Wednesday, April 29, 2009

When life knocks you down don't stay down bounce back!! Everybody stumbles or gets knocked off their feet from time to time, the winners are just the ones who keep getting back up! That's what Paul meant when he said, "In all these things we are more than conquerors." If you pray and look hard enough, you'll find the seed of good in every adversity. The difference between winners and losers, is their ability to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones!!!

Encouraging!! There is ALWAYS hope at the end of every adversity tunnel!! We just have to look for it! Even when a situation seems hopeless!!!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Kristen is 13!!!!!

On Easter day we were blessed to be able to celebrate Kristen's 13th birthday! WOW, were has the time gone, we remember her as a free spirited little lady that loved to have a good time and just play. Well much hasn't changed since then, she is still a HUGE blessing to our family and I don't know what we would do without her.

As I take a walk down memory lane, Nate and I are AMAZED daily by her maturity and ability to make decisions that we sure didn't have to make at the age of 13. At least a few times a week we have the opportunity to talk and catch up with what is going on in her life, and each time it seems to take a step deeper into how the Lord is molding her into the young lady He sees her as!

It hit me the week before her birthday that she really only has 5 more years with us in our home. Yeah it maybe longer but reality is she will be graduating from high school then, I know grandmas are grabbing a Kleenex and asking why did I have to remind you that she is growing up, "Baby K" can't grow up. She will ALWAYS be our Baby K!! I would love nothing more than to be in our first house in Richfield MN shutting the screen door quietly because we just got our colicky baby asleep in the swing, pulling her first tooth and wiping the tears because "this tooth was really supposed come out?" Seeing her convince Grandpa Jim to climb on her little bike and go for a ride because she didn't think Grandpa could ride with no training wheels! Seeing how big her little hand looked next to her new baby sister!

I am saying it more for myself than anyone, what am I going to DO in the next 5 years to mold her mind? I can tell you that the next 5 years she is with us we will take just as serious as we did the first 5 years of her life! As parents when our children are young we teach them to walk and talk among other things, we are all excited about getting them to the next step! For those of you out there with little ones at home, PLEASE just take a deep breath and RELAX!! Enjoy your kids when they are young before you know it the first 5 years becomes the last 5 years! And you wonder where in the world did the last few years go?

It is my prayer that the decisions we make over the next few years will benefit all our children. Give them the roots so they are ready to fly!!

Thank you for growing us the last 13 years K! We love you tons!! And will ALWAYS sing the "special" birthday song no matter what birthday it is!! :)

Monday, April 13, 2009

Jake's Birthday Pics

First thing out of his mouth was great now I can go on calls with dad!!