Photography Friday ~ Little Girl, Big Quad at SOS

Well, I'm just delighted to accept another term at Scrap Our Stash, and we started with a bang! I snapped these photos with my phone as we finally got the little quad ready to go. The kids were thrilled, to say the least. After Matthew rode it, it was McKenna's turn, and you can see how excited she was!

She took off like a bullet, as fast as the capped speed would take her (thank goodness Doug had the remote stop in his hand!) His words exactly: "McKenna, slow down. Slow Down. SLOW DOWN!!" ... "McKenna, you HAVE to use the brake!" Haha, that's our girl.

Well, I couldn't wait to scrap the story - so SOS's first red/white/blue-and-stars challenge worked perfectly. I wanted something rugged yet girly - like this girl. Most of the page was a mistake - the splattering happened after I added the ovals and dropped the bundle of markers. I so liked the looked, I took it to the rest of the page. 

Little Girl, Big Quad by Lindsey Krauss.Supplies: Paper: Pressed Petals, Other; Cardstock: Making Memories; Markers: Sharpie; Letters: Creativity, Inc.; Rhinestones: KaiserCraft; Stars: the New Image group; Other: Tag. Pictures through Instagram.

Photography Friday ~ Now Is The Time To Worship

I snuck into the final worship songs of Easter last weekend - just because.

What a sight.

I'll spare you the details, but I took about 50 no-flash shots with both my camera and my phone and had to do some serious work in PhotoShop to bring this to life. 

This tiny girl, sitting on dad's shoulders, the only one with her hands held high in that worship moment. It's both revealing and comforting to generations before her and generations after. A little thank you to that parent, as he drives her, holds her, teaches her. 

Faith truly is God-given. 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9

Matthew 5:5 and Psalm 37:11 also came to mind that day: 

Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.

But the meek will inherit the land
    and enjoy peace and prosperity.

Friday Update

I'm not promising that I'm going to jump back in to regular blogging; it's Spring and there is so much more to do! But I thought, on a nice, long, four-day weekend, I'd at least update those of you who are following my heart journey this year.

new {smaller!} clothes from the MOPs Swap
hanging on the line in Spring!

a) I haven't exactly fallen off the wagon, but I haven't been working on weight loss for the last few weeks. Once I took my blood test, I allowed myself some freedom, although I've noticed that my lifestyle is probably permanently changed {for the better}. I'm eating Cheerios and/or oatmeal every single day, watching all the other stuff I should and shouldn't have, cholesterol-wise.

b) I'm holding steady at around 15 pounds weight loss. At least I know that I can maintain! I still intend to drop 15 more!

c) When they took blood the last time, they didn't test cholesterol. I had about a week-long, arms-crossed, foot-stomping temper tantrum.

Like a child. 

                                                                                                         I really, really, really wanted my 6-week cholesterol numbers and I didn't realize how much until, well, I didn't have them. Perhaps the most frustrating was that doc even thought they were getting new cholesterol #s. So we'll retake in July. By then, with all this oatmeal, Cheerios & almonds, I'm thinking the numbers will be somewhere near zero? :)

d) Right now we are successfully juggling five sports. I used to laugh at those moms that have their kids scheduled every minute of every afternoon. Well, now that's us. It's just that the kids love to do so much, especially during the spring. Matthew tried flag football this spring and is loving every minute. He's signed up for tackle starting this summer! He's having a really, really great baseball year - not only do we have a wonderful team and great coaches, but he's personally shown so much growth this year that I'm actually looking forward to his step up to minors next year. He's also back swimming and is frequently used as the example student for the regular back stroke!

McKenna is playing "big girl" softball. Her first game was fabulous. But then she noticed the dirt. and butterflies. and dandelions. She plays great, it's just the wait time that doesn't go so well! Oh, and she is the stinkin' cutest one on the field, if I do say so myself! She's also back at gymnastics - we've switched back to my home gym (same coach) and she's having a ball with it. We're happy to be "home". Lastly, she is also swimming two times a week, holding her own with some much bigger kids in her level! Oh, and she's about to graduate Kindergarten. Fun times.

e) Me? Busy as always - and more. I've been subbing a lot, everywhere from 1st grade to high school kitchen; fitting life in around work. I graduated MOPs last week. Bible study finished for the year - without me. I love this time of year, all the transitions and the promise of summer right around the corner.

We're on our Memorial Day 4-day weekend and are so thankful for the break. The kids are catching up on tv and wii and just some hangin' out! Perhaps a game or two, but rain this week has knocked out just about everything outside. Picnic Sunday will add a nice touch. Less than a month to go before school is out - summer's almost here!

If you're a pray-er, the SummerQuest snowball has begun to roll. Once it starts, it doesn't stop until mid-July! We appreciate all of your prayers for volunteers, 500 kids, staff, and the everything it takes for the program to remain as successful as it is! Also up soon are the Women's Conference and the Car Show! Check it out! http://www.graceoc.com/

Thanks for following along with me. I appreciate the support. Love to all!

Numbers 6:24-26
"The LORD bless you and keep you;the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace." 

Photography Fridays ~ Opening Day

Baseball season is upon us. We love baseball!

She did great at her first 'big girl' softball game!
"Hardly any playing in the dirt." =)

What a difference a year makes. Nicely matured kids this year. Overheard by an opponent:
"We played the Cubs yesterday. They were good. Really good." =)

Photography Fridays ~ another Easter story

Sometimes I think I save Photography Fridays for my most profound photos, like they are sacred posts or something. I guess that's why I don't post every Friday?

Well, these may not look like profound photos, but sometimes it's the moment that's profound.

I'm posting these in reverse order of which I took them to help tell the story.

I know selective color can be lame, but you'll get why I just *had* to do it, right? =)

Last Sunday, I had the absolute privilege of teaching 3rd graders and a large group of K-5 on Easter (and it was a privilege being struck with a 24-hour stomach bug the day before, I was afraid I wouldn't make it in! The Lord heals, thank goodness.)

In our small third-grade classroom of about 10 kids, we were chatting about Easter traditions. One child asked how jelly beans have anything to do with Jesus. Miss Lesley & I took this opportunity to explain the Salvation Story in terms of colors. We then went on each attributing something Easter with Jesus's story. Easter eggs, colors. Easter eggs, filled & empty. Jelly beans. The Easter Bunny himself. And more.

(Warning: Proud Mama moment:)
My own Matthew said dying Easter eggs reminds him of Jesus as well. Fully expecting him to go into poetic conversation about colors, he says: When you die the empty Easter eggs, you have to push them under the liquid, but when you let them go, they rise up like Jesus did.

Wow.

Repeat, please?

Rise up like Jesus did.

*sniff.

John 2:19 ESV
Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Now I would have teared up at any student figuring this out, but surely it's a bit sweeter when it's your own.

Romans 8:11 ESV
If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.

Photography Fridays ~ blessed moon

We had a stunning view of the moon from upstairs in our house last night. What a spectacular Holy Thursday way to start the Easter weekend. Yes, these are the same photos you may have seen on my Facebook yesterday; I just couldn't keep them under wraps, I had to share!

Please ignore my dirty window - this one is center and too high, I can't get to it!

Camera:	Nikon D5000
Lens:	AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G Shot at 20 mm
Exposure:	Auto exposure, Not Defined, 2.5 sec, f/3.8, ISO 800
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Focus:	AF-A, at 1.4m, with a depth of field of about 80cm, (from about 29cm before the focus point to about 51cm after) AF Area Mode: Auto-area
Date:	April 5, 2012   8:18:05PM

This one was taken with a broken and very cranky 200. =(

Camera:	Nikon D5000
Lens:	AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED Shot at 200 mm
Exposure:	Auto exposure, Not Defined, 1/10 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800
Flash:	Auto, Did not fire
Focus:	AF-A, at 18m, with a depth of field of about 1.8m, (from about 83cm before the focus point to about 92cm after) AF Area Mode: Auto-area
Date:	April 5, 2012   8:30:05PM

I never knew Easter and the moon were related.

Read here.

Here's the true story:

Mark 9:30-32

³⁰  They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, ³¹ for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” ³²  But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

Mark 15:33-47
The Death of Jesus

³³ And when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. ³⁴ And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ³⁵ And some of the bystanders hearing it said, “Behold, he is calling Elijah.” ³⁶ And someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to take him down.” ³⁷ And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. ³⁸ And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. ³⁹  And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said,“Truly this man was the Son of God!”

⁴⁰ There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. ⁴¹ When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

⁴²  And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³ Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁴⁴ Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. ⁴⁵ And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. ⁴⁶ And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. ⁴⁷  Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.

Please, please come back Sunday for the awesome, true ending to this story. Have a wonderful, reflective Easter weekend. Sunday is a party!

Photography Fridays ~ 1, 2, 3... Leap!

The story of my life.
The story of our pastor's current series.

But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.

Malachi 4:2

(Look! 'Free' popped up again!)

Photography Fridays ~ look, ma...!

...no wheels!

Ooh - this is fun! Haven't posted a Friday in a while! You should know by now that I just love snapping the moments - we got one a little less than two weeks ago!

For a while, I wished that this picture was "better" (I had two dogs playing about as I held the camera for these shots). I wished that it was centered, everyone in focus, everyone in frame. But you know what? These are what the moments are about! Take them when and how you can get them! 

(p.s. I wonder if our God ever gets to feel like this, arms up, celebrating, watching His children go free? Always or never?)

Psalm 118:5

Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. 

Photography Fridays ~ the road to peace

For God is not the author of confusion but of peace ... 
1 Corinthians 14:33

Photography Fridays ~ I do not like them, Sam I am.

We'll start by letting the photo stand alone and let your own thoughts precede my story.

This is my Sam-I-Am.

McKenna is at the age where she has just started reading Dr. Seuss books - the kinds with the real words, of course. The night before I took this picture, we read Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess.

The next morning, feeling like a champion mother, I made sure to get out of bed early enough to cook breakfast for everyone - green eggs & ham. Surprise!

Daddy-I-Am liked them.

Matthew-I-Am liked them.

McKenna-I-Am... Well...

She refused.

I quickly asked, Lord, should I choose this battle? He answered yes, you should choose this battle. We had forty-five minutes until the bus arrived and my mood considered, I chose that battle. I had the time and energy (and therefore patience) so onward we marched. Trying to set aside the fact that I was utterly disappointed that my surprise fizzled faster than the bath salts the kids got for Christmas, without factoring in my own dissatisfaction from not feeling appreciated today, we began. I put the priorities in order: (1) You have to eat a good breakfast before school. (2) This is what I cooked, therefore this is breakfast. Period. These are normal meal rules around here, so I didn't make them up for my own satisfaction. (I was well aware of my own discontentment and I was reallllly trying to keep myself out of this situation - making sure it was a parenting technique, not something for my own gratification.)

By the way, she loves "regular eggs and ham. You know, the yellow ones, Mommy?"

Fast forward 45 minutes and I told her if she didn't eat her breakfast (after which she brushes her teeth, puts her shoes on, and gathers her lunch and backpack) she would miss her bus.

Well wouldn't you know it?

The bus picked up Matthew. Not McKenna. And man, did that set her into a tailspin. 

However.

Ten minutes later, she ate almost all of her green eggs and ham, apologized to me, finished getting ready for school and I drove her to school (making sure there was no fun music or entertaining conversation in the car). Fortunately, she loves school and loves riding the bus even more, so using alternative methods for our morning routine did not reward her at all. I emailed and forewarned her teacher of our morning and her teacher replied saying she had been self-managed, good-mannered and all-around well-behaved that morning.

Perhaps it's generational.

Gee, Mom? Are you listening? Whatever that situation was that led me to be sitting at the dining room table unwilling to eat my spaghetti until at the earliest ten o'clock pm, I fully and wholeheartedly apologize for it. 

*sigh*

Every day I question, analyze and review my thoughts and actions as a mom and man, do I have a lot to learn, a lot to practice, and a lot to fix. This was a battle not for winning. This was a battle so that one day she could remember what her mom taught her when her daughter is left sitting at the table refusing...

By the way, she loved the green eggs and ham.

For the weekend, a little light reading.

I am Sam

I am Sam

Sam I am

That Sam-I-am

That Sam-I-am!

I do not like

that Sam-I-am

Do you like

green eggs and ham

I do not like them,

Sam-I-am.

I do not like

green eggs and ham.

Would you like them

Here or there?

I would not like them

here or there.

I would not like them

anywhere.

I do not like

green eggs and ham.

I do not like them,

Sam-I-am

Would you like them

in a house?

Would you like them

with a mouse?

I do not like them

in a house.

I do not like them

with a mouse.

I do not like them

here or there.

I do not like them

anywhere.

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Would you eat them

in a box?

Would you eat them

with a fox?

Not in a box.

Not with a fox.

Not in a house.

Not with a mouse.

I would not eat them here or there.

I would not eat them anywhere.

I would not eat green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Would you? Could you?

in a car?

Eat them! Eat them!

Here they are.

I would not ,

could not,

in a car

You may like them.

You will see.

You may like them

in a tree?

d not in a tree.

I would not, could not in a tree.

Not in a car! You let me be.

I do not like them in a box.

I do not like them with a fox

I do not like them in a house

I do mot like them with a mouse

I do not like them here or there.

I do not like them anywhere.

I do not like green eggs and ham.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

A train! A train!

A train! A train!

Could you, would you

on a train?

Not on a train! Not in a tree!

Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!

I would not, could not, in a box.

I could not, would not, with a fox.

I will not eat them with a mouse

I will not eat them in a house.

I will not eat them here or there.

I will not eat them anywhere.

I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Say!

In the dark?

Here in the dark!

Would you, could you, in the dark?

I would not, could not,

in the dark.

Would you, could you,

in the rain?

I would not, could not, in the rain.

Not in the dark. Not on a train,

Not in a car, Not in a tree.

I do not like them, Sam, you see.

Not in a house. Not in a box.

Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.

I will not eat them here or there.

I do not like them anywhere!

You do not like

green eggs and ham?

I do not

like them,

Sam-I-am.

Could you, would you,

with a goat?

I would not,

could not.

with a goat!

Would you, could you,

on a boat?

I could not, would not, on a boat.

I will not, will not, with a goat.

I will not eat them in the rain.

I will not eat them on a train.

Not in the dark! Not in a tree!

Not in a car! You let me be!

I do not like them in a box.

I do not like them with a fox.

I will not eat them in a house.

I do not like them with a mouse.

I do not like them here or there.

I do not like them ANYWHERE!

I do not like

green eggs and ham!

I do not like them,

Sam-I-am.

You do not like them.

SO you say.

Try them! Try them!

And you may.

Try them and you may I say.

Sam!

If you will let me be,

I will try them.

You will see.

Say!

I like green eggs and ham!

I do!! I like them, Sam-I-am!

And I would eat them in a boat!

And I would eat them with a goat...

And I will eat them in the rain.

And in the dark. And on a train.

And in a car. And in a tree.

They are so good so good you see!

So I will eat them in a box.

And I will eat them with a fox.

And I will eat them in a house.

And I will eat them with a mouse.

And I will eat them here and there.

Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!

I do so like

green eggs and ham!

Thank you!

Thank you,

Sam-I-am

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

Key words: spirited, hard-headed, strong-willed. Friends said: we all have one, don't we?

I'm sure there is scripture for this type of situation, this breed of child, this season of motherhood, somewhere; but I'm still searching for just the right one... if you know one, shoot it my way?