can effectively cultivate others through us. It is not that there will be no service for us until we are spiritually mature, but that most of our service on the way to maturity is for our own development, and not so much that of others. At first the growing believer thinks, and would have others feel, that all his service is effective; but in time he comes to realize that the Lord is not doing so much through him as He is in him. Our Lord always concentrates on the greater need.

- From The Complete Green Letters by Miles J. Stanford

Genealogies? Yes!

Genealogies. You know they are important---especially a certain one that allows you to see the line of Christ and shows you the faithfulness of God through each generation---but if you're anything like me you tend to skim over the long lists of them when it comes to reading them in the Bible.

The problem is, I never realized before how amazing genealogies could be...but now that I know I thought I'd share it with you all, in case you haven't learned it either. I learned this from the book "The Six Days of Genesis" by Paul F. Taylor which I've been reading for one of my classes and the following is what I found to be so extremely fascinating.

"We are probably by now used to the idea that Hebrew names have a meaning. However, the meaning of the names of the ten patriarchs provides a very interesting insight into the prediluvian world.

Adam, means "Man"

Seth means "Appointed"

Enosh means "Mortal"

Kenan means "Sorrow"

Mahalalel means "The God Who is to be Praised"

Jared means "Shall Come Down"

Enoch mean "Teaching"

Methusaleh means "His Death shall Bring"

Lamech means "Despairing"

Noah means "Comfort or Rest"

There is a passage in the Bible that contains all these names, one after the other. It is 1 Chronicles 1:1-3 'Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, Lamech, Noah.'

Now that we know the meanings, this passage can be read 'Man is appointed mortal sorrow, but the God who is to be praised shall come down, teaching that His death shall bring the despairing rest.'"

Wow!

It's incredible to see that even in the very names of these men "a dramatic statement of the gospel" was clearly spelled out.

"God gave us hope right from the very beginning."

I don't know about you, but that just gave me a tiny glimpse of the great love and care of my God. It was a reminder that His plans are from before the beginning of time and He may or may not choose to reveal them to us in His grace, but ultimately He WILL bring them to pass.

Lasso Lessons

TO BE...

...OR NOT TO BE.

Refining Fire

"Years ago, when Amy Carmichael was ministering in India as a missionary, she went to a goldsmith to find out how gold was purified so that she could understand how God "tests" or "proves" us. The goldsmith placed in the pot old jewelry, gold bars, and ore, which all seemed to have varying degrees of purity. She watched as the gold was being melted in a pot over an intense fire. As the material in the pot heated, smoke began to rise from the pot. The goldsmith explained that if she would look down into the pot, Amy would notice scum floating on the surface. The scum, he explained, is called "dross" and must be burned off. At one point, Amy asked the goldsmith how he would know that the gold was purified. He answered that the gold would be pure when he could look down into it and see a perfect reflection of his face.

In the same way, God tests or proves His believers so that they may reflect the image of Christ in their lives. Looking beyond the illustration of Amy Carmichael's experience, remember that the goldsmith is not finished with the gold, even when it has been purified. He then molds, forms, pounds and etches the gold to make something useful and beautiful. God does not necessarily remove us from a circumstance, but while we are being purified, He continues His work in our lives to make us useful vessels for His service."

Honor God by trusting Him.

Miss this guy...

Overwhelming

"I owed a debt I could not pay, He paid a debt He did not owe."

Feeling Intelligent?

Pulchritude possesses solely cutaneous profundity

College Care Package

Loni Fox--- a fun, mischievous, sprinkle throwing, cheese loving, Country Table Fries partner of a friend---sent me an enormous box of goodies. It made my day. See pics below.

The box was like half my size. (And even though my stature may not be that great, it still says something!)


She sent me enough noodles to last until I die! (15 packages to be exact, and I still have some left over from the first box she gave me =)


Loni's love for fruit loops has been a known cause in finding her eating them for supper. Pure Sugar!!!!

All of the goodies --- minus the nice letter along with inspiring quotes such as "If you think dogs don't count, try putting three dog treats in your pocket and only give Fido two." ;) The box was actually very practical with important things such as stationary, stamps, envelopes, shampoo, conditioner, Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms and more.




We put the packing peanuts to good use and made a colossal mess while we were at it.


We decided to share the surprise by allowing other students to discover something in their boxes.



Care Packages, Letters, E-mails and Phone Calls are the thin thread that keeps college students from going over the brink. Thanks Loni! (I think I shall be finding packing peanuts in random places for the next month. =)

Three Peas in a Pod

Sibling Quotes

I miss teasing, laughing, and goofing off with them...and of course the occasional serious moments when we'd go for a walk down our lane, just as the sun was setting or when the stars had already come out, to talk about life, God, and what we needed prayer for. Love them!


Mark: "Chrystal, could you send me the pictures from the day you became a stranger?" (Just because I leave home for a few months doesn't mean he has to disown me!)

Jordan: "Huh? What?" (This is typical of how he responds to me on the phone.)

Rachel: "I have no advice to give you."

Jordan and Mark: "Chrystal, what are you thinking about?"

Rachel: "You're not my boss." (This was in our childhood days before the time she knew I actually would be her boss at work for a couple days.)

Jordan: "Football euihi such ioejihw sports huwihdwh food qkok" (What a normal "Jordan sentence" might sound like. =)

Mark: "The last plum just fell"

Rachel: "Why are we even laughing?"

Jordan and Mark: "Time to get up! It's 4:00!" (AM!) (This was preceeded by a 'click' of the light switch....The worst sound ever to wake up to)

Rachel: "Who is going to do your hair when you go to school?" (I def. miss you Chow. ;)

Mark: "Well, that's cause Rachel's asleep already..." (Marks response to me marveling over the fact that he came to me for help with math)

One and the Same

Have you ever thought that you'd liked to have met Jesus when He was here on earth? That you'd love to have been able to sit under His teaching and learn from Him?

I have.

I've also thought that if I could have just met Him in person or listened to Him speak, then I'd be a more faithful Christian. That I'd be more likely to learn. That my life would be changed in a new way.

And no doubt it would.

But recently I think I've begun to see that there should have been more to that thought. When God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to the earth, we were able to see a glimpse of the Father. Yet, Christ had taken on the form of a man and therefore He was limited by time and space. He could only be in one place at once and those that wanted to be taught by Him had to see Him visibly by being in His physical presence. While it was a part of God's Plan for Christ to come to the earth and for all the world to have the opportunity to accept the salvation His death offered, even Christ knew that there was more the people needed to know after salvation if they wanted to really learn, grow and become a more faithful follower. "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot hear them now." When did He say it to them? Read the rest of the New Testament! ;)

The disciples were rightfully saddened when Jesus talked about leaving them, but He reminded them "It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send Him unto you. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into ALL truth..."

The Holy Spirit is able to be with everyone, everywhere, at all times. Doesn't that make Him a pretty qualified Teacher? I guess I just suddenly realized anew that I have the power right now to live the way I should, just as much as I would if I was sitting directly under Christ in a classroom today. The Holy Sprit enables me to read the scriptures correctly, to make the right choices, to win battles and to have the peace and joy I long for. Do you think He's important? ;) If not, why do you think the disciples were told, after Christ left earth, to wait for the Sprit before going out and witnessing?

Christ and the Holy Spirit are equal, for they are one. You cannot study/get to know one without learning/seeing the other. Christ said of the Holy Spirit, "He shall glorify Me; for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it to you."

So thankful for Christ's life on earth, for the Word which tells me about it and the Holy Spirit who helps me understand it.

(All verses are from John 16)

"Grace Unbounded, Having No End..."

Have you ever been to the ocean? Have you seen the waves crashing in? What do they do? One after the other they just continue to roll in. Wave upon wave, it never stops! That's what my God's grace is like!

"...Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace."

Our teacher read this verse and then stood before us, letting the impact of it sink in. Some of us were slow at grasping such an incredible truth and so he moved on to his illustration. He pulled out a thick stack of paper with the word "grace" written on each slip. "Rachel? Would you like some grace?" He asked before handing over a couple slips. "Anyone else want some grace?" He handed out a few more slips. "Nobody else needs some grace?" Three or four students hopped up and crowded around him, hands outstretched. He passed out slip after slip, and the stack still wasn't running out. The students returned to their seats and he moved to the center of the room. "I still have a lot of grace left. But you know what? I have lots more where this came from!" He turned around and lifted up a heavy box that rocked the table he set it on. "This box is full of more grace! And you know what? I got this box off a truck full of boxes of more grace. And that truck got it's boxes from a warehouse that's filled with boxes of more grace. And that warehouse is just one of a chain of warehouses found in every single state.

God's grace is even greater!

I once had a guy tell me, 'I've done too many bad things to be able to accept God's grace." Our teacher raised his eyebrows as he shared his memory. "I just looked at him and said, 'Thats what makes it GRACE! It's unmerited favor!"

The teacher moved to the spot in front of me. I hadn't received a single slip yet. "Would you like some grace?" He asked. I nodded my head. "But what if you mess up?" He laid down a slip. "What if you've had a terrible past life of sin?" Another slip was laid down. "What if..." The teacher started laying down slips, one after the other, in front of me, and the pile grew bigger. Every sin, every guilt, every failure was covered by the continued covering of grace. And little by little, slip by slip, I was once again reminded of how incredible my God is.

Such a simple and profound illustration, but one that I desperately needed to be reminded of today. My Bible cover now holds a stack of slips that have the word 'grace' written on them. It won't change my life unless I choose to accept it and put it in to practice, but I can use all the reminders I can get!

Both Worlds

1. Red Dirt In SD
2. Green Grass in PA
3. Overalls are a common thing in stores in SD.
4. A good majority of guys between 20-30 have beards/goatees in SD
5. You stop for Buffalo on the road in SD
6. You stop for red lights on the road in PA
7. Beautiful farmland and cornfields in PA
8. Rolling hills for miles on end in SD
9. Comfy bed and my own room in PA
10. Fun co-workers in PA
11. Great college classes in SD
12. 1/4 mile long lane in PA
13. Old-fashioned sing-a-longs in SD
14. Church choir in PA
15. Family and boyfriend in PA
16. Good friends and fellowship in SD and PA

Undeserved yet Unreserved. Not Achieved but still Received.

Recently in one of the classes here at school we were discussing a time in Israel's history. It was the time when Israel had been complaining to God and thus judgment had been sent upon them. Fiery serpents went among the people, biting them with their deadly poison and causing many Israelites to die. The people came to Moses and asked him to pray unto the Lord to take away the serpents from them. Moses did this, interceding on their behalf, and the Lord told him to make a "fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole and it shall come to pass that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." (Numbers 21) I've heard this truth many times and have often heard that it was given to the people as a sign of what Christ would do for us and of what our response should be, but somehow it just seemed so incredible to me this time.

The people only needed to look on the Serpent raised on a pole and they would be healed! If they failed to do so, they perished. It was as simple as that.

I thought about this and wondered to myself "Who would be so stupid as to not look at it?" It was just a simple matter of looking. Yes, it would take a little faith to look and they might feel a bit unsure, wondering if they really would be healed and what it would be like, but still! All they had to do was look! It was so easy!

That's when the real application of the illustration hit me.

Salvation.

God offers it so freely and all we have to do is accept it! It's that simple!

We have a serious sin problem that can't be healed on our own. Yet, because Christ is interceding on our behalf, God chose to provide a way to escape the wrath we deserve. Accept it and you'll be healed. Fail to accept it and you perish. It's that simple. It's that easy.

So my next question was…"Why do we as humans fail to see it?" Looking at the serpent on the pole seemed to obviously be the right choice for the Israelites, but why does salvation seem to be so much harder to choose when our own death sentence is so much worse?

And better yet, once we have seen it and accepted it, why do we fail to remember it, to live victoriously and to praise God for the work He has done in our lives? Paul knew this forgetfulness was our natural tendency for he said in 2 Cor. 11:3 "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the SIMPLICITY that is in Christ." Paul knew that we can easily be led astray or accept things that are not true (Vrs. 4), even after salvation, and that's why he was "jealous over you with a godly jealousy." Don't try to "magnify His strictness with a zeal He does not own!"

I've been reading in Psalms for devotions recently and in chapter 116 David too seemed overwhelmed by the simplicity of salvation. "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord; 'O Lord, I beseech Thee, deliver my soul.' Gracious is the Lord, and Righteous; yea our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple; I was brought low, and He helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee! 'For Thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling….I believed, therefore have I spoken…."

Wow! All David did was call upon the name of the Lord and immediately the Lord stepped in and proved HImself faithful!

(Ok, the next two verses are my favorite parts)
"What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?" ---'Lord! How can I ever hope to possibly pay you back? There must be something You expect me to do in order to receive all these blessings! I certainly don't deserve them, so what do I have to do?'----This question of Davids doesn't get answered audibly but I think the silence says it all, (Nothing!) for in the very next verse David stops his questioning and boldly states "I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord!"

So, how can we pay the Lord back for the love He's shown through His death, burial and resurrection?

We can't.

Just accept the free gift.

It's that simple.

My Hearts Desire

May the mind of Christ my Savior
Live in me from day to day
By His love and power controlling
All I do and say

May the word of God dwell richly
In my heart from hour to hour
So that all may see I triumph
Only through His power

May the peace of God my Father
Rule my life in everything
That I may be calm to comfort
Sick and sorrowing

May the love of Jesus fill me
As the waters fill the sea
Him exalting, self abasing
This is victory

May I run the race before me
Strong and brave to face the foe
Looking only unto Jesus
As I onward go

The Gift of a Family

A Weekend in Williamsburg

July is a busy month with lots of family coming and going. For the weekend and week after the 4th of July, my oldest brother Jerry, his wife Johanna and their two precious boys came up for a visit. We went to Williamsburg for a few days and enjoyed the walking, sightseeing and just being able to spend time with everyone. It had been over a year since the last time I saw those little munchkins so I def. made up for the loss of hugs and kisses.

Ethan (2 1/2 yrs.)

Josiah (1 1/2 yrs.)

Rocks and pebbles never lose their fascination...

Rachel and I, waiting for the fife and drums at the beginning of the day

Playing songs for each of the 13 States

Cannon shots after each salute

Ethan and Grandpa walking the streets

A beautiful time of the year

For some reason I really like this picture....(Maybe because it makes me feel good to know that there are others who have trouble seeing over top of things. =)

Baby feet. I love how Josiah has two toes on one side of the flip-flop.

We sat and listened to this guy for a while. He had this weird serpent instrument and also played the bagpipes for us. The little boys love music!

Ethan loves his Aunt Chrystal

At first glance it would appear to be a normal dog. Yet something makes you look again and the second glance is what tells you the difference.

We went to hear a speech by Lafayette and he did an excellent job.

...And what's the 4th of July without fireworks? Sunday night was extremely enjoyable. Hanging out on the blankets with my family, watching fireworks, playing with the nephews, walking in the cool air (up and down the streets afterwards trying to find our way back to the visitors center), and talking with my sister-in-law....that's what I call a vacation. ;)

A Good God and Mercy I don't Deserve

Devotions. Why is it that they can become so hard to have but then every time I go God's Word, I wonder how I ever stayed away from it for so long? I'm ashamed to admit how pathetic my devotions have been recently, for if you were look at the the amount and quality of time I've spent with Him recently, you'd think I didn't care very much about Him. However, on Monday, God used a girlfriend to help me get into His Word for an extended time and it was just refreshing to study out this verse.

"Psalm 108:4 - "For Thy mercy is above the heavens and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds."

According to the dictionary, Mercy is kindness in excess of what may be expected or demanded by fairness. It's also the power to forgive.

So, God's loyalty (truth) to us and our ability to depend on Him because of His absoluteness (truth) is great---unto the clouds! BUT His kindness goes beyond our trust and is there for us even when we don't deserve it---It goes ABOVE the heavens! Now that's high!

Why is He so good to us?

Visit with Mike's Grandparents

Cooking some of the best hamburgers I've ever eaten. ;)

Grandpa Geib

We enjoyed a beautiful evening outside as I was given a tour of the farm.

The Pasture

The flowers and property were impressive and gave me a chance to take some pictures with my new camera. ;)

Mike's grandparents. It was really nice to spend time with them and to hear them tell their stories, see pictures of their kids and grandkids from ancient times, ;) and to see their love for their family. Overall, it was just a very pleasant evening and one that I would do over again in a heartbeat.

Anna's Highschool Graduation

Dad, Mom, Rachel and I made a trip up to New York City for a quick weekend with family to help celebrate with Anna. We were very proud of our only girl cousin (on my Dad's side of the family) and very thankful to see for ourselves what God has been doing in her life and in their school in this past year.

Helping put together a picture board

The Finished Product

A Peek into the Past

Miss these days (not the outfits ;)

The Valedictorian Speech

Proud Parents

School Choir

My Dad was the Special Speaker

Our Cousin. Our Friend.

My Favorite Picture

Young School Friends.

More Family....Waiting for Uncle Bill.

On the way home we stopped at Cracker Barrel

This hat would be perfect for Mr. Fenton. =)