Absent here - Present in our (crazy) Life

I'll be the first to admit that I have fallen off the blogging planet. Partly because SO much is going on that I don't even know where to begin, and partly because I don't have time to write down all that is going on.

On the home-front we have finished construction of our new garage shelving. My husband is truly talented, and I have been blown away with how much he knows about upkeep in a home. Gavin is growing (up to 18mo in shirts!), chatting up a storm, and learning how to be polite by saying "excuse me" or "nummy" as he says. A little strange when a stranger burps and Gavin says "nummy"... We are waiting for a call to schedule his spine surgery. More on that later (this is a fun non-medical post).


We have had multiple family outings to catch you all up on - and for your sake I will keep them short.

MN STATE FAIR - first time ever for Gavin and I.
Had a great time! Not yet the "yearly-dedicated-diehards", but we will go again someday.

RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
A definite yearly event for us - Gavin LOVED it!

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA 

Tailgating and game - Gavin's first for both.

Had a BLAST!

HOTELS

Gavin is forever in love with the poooooool

HOPE KIDS EVENT

Can't say enough good things about this organization.

They make it possible for families with medically complex kiddos
 to get out and go to awesome events!

PARKS

Our little dare-devil loves the slides. Over and Over...

Last but not least Gavin anxiously waited
for the phone call that his newest cousin was here.

BABY DRAKE
He's here! And they are best buddies for life!

 Can't get enough of this little face. One proud auntie!

That's it - in fast, record time.

I promise to try to keep my updates on a more regular basis. I really do love blogging - life has just got away from me.

Myself at 20

Riding to work this week they posed the question "What advice would you give yourself when you were 20?" Well since that was almost 10 years ago, I feel that I am wiser and could give some fairly good advice to that younger gal (if she will only listen)!

Sweet, young innocence - hadn't faced many trials at this point.

• Don't take yourself to seriously. Laughing at yourself doesn't mean you have failed, it means you are comfortable with who you are.
• You won't get the stomach flu as often as you think - quit worrying about it! Seriously - I gave myself an ulcer from worrying about throwing up.
• Piggy backing off of that - GET OVER other people throwing up. You are going to have a son who throws up. Daily. All OVER!
• It isn't necessary to always have a man in your life. Find your worth in the Lord. Let go - and just at the right time, you will find that one man you can't live without.
• You are going to face trials that you never could have imagined. Things that your 20yr-old self didn't think were possible. Let me tell you though, you will get through them with the help of the Lord and come out better on the other side.
• Cherish time with the people you love most. It is those family members and friends that will be by your side whenever you need them.
• You'll miss that gray Oldsmobile you are driving around. That baby was a couch on wheels - enjoy it. They don't make cars that way anymore.
• Compliment other girls! It's a GOOD thing - we really need each other and often times a compliment can turn someone's day around. (Recent discovery, but I think my 20-yr old self needs to hear it).
• Don't wish your days away, hoping for "someday". Your someday is NOW. Live it - because before you know it, you'll be plucking out greys, cleaning up after your (almost) two-year old, and wanting time to SLOW DOWN.

What advice would you give your 20-something self?

The dash

This mind of mine has been flooded with TOO many things to write on this blog. Too many things that I can't seem to get down on paper - too many things I don't know if anyone even wants to know about.

That being said - I will keep this as short as possible.

Today being 9/11, I can't help but remember where I was when we heard about the attacks. Everyone I have talked to today remembers where they were. I remember what room I was sitting in at school, and I remember the teacher bringing the big TV into our room so we could see for ourselves what was going on. Today, I think of the wives missing their husbands - children, longing for one more game with their daddy or mama.

A normal day by all accounts, but a day that would forever change thousands of families - and our nation as a whole.

You see - we all come into this world, and one day we will leave it. Every gravestone has one common factor. THE DASH. Our lives have a start date, and an end date. Some have long lives, and some have painfully short lives. No one knows, (not one of us) when the dash will stop being drawn.

Let me tell you - I want my dash to matter! I want so badly to live life to the fullest, I want my life to revolve around my Lord. I want to love my family with a fierce love. I want to matter - but isn't that what we all want?

Today - let's make the dash count.