Neglect and a Packet of Ramen
1 week ago
Monday, June 30, 2014
2014 Jazz in June
Not a lot of pictures this year, but for the 17th year in a row, we made it to Jazz in June. We love the free concert, great music, people watching, and spending time with friends. The girls love blowing bubbles, drawing on the sidewalk, and having a picnic. This year, they added a great activity for school age kids - a scavenger hunt at the Sheldon Art Museum. It was a different hunt each week with 6 clues in and around the museum. In all the years I've lived here, I can't believe I've never been inside before.
Kids Bowl Free 2014 Edition
Once again, we're spending some quality time at the bowling alley in the summer, thanks to the Kids Bowl Free program. This year, it's fun watching Annie really get into the action.
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| Oh my, this air blower is fun! |
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| Is he reaching for the camera, or looking longingly at his wife? |
One Pan Pasta
I saw this recipe floating around Facebook yesterday. I wouldn't say I'm the queen of Pinterest fails, but I certainly have had my share.
But since the whole family absolutely inhaled this meal, I would say it was a Pinterest success. These pictures are actually mine - not lifted from the website!
I think next time we'll be adding grilled chicken or seared scallops. Yum!
But since the whole family absolutely inhaled this meal, I would say it was a Pinterest success. These pictures are actually mine - not lifted from the website!
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| Before |
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| During (in all its bubbly goodness) |
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| After - this didn't last long |
Like a Good Neighbor
Have you ever been so incredibly excited for someone, but you're not quite sure why? Maybe you know that something really big is waiting for them, but you don't know what it is yet? You know that God has really big plans and is going to do some amazing things? And these are people you just think the world of...salt of the earth kind of people. You can't wait to hear just what is going to happen for them.
We've got neighbors like that. Unfortunately, with all of our excitement for them comes this:
Enjoying our last week together. I'm going to miss those afternoon tea breaks and random "I made extra bread for dinner, here, have a loaf!" surprises. Going to miss the smiles on some sweet girls' faces. I'm a better person because of each member of this family, and I can't wait to see what God has in store.
And when they land in their new home on the East coast, I pray their next neighbors love them just as much as we do!
We've got neighbors like that. Unfortunately, with all of our excitement for them comes this:
And when they land in their new home on the East coast, I pray their next neighbors love them just as much as we do!
Storms a-Brewing
It's been a big year for severe weather again. I never really knew what that entailed before I moved here. But for my friends out West who don't regularly experience severe weather, here's a little lesson:
An amazing pair of twin tornadoes touched down just out of Stanton a couple of weeks ago. (Stanton is where my late aunt lived for years and years.)
Unfortunately, two lives were lost in these storms, and countless others were injured. 75% of the town of Pilger was completely destroyed. We drove past Pilger 6 days after the storms. It was sobering to see - with all the "excitement" of severe weather, it's still a grim reminder just how powerful these storms can be. Even with the best of forecasting and warning equipment.
So we pray for the people of Pilger. We continue to monitor the weather and make smart choices here. And every time we head for shelter, I'm reminded that God is very big, and whatever happens will not be a surprise to Him.
An amazing pair of twin tornadoes touched down just out of Stanton a couple of weeks ago. (Stanton is where my late aunt lived for years and years.)
Unfortunately, two lives were lost in these storms, and countless others were injured. 75% of the town of Pilger was completely destroyed. We drove past Pilger 6 days after the storms. It was sobering to see - with all the "excitement" of severe weather, it's still a grim reminder just how powerful these storms can be. Even with the best of forecasting and warning equipment.
So we pray for the people of Pilger. We continue to monitor the weather and make smart choices here. And every time we head for shelter, I'm reminded that God is very big, and whatever happens will not be a surprise to Him.
Ali
The world lost an amazing woman this past weekend. And I honestly don't know that I have ever been happier to hear of someone's passing. That may sound callous, but when I heard that Ali took her last breath, I was filled with rejoicing on her behalf.
I first met Ali as a brand-new baby teacher. She was a bright spot in a very difficult situation. She was always kind and helpful. We waited with anticipation that year as she was expecting her first child. A little girl who would be named Hannah. Five days before Hannah's expected birth, she died. It was devastating. A lot of questions were asked, and ultimately, it was determined that Hannah wasn't receiving enough oxygen. To Ali's great surprise, it was because a huge tumor was growing in her throat.
So a week that should have been filled with excitement was filled with grief over the loss of Hannah and a huge "what now" with the diagnosis of aggressive cancer.
That summer, Ali spent a large amount of time in Boston seeing specialists. Somewhere along the line, her boyfriend left her. I can't even begin to imagine how I would have responded to all of that happening in my life. It was truly like watching a modern-day Job story unfold.
Sometime after this, I lost track of Ali, beyond the occasional FB posts. But what I did know was that she found God. She developed an unshakeable faith and continued to face life with kindness and courage, touching and changing others the way she changed me.
A few years back, her cancer returned. With a vengeance. I know she has been in hospice for awhile. I saw a photo of her last week. She was so gaunt and looked so ill - yet her face continued to beam with joy.
So on Saturday, as she took her final breath, I know she was welcomed into her Savior's arms. She heard Him proclaim "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" And fifteen years later, she held that precious little girl in her arms.
I first met Ali as a brand-new baby teacher. She was a bright spot in a very difficult situation. She was always kind and helpful. We waited with anticipation that year as she was expecting her first child. A little girl who would be named Hannah. Five days before Hannah's expected birth, she died. It was devastating. A lot of questions were asked, and ultimately, it was determined that Hannah wasn't receiving enough oxygen. To Ali's great surprise, it was because a huge tumor was growing in her throat.
So a week that should have been filled with excitement was filled with grief over the loss of Hannah and a huge "what now" with the diagnosis of aggressive cancer.
That summer, Ali spent a large amount of time in Boston seeing specialists. Somewhere along the line, her boyfriend left her. I can't even begin to imagine how I would have responded to all of that happening in my life. It was truly like watching a modern-day Job story unfold.
Sometime after this, I lost track of Ali, beyond the occasional FB posts. But what I did know was that she found God. She developed an unshakeable faith and continued to face life with kindness and courage, touching and changing others the way she changed me.
A few years back, her cancer returned. With a vengeance. I know she has been in hospice for awhile. I saw a photo of her last week. She was so gaunt and looked so ill - yet her face continued to beam with joy.
So on Saturday, as she took her final breath, I know she was welcomed into her Savior's arms. She heard Him proclaim "Well done, my good and faithful servant!" And fifteen years later, she held that precious little girl in her arms.
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