Thursday, January 2, 2014

a change

I decided it was time for a change

I have been thinking about this for awhile, and have changed the name of my blog to "a hope full momma"

This title comes from my favorite verse in the Bible

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

There is so much about this verse that I LOVE!

Our God is a God of hope--he wants to give us hope
He will fill us with ALL joy and peace when we trust in Him (ALL joy and peace...isn't that incredible?!?)
We can overflow with hope as we are given joy and peace (ahhh, overflowing with hope. That is who I want to be)

I could go on and on. Maybe I will sometime, but for now I am going to focus on being full of hope.

A Hope Full Momma

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Road Trip!

Our family went on a road trip this Fall to visit one of my dear friends and her family (bad mom...this post has been living in draft mode for a long time!). They live in Milwaukee, so we got in the car right after the kids were done with school and made the 4 hour trek.

It wasn't a great sign that before we were even on the Interstate headed South that I had given my husband the "evil eye" and the demand that he STOP making sarcastic comments to the 13-year-old, and demanded that the 13-year-old stop being so gullible. The boy's response? "What does 'gullible' mean?"

It was going to be a long trip! Enter the use of electronic devices (yes, parents' of the year here folks), and we ended up having a seamless 4 hour drive. We actually at one point asked the 8-year-old if she was still back there...with no response...

There is nothing like the feeling when you reconnect with a dear friend, is there?!?

The ease of conversation that can pick up from whenever you were last together...even if it has been years. *sigh* That was part of the joy of this weekend.

The other joy? Seeing my big kids embrace my friend's little guy and play with childish abandon. 

It Was A Great Weekend!

See for yourselves...

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Summer of Fun!

This summer we have been trying to make the most of our time together. With mom being a teacher, and "mostly" off for the summer, and dad trying out retirement (or extended unemployment), we figured that there may never again be a time when we are both home this much. Our kids will definitely be these ages again, so we are having fun! On a budget...

This past week we took a spontaneous trip to northern Wisconsin. Washburn, Ashland and Bayfield areas specifically. My parents were even able to come along for our adventure!

Here are some photos of our trip, in no specific order:

Saturday, June 8, 2013

This boy...

This boy

With his electric-blue eyes

Bright blonde hair

Quick smile

And boundless energy

Brings me so much joy!

Aleah the Hat Designer

I had the great fortune of having the world-famous Aleah the Hat Designer design me a hat today. I'm sure you are all jealous.

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Special boys!

Being an aunt is one of my favorite things! How could it not be with these 2 special boys as my nephews?

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Happy Birthday to a Very Special Friend!

Have you had a "best friend"?

You know...the friend that has been a part of your life for so long, you almost can't remember her not being there.

I have to take the time today to wish my best friend a happy birthday (it is a milestone birthday!). This friend has been a significant part of my life since the first days of Junior High, when she came and introduced herself to my sister and me and wondered if we could walk to school together since we only lived a block away from each other. That was it...just a little gesture of friendship that began a lifetime of relationship.

She has been there through first boyfriends and first breakups, smiles and tears, good days and hard days, celebrations and losses.

My twin sister and I were bridesmaids in her wedding, we were both bridesmaids in my sister's wedding, and then they were both bridesmaids in my wedding...all within a year (I got married exactly 1 day less than 1 year after her wedding, and my sister was married almost exactly right in between! Sorry mom and dad...)

There were periods of our life that we spent more hours of the day together than apart, and periods where we hardly have seen each other at all due to distance, the busyness of life, and just all the things that fill up our time.

We could stay up all night talking about nothing (you remember being a teen-ager, right?), and now we still could stay up all night talking, but don't have that luxury very often anymore. We have learned to share our hearts in phone calls, or visits that are always too short.

No matter how much time has passed, when we pick up the phone, or get a rare chance to visit in person, it is like no time has passed. Have you ever had a friend like that? If so, you are blessed like I am. If not, I pray you get one some day.

She was the 3rd Musketeer with my sister and I through much of our lives (and I think we still kind of think of ourselves that way). She was the "filling" of the Oreo (literally...that was our Halloween costume one year in high school!).

The Oreo! Thanks to whoever posted this on Facebook...it was perfect!
Note the great "90's" hair!
She is someone who I always know I can turn to. She has shared more of my life than probably anyone other than my family, and that makes her part of my family (my parents do claim her proudly!).

Happy Birthday, Angie! You mean more to me than you can know. Thank you for that small act of friendship nearly 30 years ago. I know I speak for my sister as well! We love you!