Happy Birthday Audra!

Happy Birthday Audra! This is two weeks late but we have been a little sick around here so I am finally getting around to posting this video. As you can see from the video, Audra wasn't too excited about her cake. However- the adults in the background make up for her lack of enthusiasm. It must have been thick and sweet for her.

Love is . . .

Obviously the above video proves I have had too much time on my hands in the past week. I have been out of school for ten days. So far we just have a one hour delay tomorrow which means I am back to reality. Well it was fun while it lasted. So thanks to my time off I made Paul a video for Valentine's Day. Happy Valentine's Day!

P.S. You will have to mute the music below.

Happy to Mad and Back Again

Well we have successfully been buried in more snow. I have to admit it is beautiful. However, Paul has to work all weekend and so it has been just been Audra and me. While I love my daughter very much, she was not very happy today and by the end of the day we were both ready for bed. Below is a clip to show you just how "happy" she was by the end of the day. Remember to mute the music at the bottom.

Plums and Poop

I thought it would be fun to post this video- however please don't listen to me- I sound ridiculous. Instead listen to what is happening in the background- it cracks me up! P.S. You will have to mute the music at the bottom of the blog.

Christmas

We had an amazing Christmas this year. I was just so happy to be up on my feet that getting food poisoning for the last part of break didn't dampen my spirits too much. :) It was fun being together with cousins. Enjoy the photos!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year! Paul built this snowman two weeks ago when we got 2 feet of snow. This amount of snow is very unusual for Virginia so we had lots of fun. :)

My Most Embarrassing Moment

Some of you know this story- I felt the need to post it. I tell it every year to my class as we define what plot means in a story. This has a great climax. :)

When I was in college I went with my friend Danette to pick up her sister at the Baltimore airport. As we were driving, I made a comment about my friend Ryan flying back to the U.S. from Guatemala on the very same day. He had been gone for a couple of months and I thought it would be really cool if he happened to be coming in to the Baltimore Airport. I, of course, had no idea what airport he was coming in to. Danette agreed that would be great, but the chances of him being at the same airport, at the same time as her sister, were pretty slime. As we parked in the chaotic parking lot, we decided to kill time down in the International part of the airport. Danette loves this part of the airport because she flew in and out so many times on her many trips to Sweden. If you have ever been to the Baltimore Airport you know that it has two levels. When you make your way over to the International side you can stand on the second level and look down to the bottom floor. During the Holidays they put a gigantic tree there. So we stood- the two of us- looking at the amazing tree. I was gazing down to the bottom of the tree when I saw him- my friend Ryan! As soon as I saw him I screamed- RYAN- at the top of my lungs. I did not waste one instance- I turned and flew down the escalator. As I sprinted away, Danette looks down at the person I just screamed at and stated in a calm voice- "are you Ryan?" The confused young man looked up at her and said, "No." To which my friend Danette replies- "my friend- the girl who just screamed at you- thinks you are her friend Ryan." This brought a smile to his face and he turns to wait in anticipation.

Meanwhile I am continuing my high speed chase. My high boots were thumping and my long coat was dancing as I rounded the corned of the bottom level. This was no slow pretty girl run, but a non graceful, coat flapping, all out sprint. As I rounded the corner I only gained more speed. As I closed in on my prey- I jumped in the air to give the best welcome home hug ever, when I realized my mistake. In mid-air it became completely obvious that this was not my friend Ryan. As I landed in this stranger's arms, I pushed back, as he held on tight and very quietly said, "you aren't my friend Ryan." With a smile he stated "No, but I can be," as he gave me another huge hug. Laughing slightly, I pulled away as he group of guy friends all pushed forward in a chorus to tell me they could be Ryan. I apologized, welcomed him to the Baltimore Airport, and quickly made a more graceful exit. As I road the escalator back up I glanced at my friend Danette to see her laying on the floor in hysterics.

This is my most embarrassing moment. :)

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas . . .

In the 6 years that I have officially lived here in Virginia (meaning a permanent resident, not a student) there has only been one huge snow. I have never had a "White Christmas" here and I have never seen piles and piles of snow in parking lots. Despite my mid-western upbringing, I have to admit, it was pretty fun to see the snow come down. It brought back lots of memories of Iowa. My enthusiasm pales in comparison to Paul. He loves snow. Not just a "man this is cool" kind of love, a rip roaring excitement that encompasses all those around him. While the rest of the world sighed in relief to be snowed in for a day- my husband was up at 5:30, barely containing his energy. He could not wait to get outside to tackle the snow. You can't but help catch the excitement as he begins tearing through all of my neatly organized bins just to find his long lost pair of ski pants. It was worth the mess just to see the smile stretch across his face. I know this snow is nothing to those of you reading from Iowa, but for the natives around these parts, the drama is amazing. Enjoy the photos and videos.

P.S. Just for the Iowa folks- we got out of school early on Friday because they were predicting snow. Yes you read correctly- predicting snow. There was not a snowflake to be seen. :)

A "Season of Firsts"

Two years ago we embarked on what I liked to call the "Season of Firsts". This so called season was defined by sorrow and "what might have beens". For some, holidays are characterized by painful reminders of what or whom has been lost. It is darkness. It is grief. It is loss.


This year we find ourselves in a much different "Season of Firsts". This year we laugh at Audra's current new sound, which much to my dismay, is da da. In fascination we see our old, everyday world, through her eyes and it becomes new. We live for each daily moment with her and cherish where we are this year. So many times I catch my breath when I think of where I was last year at this time. For this, we are thankful.



It is difficult to wade through the ins and outs of a grief tide. At this time of year, we pause and remember those who are on their own painful "Season of Firsts". You are in our thoughts and our prayers. We will hope for you when you cannot.

Moving Beyond November

Sometimes when words fail me, a song finds it way to me and says what I long to say. The silence has become my friend for the last few months. It is November- what do I expect. November is hard. It is darkness. It is grief. It is death. I thought this year would be different, but it wasn't. I wish I could say we created some wonderful traditions to remember the boys. I wish even more I could give you a list of things we did to remember them that day. But I can't. I realized the pain is still too raw. So I leave with this song- when silence fills my soul and there are no words.

"Beauty Will Rise"- Steven Curtis Chapman-

It was the day the world went wrong
I screamed til my voice was gone
And watched through the tears as everything
came crashing down
Slowly panic turns to pain
As we awake to what remains
and sift through the ashes that are left
behind

But buried deep beneath
All our broken dreams
we have this hope:

Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning, beauty will rise

So take another breath for now,
and let the tears come washing down,
and if you can't believe I will believe
for you.

Cuz I have seen
the signs of spring!
Just watch and see:

Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
For we know, joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning...

I can hear it in the distance
and it's not too far away.
It's the music and the laughter
of a wedding and a feast.
I can almost feel the hand of God
reaching for my face
to wipe the tears away, and say,
"It's time to make everything new."

"Make it all new"

This is our hope.
This is the promise.
This is our hope.
This is the promise.
That it would take our breath away
to see the beauty that's been made
out of the ashes...
out of the ashes...
That it would take our breath away
to see the beauty that's been made
out of the ashes...
out of the ashes...

Out of these ashes... beauty will rise
and we will dance among the ruins
We will see Him with our own eyes
Out of this darkness... new life will shine
and we'll know the joy is coming in the morning...
in the morning...beauty will rise!