Hannaisms

This morning was worth a blog.  Here are a few stories all revolving around my sweet Hanna!

1.  After returning home from dropping her sisters off at a school, I sat on the couch in our former dining room (yes, former, not formal) to read my bible for a bit.  Hanna came over a while later, grabbed the bible and began looking at the maps in the back.  She asked, "Mommy, show me where our house is."  After explaining that our house wasn't on those mpas, she asked what they were for then.  So, we discussed what they were for.

2.  She continued to look at my bible, turning page after page.  As she was doing this, she began preaching.  This is what it sounded like (please be forewarned and forgive her crudity):  "God gives us our pee and our poo.  He gives us the song in our head.  He gives us joy in our heart."  So, I laughed at the pee and poo part.  She repeated it a few more times.  It began to lose its' funniness (is that  word?) so I didn't laugh anymore.  She said it one more time and then under her breath I heard, "That's not funny anymore, sooo, He gives us our joy..." and on and on.

3.  I was saying goodbye to Hanna and she asked me where I was going.  I told her I was going to meet with Pastor Scott and Paige (our worship leader).  She replied, "Ohhhhh!  You're going to go worshipping!"

What a random child!  But, I love her.  She makes me laugh so many times throughout the day!

How it All Began

Sixteen years ago today, I married my best friend.  Here is how it all began:

The summer after my freshman year of college, I decided to join 2 of my friends and work at a conference center called Mission Springs in Scotts Valley, California (near Santa Cruz).  My friend, Abby, had already worked several weekends there and knew some of the year round staff.  She swore she was going to marry the red head, so naturally, my objective would be to help set them up.

I got a job working as an assistant cook in the main kitchen.  For  those of who know me, don't let the irony of that escape you.  I arrived at the end of May 1993 for orientation where I was introduced to Abby's friend, Erik.  Now I knew who the target was.  I was in luck too, because Erik would be training me.  Opportunities were boundless!

There was one particular night, that several of the staff were headed to the beach for a bonfire.  I drove

up to Frontier Ranch (the kid camp) to pick up a guy named Chris.  He was talking to Erik and I said, "Time to bust a move, Abby!"  Turns out, Chris was asking Erik to join us, which he did.

Fast forward to the beach now, where everyone is sitting around the fire and goofing off.  Erik was rather quiet and I was trying to figure out how to get Abby and him closer.  He hadn't spoken much all night, but when he did, I did a double take.  Erik's first words to the group were, "So, why did you guys come this summer?  To just have fun or to get closer to God and serve?"

What did he just say?  Who is THAT guy?  This was the beginning for me.  From that point forward, all the time spent with him was different.  I found that I was beginning to like this guy!  Problem!!!  Abby and I had always said we would never let a guy get in between us, so I was determined to not pursue anything with this guy.  Only thing was, Abby knew me too well and she could tell I liked him and she let me know she knew.  I had her approval to move forward.

That was the best summer of my life.  I really thought once I left Scotts Valley and headed back to college that it would be the end of everything.  I wasn't looking for more than some summer romance anyway.  Reality was, that when I had to say good bye, I really didn't want to.  I had fallen hard for this guy.  We then went from seeing each other every day, to a long distance relationship and it was the hardest thing ever.

We continued dating long distance until we could no longer take it.  We were engaged in December of 1994 with plans to marry in a year or so.  By March of 1995, we were done!  Not with each other.  Don't make assumptions.  I went to visit Erik on March 17th armed with places to call for weddings.  I called a retired judge and he had an opening...THE NEXT DAY!  When Erik got off work, I asked him, "Hey, you want to get married tomorrow?"  "Sure!" he responded.  Done deal!  We were married by a retired judge on March 18, 1995.  Then, I went back to live at my parents for another month until I could finish out my quarter of school and transfer to San Jose.

So, there you have it.  That is our story of how we met and married.  Today, we celebrate that.  Thank you Erik for 16 years of fun.  You are still my best friend and I love you more each day than the day I met you.  I didn't think it would be possible to love someone more, but it is.  Happy Anniversary, babe!  You rock!

Happy Birthday!



Meghan is six!

Happy birthday to my favorite tomboy!  I am so thankful for my precious girl, who is so tender hearted.  I love your laugh that always, always makes everyone else around you laugh.  You are quick to forgive and a great playmate to your sisters.  You are quite the little girl.  I hope you have a fabulous birthday today.  I love you sooooo much!

A New Book

Meghan has been hard at work at school making a book about her new dog.  Or at least, that's what I thought.  Yesterday, she brought home her book.  Here is the title as she wrote it:

My now dog (My New Dog)

rit by me and ilusratd by me (written by me and illustrated by me)

Inside is a one picture on each page.  Her sisters were looking at it and one of them said, "Why aren't there any words?"  Meghan's response?  "Because dog's can't read!"

Guess she really wrote it FOR the dog, not ABOUT the dog!

Happy Blogaversary!

Wow!  Oh, wow!  It's been a whole year of blogging!  I decided to look back at previous blogs and discovered that I have been at this for a whole year.  Where in the world did it all go?  It was interesting to read back to a year ago and see what I wrote.  It is really amazing that I have forgotten a lot of the stories that I wrote about.  I have been wondering if this is something I really wanted to keep doing, but after going back and revisiting previous posts, I am refreshed and sure that I will continue this.  I had a good laugh at the things my kids have said and done.  Had I not written them down here, I never would have remembered.  So, I guess this is the best way to document the little things in life that normally go forgotten.

Until next time my friends!

Barnyard the Beagle

This is Barnyard.  The shelter we got him at gave him that name because he was found at the local flea market called The Barnyard.  We like to call him Barny.  Meghan, well, she likes to call him Buddy because she says, "He makes a good buddy!"  So, you may be asking, "Why did you get a dog?  Are you crazy?  Four kids, 2 cats and now a dog?  Well, yes, I probably am a bit crazy.  Here is how we came to get Barny.
Sunday, I was talking with Erik and made the comment that I wouldn't be opposed to getting a dog but it couldn't be a puppy, it had to be housetrained and some obedience training.  And, we both preferred a smaller dog that would be calm.  On Monday, I began looking at different websites for shelters and the dogs that they had.  So many cute dogs, some with very sad stories.  I found a dog that seemed to be a good fit, but of course we would have to see it person to determine that for sure.  On Tuesday, I said to Erik, "Let's go to Pets, Inc. and just look at dogs.  He said ok, so we picked up Hanna and her friend and off we went.  Unfortunately, the dog I had found the day before had already been adopted.  Erik immediately fell in love with a sweet female beagle mix and I fell in love with a sweet male beagle.  We continued to look around at different dogs, but most of the family dogs that were housetrained were also big.  We ended up right where we started with the beagles and next thing I know, Erik is saying we'll take the male beagle named Barnyard!  He seems to be a pretty good family dog, although, at times he does shy away from Hanna, so I am keeping a close eye on the two of them.  He follows me everywhere and wants to snuggle every time I sit down.  No accidents in the house...yet!
Oh, and as far as how he is with the two cats, well, Mr. Putty doesn't seem to care much at all.  He kind of looks at Barny like, "What are you?"  Socks on the other hand, hides most of the day now.  I just found her on top of the books of our bookshelf in the office.  So that's our story!

Troubles in our Lives

I have been taught over the last several years that tithing means less troubles in life.  The question was often posed this way, "You wonder why you have car troubles?  You wonder why you don't have enough money to cover the bills?  Could it be because you aren't tithing your 10%?"  This often left me feeling guilty, especially when money troubles crept in.

I've been reading Job lately and my eyes have been opened to a whole new idea.  Job had many trials in his life.  He lost everything!  He lost his family, his wealth, everything!  But he remained faithful to God, even in the moments when his own friends tried to tell him that he must have some unconfessed sin in his life that made God take everything away from him.

The fact is, not everything bad in our lives is a result of sin.  We live in a fallen world.  I have a Life Application study bible and here is what today's notes were:

"Job's friends assumed that troubles comes only because people sin.  People make the same mistake today when they assert that sickness of lack of material blessing is a sign of unconfessed sin or lack of faith.  Though normally (but not always) following God leads to a happier life, and rebelling against (but not always) leads to an unhappy life, God is in control.  In our wold invaded by sin, calamity and suffering may come to good and bad alike...The next time you face trials and dilemmas, see them as opportunites to turn to God for strength.  You will find a God who only desires to show his love and compassion to you.  If you can trust him in pain, confusion, and loneliness, you will win the victory and eliminate doubt, one of Satan's greatest footholds in your life.  Make God your foundation.  You can never be separated from his love."

So, I challenge you (and myself) to look for God in the tough times.  Be humbled by his love for you!  He allows evil for a time although he often turns it around for our good (Romans 8:28).  When I tithe, it won't be to make sure I don't have car trouble.  It will be out of a heart that WANTS to give back to God because he gave to me first.  When bad things happen, I will TRUST in the one who knows what's best for me and WAIT on him!