Posts Tagged ‘family’

Okay, I promised photos and you shall have photos!
Spring Break was wonderful! I got to see all my loved ones and felt truly refreshed and relaxed when we left. Sometimes I just wish the world would shrink a bit so I could be close to everyone that I love at the same time. I’d love if everyone was less than 4 hours away! I think I was meant to be a sort-of rancher (minus all the hard work stuff) because it seems like the whole family lives on the same plot of land. But then would we drive each other crazy? And I really like living near big cities. I guess you can’t have it all!

Traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner at Aunt Carla and Jenn’s house. Aunt Carla is one of THE BEST COOKS/BAKERS I’ve ever known. I’m blessed to have gifted cooks and bakers in my family!
Left to right (Jenn, me, mom and Aunt Carla)

Oma and mom. I don’t have any pictures of Oma and me, but Oma does, so I will have to scan those!

The most precious Reeck family and me! I’m sad that I’m missing watching these boys grow up because they are too cute!
left to right (me, Paul, Noah, Carrie, Wesley aka C’s boo)

And finally, a word from Dylan and Wesley, with a cameo by Noah.

LOVE!

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I suppose I will just gloss over that fact that I got one, one-worded comment on a post I wrote ABOUT SEEING JESUS IN MY ROOM! This is me, glossing.

My glorious vacation here in Sanibel is coming to a close. Please hold while I cry like a little girl. Okay, back. It’s been really great, and honestly, the Lord has blessed me so much. While I was looking forward to coming to paradise (chuh), I was sad (seriously sad) that I’d have no hip young things to chill with this year. Shortly after we arrived, we found out my cousin Tim would be coming down (for something like 36 hours)! Whoopee! THEN! my cousin Grace decided she would mosey on down too (for barely over 48 hours)! Much excitement ensued, as well as much traveling to the airport, whew. And then, much fun occurred. MUCH. I don’t know how, but sometimes I forget what a hoot (yes, hoot) my cousins are! I miss them!
Okay, okay, enough talking, here are some photos for your delightment.

Paisley was quite excited at all the Christmas merriment!

Grace and me out to eat. There was a guy juggling glow-in-the-dark bowling pins and I was hoping we could get him in the background, but alas it didn’t work out.

try not to be jealous of my awesome tan.

The three cousins! It’s unfortunate that I showered JUST before we went out. Obviously a hott look for me.

Gramps with three of his grandkiddos! Have you ever seen such a look of elatement on a grandparent’s face?

superfluous sunset photograph

Wish you were here!

LOVE!

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The fact that I’ve just finished the CRAZIEST week of my nursing program with both my life AND sanity intact has led me to thinking about how I got here. Okay, so the sanity bit is debatable, I’ll give you that.
This is how I got here:
I have an amazing mom who has done my laundry, cooked my dinners, prepared my lunches and listened to my tirades even when she wasn’t feeling well. I did NOT let her do all that since she’s been sick, seriously. Okay so maybe I have let off some steam here and there, but you can BE SURE that I whispered if she was sleeping. Do you realize how hard it is to WHISPER while ranting? Try it.
I have A-FREAKIN-MAZING classmates who unknowingly reach out to me in my darkest moments, give me desperately needed rides to class on a whim, buy me Starbucks when I’m having a bad day, pray for me, text me when I’m not in class, stay 20 minutes longer after class so I can copy their notes and always make me laugh. (you know who you are ;))
I have a dad who scrapes the frost off my car and warms it up 15 minutes before I leave for class (running late no less). He also lets me practice my sharpened wit and sarcasm at his expense. Thanks dad!
I have a dear, sweet friend who comes over to wash our family’s dishes, walk our dog and offer continual support, fellowship and love. She has shown me what a true servant’s heart is like.
I have a best friend whose mere 10-minute phonecall was able to keep me laughing, smiling and realizing how blessed I am.
I have a God who loves me more than I am capable of understanding, who patiently waits while I fume about how unfair life is, and who has given me the people mentioned above.

Oh and I have people who read my blog (and exclaim at my outlandish remarks to quit) whom I love, no matter how quiet and un-commenting they are.

That’s how I’ve made it so far, and I know I’m gonna make it to May 2010!
What are you grateful for?

LOVE!

ps So in the month of November I got more hits here than ever, which is ironic to me considering the lack of posts and then the “I QUIT” post. Maybe I should quit more often.

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Onto merrier and lighter notes. A blog I read mentioned a dream home from a movie, the beach house from “Something’s Gotta Give”. I’ve loved that house since the moment I saw it too. I’m always trying to conjure up ways to turn our house in Sanibel into that house. I’m thinking I need a decorating budget of $6860982098308, just for starters.
I often admired homes in movies, but I think my favorite may be the house from “Stepmom”, I just LOVE it. Especially the wrap-around porch and tire swing!

I can so totally imagine raising my 5 kids in this house, with big Thanksgiving dinners and touch football games in the yard, sleepovers, snowmen out front and hot cocoa inside. Sigh. I love dreaming.

So any dream homes out there? What do you guys think? I may continue this idea and blog more dream homes. I could do this ALL day!

LOVE!

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1. Two classmates whom I saved from a most certain ill fate by using my AAA membership to unlock their car, gave my GODIVA CARAMELS as a thank-you. YUM!
2. I passed my ATI final, woo.
3. I got a FREAKIN’ “A” on my third peds exam. In order to get the full effect of this one you must know that I had been OUT of my mind worried over since I took the exam Monday. We’re talking worried about getting kicked out of the program.
4. I PICKED UP MY BFF FROM THE AIRPORT! (this one’s my favorite)
5. SAID BFF BROUGHT GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES AND A HOMEMADE BIRTHDAY CAKE WITH HER.
6. We went out to dinner with our dads who consequently paid for dinner. plus!
7. BFF CECILIA WAS HERE! did I mention that?
8. We went to see le brother, thus completing the best cousin trio of all time.
9. Came home to spend the rest of the night laughing until we cried with our dads and my mom. Good times.
10. Friday marked the beginning of Fall Break for me. No class until Wednesday then off FRIDAY! WOOT!
11. CECILIA was here!

Surely this was the BEST FRIDAY OF ALL (please hear this in a very grand voice)!

LOVE!

ps. I am extremely sorry I did not get a picture of this but I saw a lady NOT WEARING ANYTHING BUT A SHIRT! at the airport Friday. This was most definitely not a reason why Friday rocked. I’m still reeling from that site and the fact that NO ONE ELSE acted shocked or was doing anything about it.

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O.M.G.

If the first week of my 27th year is ANY indication of how awesome the rest of the year will be, I AM TOTALLY STOKED! It has been beyond awesome. I mean, really the whole LAST month has been so great. I love, love, love having things to look forward to, especially when those things/events turn out to TOTALLY ROCK MY FACE OFF!
So the weekend my cousin Louie got married in Arkansas. There was a bit of craziness on Thursday which turned into me getting to drive down with my parents and attend the rehearsal dinner. Get this, they had a live band and DANCING at the rehearsal dinner. THAT IS SOOO WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. For some time now I have been contemplating having dancing at my rehearsal dinner but thought maybe people would get danced out? Overwhelmed with all that MOVEMENT and RHYTHM and GYRATING (oh my!) Who could POSSIBLY do that two nights in a row? I WILL TELL YOU WHO! THIS GIRL! Plus others. To sum it up, this weekend was pure awesomeness. Now I am itching for the next wedding!
Here are some photos to help your imagination!

rehearsal dinner

just the beginning of the night o’dancing

siblings with the groom!

family photo plus spontaneous laughter

Some dancin’ fool. Had to be dragged off the dance floor. Kicking and screaming. And scratching.

my dear and me last night watching the Razorback game

That’s all for now. I hope you’ve begun stretching in preparation for my wedding and the inordinate amount of dancing that will occur there. If not, START NOW!

LOVE!

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Yeah, I’m not sure anyone out there is really reading. I know you just want to see pictures anyhoo!

Our Mother’s Day gathering. Have I ever told you how much I love being around my family?

Here are our three generations (two of which are Eagle Scouts) of Boy Scouts. Including Eagle Scout Ben.

the cutest older sister of the cutest 9-month-old ever

the photograph Ella (older sister) took. I think she takes after me.

What family gathering isn’t complete without a little wrestlemania? I have to say their father was strongly encouraging this behavior (and closely monitoring). Ethan totally won.

me with my favorite guy. I figured it was about time I got a picture with him. I should redo this photo a year from now when I finally get to see this kid again after rigorous nursing school.

Me with both kiddos.

So I’m starting nursing school in a week. WEEK! I’m so terrified it’s not even funny. On the other hand I’m ready to get this show on the road because, obviously, the anticipation is KILLING me. Slowly. Not softly with his song. Let’s just say I’m having a lot of daily pep talks. Eek. Glad I figured out that xanga importing business before school starts. Accomplishing this makes me feel like QUEEN OF THE WORLD! I’m practically a blog-making GENIUS.

LOVE!

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You see that precious face below, in the previous entry?

Well he gave me a wicked cold.  I suppose I shouldn’t have lavished so many kisses upon him, but, honestly? how could I resist that smirk and soft skin?  I’ve been thinking a lot about my family (AMAZING) and how the birth of my cousins’ children affects me.  I find myself so attached to their kids, most likely a product of my attachment to my cousins.  I want to be close to them, to be a witness to their lives, for them to recognize me not just from photos but from my interaction with them.  As I spend time with my cousin Annie and her children it seems odd to me that people are not close to their cousins.  I feel as though my cousins, all 10 of them (on both sides) have been my lifelong playmates, though we have about a 15-year age range between all of us.  As I’ve said before, my best and most-cherished memories are always when I’m with my family.  Whether that be just one member (I’m sure you know who ;)) or the whole gaggle of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, cousins’ spouses, and the great-grands (cousins’ kids), there is always fun to be had.  I suppose it’s not so inexplicable that I am so overjoyed that our family continues to expand and yet we still actually KNOW each other, we still have deep conversations, still comfort each other in our despair, still celebrate each milestone, and still love each other without limits.  I love that I know my “side” at my wedding will be my whole, ginormous family.  I love thinking about the future and how the circle will keep going when my cousins’ kids will babysit my kids who will babysit the cousins’ grandkids (follow that?).  Family, oh what a blessing!
Okay I totally didn’t plan on blogging about that, but I’ve had a bad cold since Wednesday so that has consumed my thoughts.  Cold leads to Ethan which leads to family!  I would give Ethan millions more kisses and not care about the risk of cold! 
Will work on broadening my blogging horizons by finding subjects other than Ethan.

LOVE!

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I know it has been almost 2 weeks since I wrote something here but it’s been a crazy two weeks.  I went to D.C., my Opa died, I flew to Denver so I could get to Colorado Springs, spent a lot of time with my family and drove over 8 hours to get back to Kansas.  Next week I have an insane amount of homework, will be working full-time and am heading down to JBU for Homecoming.  I feel like I haven’t been home in months. 
Yes, Opa, my paternal grandfather, passed away.  It hasn’t been that long and I really haven’t formulated my thoughts about all of this.  It was a really hard week for all of us even though we know that Opa is in glory now.  I do know that I have one of the most amazing families in the history of family, and that goes for both sides.  I also know that I have seriously underestimated the kindness of neighbors and friends.  I met two men this past week who have done so much for my Oma and Opa, who, whether or not they know it, have been used by God to bless my grandparents.  One man, a neighbor, shovelled my grandparents’ driveway every day it snowed.  If it snowed again, which it does in Colorado, within the hour, he was back to re-shovel.  When did I become to cynical as to not believe things like this happened?  God is showing me so much and convicting me as well.  The Lord is so good.

LOVE!

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Recovery, etc

Now that I have sufficiently relaxed at the Lake for 5 glorious days I feel it is time to say hello to y’all again. So hey.
I’m still thinking about the wedding and whatnot. For months beforehand I was worried about this big change and all it implied. The weeks before were high in tension and stress and therefore very emotional for me. So I didn’t know how I would feel during the wedding or after the wedding. I knew it would be wonderful to see so many of those who are near and dear to me, to have both sides of the family in one place at one time. I knew the reception would be a HUGE party with lots of fun to be had. But the part involving big change and LOTS of little changes? Not so sure about that. It really seems like he was 16 just yesterday. I was never hesitant about Kaitlyn becoming part of our family, in reality, she’s been a part of our family for 5 years, now it’s merely official!
I can honestly say that I am thrilled about all of it, and was extremely excited the day of the wedding. I chose to focus on the FIRSTS ahead of us all instead of the LASTS (last time Alex’s toothbrush would be in our bathroom, etc). I guess I was thinking of this as a big goodbye but really it’s a ginormous hello. Did I still cry like a big baby? Of course. I must be true to my “crying bridesmaid” identity. I have never seen my brother so happy and how can I not be happy about that? To know that he has found the love of his life, the one person God has chosen for him to spend the rest of his life with is priceless. Kaitlyn looked absolutely breathtaking and blew me away with her calm and peaceful air. Alex looked elated and joyous all day. The reception was CRAZY fun!
I have a few more pictures to share with you, hope that’s okay with you!

Merely minutes after becoming Mr. and Mrs.

My cousin, Andy and me (my shoes were KILLING me at this point)

That’s about it for now!

LOVE!

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