Dad.

We were on vacation this year on Father's Day. I still want to say a few words about my Dad even though I am almost 2 weeks behind.

Photos of my father then (1970 something) and in 2005. The funny thing is, not a whole lot has changed. He still barefoots. He still has that same smile on his face almost always. He has great love for his family--not just us, but also his Dad, his brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, neighbors, friends, and the family of workers at the pharmacy.

We grew up in a house filled with great memories that of which we owe a lot to our dad. I would like to share a few....Remember any of these, Dad, they might only make sense to some of us.

• Watching pheasants hatch in the incubator
• Remember when you hit a rabbit while driving and told us it was the Easter Bunny?? :0
  
• Riding in the wagon behind the John Deere as you mowed the lawn. (we would fall out of the wagon and you has no clue)
• When you wore the Big Bird costume on numerous occasions
• Teaching us how to water ski
  
• When you were Sunday School superintendent, I was one proud kid.
• The "Hopkins Hamburger" (no one will guess what it actually is)
• Always saying I was beautiful, even when I most definitely was not.
• When you bought my my 1985 Cavalier for a cool $700. I always knew that was a lot of $$ for you to spend at the time. I loved that car.
  
• I think you had tears in your eyes when I cried over being cut from Varsity Volleyball
  
• Making me feel good about myself when I all but failed a Psychology class at GRCC
  
• Your "Ted Nugent" basketball backboard (really, what were you thinking? the two have no connection)
• You gave me $$ for gas and paid my measly $82.00 a month car payment when I was 21 years old for pete's sake.
  
• How I cried wben we danced at my wedding.
• When I woke up from my Jaw surgery and you were singing the song from "The Simpsons" (what a weird-o)
  
• I remember how you held and admired all of my babies when they were newborns.
  

The list is getting rather long, but you get the picture. My dad has many passions in life, but being a Godly husband, father, and grandfather has always been where it's at for him. For all of this and more we love you, and Happy Father's Day!

online confessions

Right now I wish I was Catholic. I could then tell the priest of my transgression and he would give the formula for forgiveness.

Of the many sins I have surely committed today,
one in particular keeps creeping to the forefront of my mind.

It didn't happen exactly like this photo, but it it did occur in the parking lot of a grocery store. I was racing the clock to get Chase to T-ball on time and had to quickly run in and out of D & W to get a snack for the team. After a breaking my personal record for in and out of the store with 3 kids, I opened my passenger side door and Ding! right into the car next to me. Here is my confession. I did not wait for the person to come out of the store instead I hurriedly buckled my kids into their car seats and hammered out of there.

I feel quite bad about this. The thing about this situation is that I cannot make it right. Normally when I screw up, I can at least apologize or somehow make up for the mistake I'd made. I will never know who's car I dinged and they won't be able to track me down. Seems like the perfect crime, huh?

I don't religiously believe in Karma, maybe more so the law of "what goes around comes around"

Someone needs to come and ding up my van door, put me out of my misery.

Any other online confessions out there??

We're Back!

After a much enjoyed and busy vacation, I think I need a vacation from my vacation.

The last 2 weeks have been spent a little like this:

Laundry, packing, driving, partying, eating, laundry, boating, driving, t-ball, driving, un-packing and packing again, driving some more, swimming, fishing, the movie "Cars"eating, campfires, Sudoku puzzles, Wal-mart, R/C cars, good times with friends, and family, and of course more driving with our kids 3 wide in the car.

No internet access and no time to blog. Now that I am home I have enjoyed catching up on the blogs that I frequent. Here is a new one, my sister Stacey is on bedrest in the hospital with her triplets and here is the link to her blog. www.bedrestblog.blogspot.com

Another up and coming blog is www.citygrace.blogspot.com
This is blog will tell of the journey our friends Steve and Dana Wolma are about to embark on--moving to NYC and following God's lead.

Check 'em out.

A bunch of 30 year olds in Cadillac

So we are back from our little, tiny get away. I was gone from home for 21 hours!!!
Things I learned this weekend:

Dana "rides bike" in her sleep.

Holly is allergic to Soy.

I don't care what they say...Arbor Mist is good wine.

It is possible to have 4 kids and live to tell about it (thanks, Tina)

The Indigo Girls are still ridiculously awesome.

If seven 30 year old women walk into a restaurant in Cadillac, all heads will turn. Whether that is a good or bad thing, I'm not too sure.

KFC is yummy.

I miss Dana already.

Last but not least, these women are amazing each in their own way.
Thanks for the good times, girls!

Girls Gone Wild!

Well, not exactly. Tonight I am leaving for a Girls Getaway to Cadillac. I will be gone for a whole 24 hours!!!! We started this tradition about 7-8 years ago and this year has special meaning, I think. It is quite possible that not even one of us girls is pregnant this year. Between this group of women there are 17 kids aged 6 down to 1 year. Our "camping" trips used to be actually camping and it used to be more that 24 hours. But as time went on our husbands didn't love the thought of being stuck with the kids for a whole weekend. Tonight is a sort of farewell to Dana as she and Steve will be moving to NYC by August. I have always found blessing in this group of ladies. We don't see each other as a group very often but we can always count on each other for a listening ear, advice, and encouragement. There will be a void without Dana around in this little corner of the world. We are excited to see Steve and Dana answering God's call and I want to give them my wholehearted support and faithful prayer.

Tomorrow at this time I will not be waking up to the boys fighting, or Joy yelling for me from her bed that she wants milk. Rather I will wake up to all my coffee chugging friends, some of which will have been up long before me since I am not a morning person and this is my one chance to sleep in. Cadillac here we come!