Whats the big EYEdea????

Love my puppy ...cant get enough of him!!!!

A Few photos from the past

I had the chance to visit with my Uncle Paul and Aunt Janeen the other day. My Uncle Paul is the one who keeps all the old photos of our family. I took a few away with me...I love that my family has a history and we have pictures that have preserved it!

This is my Finnish Grandfather....found out his first name ( finnish name) is Sulo. I think I like it! This pictures proves that I have skiing in my blood!

This is my mom....geee wonder where I get it folks???

My great Grandma (Selma) and my Great Grandpa (Mattie)
They had reservations to ride the Titanic over, but Great Grandma was pregnant with my Grandpa....that would have been a shame if they had been on the boat..I wouldnt be here!

My Grandma Elizabeth Angela (I am named after her) and my Grandfather..not many pictures of them together as they divorced long before I was born. I still love seeing pictures of them together....my grandfather was so handsome and WOW!!!! my grandma was BEAUTIFUL!!!

eleven in eleven on the eleventh

I meant to do this post about 11 days ago, but never got around to it! So here it is a little bit late! Every year I sit down and come up with goals that I am going to do through out the year...this year we are going for 11 since it is 2011...

So here they are in no particular order:
1. Love my HUSBAND better....with a love that matches Christ's love for him!
2. Fall back in love with my Savior
3. 365 project....take at least one picture a day and post it!
4. Work towards obtaining a Masters Degree in School Counseling
5. Make Meriweather Magoo's a success
6. Develop deeper relationships with my close girlfriends (Anna, April, Tracy and Shelly)
7. Try at least 2 new recipes a month
8. Build a garden box in the backyard for my veggie garden!
9. Be more purposeful with time with family
10. Break a sweat (workout of some sort) 300 out 365 days (thats only 5-6 time a week)
11. Appreciate the little things in life...the daily blessings!

I am so excited to be a part of this AMAZING ministry once again. I was a leader many years ago, but due to my busy and hectic work schedule at the time I wasnt able to continue. I hated leaving a ministry that meant so much to me. Young Life is where I met Jesus. I had amazing leaders that loved me and valued who I was a teen. They told me the great news and showed me Jesus in the way they lived their lives and how they interacted with me. During my college years I was a leader and loved it. Sharing the gospel with High School kids is an amazing gift.

After I left being a Young Life leader 11 years ago, I thought that I would never be able to come back to it. That I would always have a job that was too demanding, that wouldnt allow time for me to invest in the lives of kids. But, god had different plans. I have wanted to get involved for quite some time now, but timing wasnt right.....until now! I love how God's timing is ALWAYS right! I emailed Kristy Fox and told her that I was interested in getting involved again....what would it look like? Would I be a leader, on committee...what? As luck would have it they needed another female leader at Foothill High School! I went to my first leadership meeting on Sunday night and then my first event last night! It feels so natural to me...Thank You Jesus!

My Mom.....

So its been almost 4 years since my mom left home and went to the hospital with a bladder infection that sent her body into a downward spiral. My mom is in the late to terminal stages of Alzheimers Disease.....they call it the long goodbye and that it is. These past 4 years have some of the toughest of my life...but God is bigger and stronger and surrounds me with a great support system. This picture was taken a few days after Christmas. The bear she is holding is from my dad....its soft and she likes to hold it.

There hasnt been a lot of change in the past few months with mom's health. Her doctor changed up her meds a little and she is a little more comfortable. She still relies on her care givers for everything....feeding, bathing, mobility...She likes to sit in her chair in the living room, while she cant really communicate with anyone, she likes to hear voices and the sound of the TV is soothing. We are praying that this is the year that God is merciful to her and calls her home, but we know that only God can do that and that he has his own plans.

So if you have any time, please pray for my mom and my family...this is the by far the hardest thing we have gone through.