Where Did the Time Go?

It seems like yesterday when Taylor was this big-playing grownup in Daddy's clothes.

Now he is all grown up for real. Taylor proposed to Kelsey last weekend. We are so excited for the two of them. She couldn't be a sweeter woman. They are planning an August 28, 2010 wedding. It is fun to see your kids find their spouses, especially when they make such good choices.
Taylor took Kelsey to a gazebo in Sedgwick County Park where they had previously engraved "Kelsey and Taylor Forever" over a year ago. He got down on one knee and asked her to marry him.
Here is a closeup of her ring.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of our family and friends. We thought we would try to send Christmas greetings a little differently this year.

Here are the highlights of what we have been up to.

Jordan is constantly on the go. He is extremely creative and loves experimenting. His favorite show is "Myth Busters". The show always gives a warning not to try their stunts at home, but that doesn't stop Jordan. It is not unusual to find him trying a modified version of some experiment from the show. Jordan is 6'3" and only 14 years old. He loves playing basketball and has some pretty fancy moves on the court. He plays for the Junior High home school team, and has also been playing up on the JV team as well.

Tanner got a new (to him) car this year-a '91 Honda CRX. It amazes us that he can figure out how to wire electronic door openers and interior light switches. He is definitely our electronic go-to person. Tanner is taking several college classes that count toward both high school and college. He also enjoys playing basketball.

Taylor graduated from high school this past May. He had about fifty college credits by the time he finished high school. He has left the nest,(kind of). He moved to the Kansas City area in September and is finishing up the prerequisites necessary to enter chiropractic school in May 2010. Thankfully, he doesn't have to live on his own. Lauren & Tyler are graciously letting him live with them in exchange for really cheap rent. It helps them all out. Taylor comes home every weekend. We wish we could say it was because he misses the rest of his family, but the real reason is one special girl in his life, Kelsey Metz. We all love her.

Lauren and her husband Tyler will have been married for two years this January. They are still living in the Kansas City area. Lauren received her bachelor's degree from the University of Kansas this past May. After she graduated, she looked and looked for a job and was getting very discouraged. In October, she was offered two jobs in the same week and had to pick between them. She accepted a job offered by an advertising agency. She is learning a lot about interactive marketing and loves it. Tyler is still working in video production. He got to meet John Cleese this year and Jay Leno last year. He travels for work on occasion, but Lauren and Tyler also love to travel together. They were able to go to Europe early this summer. They continue to day dream about future travels and deciding where to go next. Working on their house takes up a lot of their spare time.
Maureen keeps busy still homeschooling, (mostly just Jordan). She also helps Tim with business activities that can be done from home. Tim loves going to Tanner and Jordan's ball games. Through the warmer months, he fishes whenever practical. We are trying to adjust to the reality that our kids are growing up and leaving home. We haven't decided if we like it or not.

We have a new addition to our family; a standard poodle named Charlie. Maureen's mom needed to move to an apartment that wouldn't take large dogs. Our family adopted Charlie. He has been an absolute joy to everyone. Maggie, our thirteen year old cocker spaniel, has even perked up a bit since Charlie has been here.
We truly do wish all of you a very merry Christmas. We pray that each of you would know personally the love of Jesus as we celebrate his coming to earth as a sacrifice for us.

Drying Maggie

This is a little glimpse of what happens when I leave the house. I found this on my camera.

Family Reunion's

We went to two family reunions, a little over a week apart. One at Lake of the Ozarks for my Mom's side of the family and then another in Illinois for my Dad's side of the family. Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures at Lake of the Ozarks. (Everyone knows I'm a lazy blogger anyway.) I did get lots of pictures on my dad's side of the family. My mom's side gets together every two years so I get to see many aunts, uncles and cousins, their spouses and their kids at least that often. My dad's side hasn't gotten together in years and years. I got to see some of my cousins that I have not seen since I was a little girl. It was wonderful to get to see everyone. They have decided to set a regular schedule so that time won't get away from everyone again. It will be the first Sunday in August. Hopefully, many more will be able to make it in the future since there is a set date.



Aunt Sally, Uncle Mickey, my dad (Pat), Aunt Jane Anne



This is my Aunt Sally's family. Five of her seven kids were able to make it.



Uncle Micky only had his son David make it. If I remember right he has six kids.


My sister Kathy and I were the only ones of my dad's kids that made it.


My Aunt Jane Anne has four girls. Only one daughter was able to make it.


My Dad's Uncle and cousins and their families also came.

I hope we are able to go again next year and see some more cousins who weren't able to come. It was great seeing everyone.

"Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!!!" or "Trampoline Magnet"

Happy Fourth of July. Our first moments of awareness that it was a new day started with a bang at about two in the morning. No, it wasn't fireworks. It was a freak thunderstorm. It came on so quickly and so severely that I started running to the basement. Our bedroom windows were rattling and the blinds were moving. And then it was over. Tim turned on the TV to find out if we were under a tornado warning and he could find nothing. We were able to see a little bit out our windows in the dark and found that a section of fence was blown out and scattered in pieces around the back yard and the neighbor's trampoline was on top of our swimming pool cover.

This morning I went out to take pictures and survey the damage. It was an absolutely beautiful morning. The sky is blue and the clouds are light and feathery. There is no sign of the storm last night when you look accross the street. Here is a picture of our neighbor's house.

It looks perfectly normal and untouched by the storm.

As I went out the front door, to my surprise I found another trampoline in our front yard.



The neighbors just west of us had a big section of tree blow down.


There is a trail of trampoline debris scattered in the yard between our house and the neighbor's.



Here are some pictures of our back yard.







The neighbors to the east and west of us sustained a little damage but it seems that the brunt of the storm hit our yard. I am just thankful the damage isn't greater.

Guess how we'll be spending most of the day! (I was thinking about doing a little yard work anyway.)

Jesus Paid it All

I think this may be my new favorite song. I've heard it a couple of times before. We sang it a church yesterday and I wanted to look more closely at the words. I recognize them as on old hymn, but there is an updated verse added to the end that really touches me. I thought I would share the video with you.




Here are the words.

Oh Praise The One Who Paid My Debt
Jesus Paid It All)

I hear the Savior say,
“Thy strength indeed is small;
Child of weakness, watch and pray,
Find in Me thine all in all.”

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain,
He washed it white as snow.

For nothing good have I
Whereby Thy grace to claim,
I’ll wash my garments white
In the blood of Calv’ry’s Lamb.

And now complete in Him
My robe His righteousness,
Close sheltered ’neath His side,
I am divinely blest.

Lord, now indeed I find
Thy power and Thine alone,
Can change the leper’s spots
And melt the heart of stone.

When from my dying bed
My ransomed soul shall rise,
“Jesus died my soul to save,”
Shall rend the vaulted skies.

And when before the throne
I stand in Him complete,
I’ll lay my trophies down
All down at Jesus’ feet.

Oh praise the one who paid my debt
And raises life up from the dead.

Oh praise the one who paid my debt
And raises life up from the dead.

Elliotte's Shower

My sister-in-law, Michelle, and I gave our neice, Elliotte a bridal shower this weekend. Elliotte is getting married February 20. Here are a few pictures from the shower.