{ Me thinks ...}

....Moments that matter
like....
realizing when you get to church that you forgot to grab bottles and then realizing both sets of keys are locked inside the burb....oh JOY...
we had a lot of "MOMENTS" this weekend ....ones that were important ....ones that made a lightbulb go off inside .... moments of stupidity.... moments of laughter and fun... moments of priceless memories I always want to remember like these ones....-------------------------L loves to tease and pull her glasses down her nose {probably cause it bugs me lol}
but yesterday
she says "look I'm a vegetarian"
K says: I think you mean a librarian
then we all had a good laugh, she is funny!..silly girl
this little man is getting so big so fast
I love his hanging cheeks I love his perfect eyelashes his little chubby thighs, I love his big blue eyes and his smile and laugh, the way he shoves his whole hand in his mouth and chews on his thumb, I love that he gets huge smiles when its bath time or jolly jumper time, I love that he is the most content baby and that he loves to sleep still
He is pure Joy!
Sometimes I feel so blessed beyond what I can comprehend do you ever watch your child or children play or laugh together or watch a moment between them or with there dad/mom/aunt/grandma whoever, when they are all happy healthy and seem to enjoy every minute of what they are doing?
and think this must be what Heaven must be like?? I think that quite a bit of course there are moments/days where these kind of thoughts or moments are far and few between but for the most part
I really feel like that.
-----------------
We got our tree up, decorated and all our Christmas books out, had our polar express movie night with candy cane hot chocolate and enjoyed a fun Saturday night together. The start of the Christmas season Yeah!!!
The kids loved it! We loved it.
Does it feel like people are getting ready earlier this year with trees up music playing all of it??? My sister and I were thinking it did seem earlier this year for some reason!
I love Christmas EVERYTHING about it {except maybe all the food lol}
what are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? music? books? food? anything?
care to share??
----------------------------
Me thinks

for me thinks I was thinking that :

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward.

Life is a song- sing it; Life is a game- play it; Life is a challenge- meet it; Life is a dream- realize it; Life is a sacrifice- offer it; Life is love- enjoy it

Life is fragile…Handle with prayer.

Life is not a contest, but rather a journey in which we can help one another to a better place.

Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away

Life is what we make of it, always has been, always will be.

Life is what you make of it....

Have a great week....

{Sundays Story....}

The Joy of Giving

Reggie's brother gave him an automobile as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve Reggie came out of his office, and saw a street urchin admiring his shiny new car.
"Is this your car, Mister?" he asked.

Reggie nodded in affirmation, "My brother gave it to me for Christmas." The boy was surprised. "You mean your brother gave it to you and it didn't cost you anything? Boy, I wish..." He hesitated. Reggie knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he had a brother like the one Reggie has. But what the lad said was far beyond Reggie's expectation.
"I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."

For a few seconds words failed Reggie and then he impulsively added, "Would you like to take a ride in my automobile?"
"Oh yes, I'd love that."

After a short ride, the boy turned towards Reggie.His eyes were glowing and he said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?" Reggie smiled a little. He thought he understood what the lad wanted. He wanted to show it off to his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Reggie was wrong again.
"Will you stop where those two steps are?" the boy asked. He ran up the steps. In a little while Reggie heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little brother who was physically challenged. He sat him down on the bottom step, then sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car. "There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn't cost him a cent. And some day I'm going to give you one just like it...then you can see for yourself all the pretty things in the Christmas windows that I've been trying to tell you about."
Reggie got out and lifted the lad to the front seat of his car. His brother whose eyes were gleaming with joy climbed in beside him and the three of them embarked on a memorable holiday ride.
That Christmas Eve, Reggie learned what Jesus meant when he said:
"It is more blessed to give..."

---

{Thankful Thursday..}

Happy Thanksgiving..
to those it applies to--- ours was so last month ha ha j/k
just wanted to write that!
I am Thankful for:my big helpers especially Kolt right now he always asks me if there is something he can do! He is the sweetest kid I just love and appreciate him so much!!and him... my little mischievous one -M- I told D he gives me more of a workout each day then my treadmill does for an hour!!A new highchair to put little k2 in he loves it he's needed some more exciting things to do so its nice to have him sit up they get tired of always being on there backs and tummies ......I would 2.The prayers this girl gives are amazing and I am so thankful for her and the new things she finds to pray for each day that she thinks of new things ex. like the man at McDonald's we saw a man get taken away on a stretcher she prayed that night that he would be okay
and yes I teared up..
{oh ps I didn't' take a picture of her praying she was just pretending to be sleeping!
The reason lately we don't get alot of pictures of her she'd rather do something else..}dry j.j.wet j.j
oh my we finally got the jolly jumper going tonight and he was in heaven look at the drool he was smiling bigger then he ever has and he was having so much fun we all laughed together watching him it was awesome!!! My baby is getting so big!! and so drooly maybe he is teething??
I am thankful for the notes, calls, comments and prayers for K2 and his eyes we will know more in a couple of weeks..}
I am so grateful for all the obvious things,
but also for the not so obvious things that make up life......
Have a great weekend...

{Me thinks a day late...}

image from here

.... D and I headed to Idaho Falls Sunday morning we found out D's uncle had past away Friday morning and felt it was important to be there to support them, and we are so glad we made the trip to be there. The majority of D's cousins were there and three of D's siblings were able to make it too, and all the aunts and uncles to show there support it was an overwhelming feel of love for those left behind.

Sad for those who couldn't come, because it is something that we will never forget. Holding on to those we love, keeping strong family relations, and realizing that the strongest bond we all have is being there for others in times of need. It means more than anything else sometimes.

It is so heartbreaking he left behind his wife of over 20 years and a couple of daughters and 5 grand kids. Its sad to see people go when they would have so many more years ahead of them still. Uncle D. was in the police force for over 20 years as a sniper on the swat team, an undercover agent, as well as so many other titles associated with being a policeman.
As far as funerals go it was a very good one having been a cop there was a 21 gun salute, trumpet and folding of the flag and then given to aunt k. At the graveside dedication.

My brother in law Matt sang Danny Boy it was so perfect for the atmosphere and feeling of the whole program at the graveside, it gave it a reverence that brought tears to many,
Then at the church was the funeral program {was first obviously and then the graveside dedication I have these backwards oops... and lunch after wards.}

The only bad thing was the horrible was the way the officiating bishop who conducted during the funeral kept pronouncing our last name wrong every time except once!! Seriously poor guy not sure if he had problems reading or what but every time over and over again!!

To bad that's all I got to say!!

He will be so missed by so many. He was a great guy.

I am so thankful for the plan of salvation and that we will see our loved ones again someday what a blessing it is to know and feel this each time one passes onto the other side. It helps ease the pain for those left behind and helps the rest of us to work harder at what we do have, because in the end not much matters besides our families, love and obedience of the gospel and the way we treat others. As well as the knowledge and learning lessons we learn along the way.
That's what's important.
If you were to die tomorrow what would be said at your eulogy?
-------------------
I am also so thankful and appreciative of my mom and sister Dawna who watched our kids thank you so much.... love you guys. The kids had fun and all worked out on both sides..... Except for maybe the deer that danced in front of the truck and thankfully finally waltzed away, dang thing scared us!!

--------------------------------
ME THINKS

This poem made me think so much about all the lasts in our lives especially with our kids and since I have 3 boys it made me cry, but just all things in general.

We so often keep track of the firsts but do we of the lasts? Not just with kids but with every passing phase in our own lives. Time goes by so fast hug those around you, take more time to realize that before we know it these days will be over and I'm pretty sure we are going to miss these days.....{I know its a little long but take the time to read it you won't be disappointed}

Let Me Hold You Longer

by Karen Kingsbury.

Long ago you came to me, a miracle of firsts,
First smiles and teeth and baby steps,a sunbeam on the burst.

But one day you will move away and leave to me your past

And I will be left thinking of a lifetime of your lasts…
The last time that I held a bottle

to your baby lips

The last time that I lifted you and held you on my hip.

The last night when you woke up crying,needing to be walked,

When last you crawled up with your blanket,wanting to be rocked.
The last time when you ran to me,

still small enough to hold.

The last time that you said you’d marry me when you grew old.

Precious, simple moments and bright flashes from your past,
Would I have held on longer if

I’d known they were your last?
Our last adventure to the park,your final midday nap,

The last time when you wore your favorite faded baseball cap.

Your last few hours of kindergarten,those last few days of first grade,

Your last at bat in Little League, last colored picture made.
I never said good-bye to all your yesterdays long passed.
So what about tomorrow-will I recognize your lasts?

The last time that you catch a frog

in that old backyard pond.The last time that you run barefoot
across our fresh-cut lawn.

Silly, scattered images will represent your past.
I keep on taking pictures, never quite sure of your lasts…

The last time that I comb your hair or stop a pillow fight.

The last time that I pray with you and tuck you in at night.

The last time when we cuddle with a book, just me and you

The last time you jump in our bed and sleep between us two.
The last piano lesson, last vacation to the lake.

Your last few weeks of middle school, last soccer goal you make.

I look ahead and dream of days
that haven’t come to pass.

But as I do, I sometimes miss today’s sweet, precious lasts…

The last time that I help you with a math or spelling test.

The last time when I shout that yes,your room is still a mess.
The last time that you need me for a ride from here to there.
The last time that you spend the night with your old tattered bear.

My life keeps moving faster,stealing precious days that pass,

I want to hold on longer-want to recognize your lasts…

The last time that you need my help
with details of a dance.
The last time that you ask me for advice about romance.

The last time that you talk to me about your hopes and dreams.

The last time that you wear a jersey for your high school team.

I’ve watched you grow and barely noticed seasons as they pass.

If I could freeze the hands of time,I’d hold on to your lasts
For come some bright fall morning, you’ll be going far away.
College life will beckon in a brilliant sort of way.

One last hug, one last good-bye,one quick and hurried kiss.

One last time to understand just how much you’ll be missed.

I’ll watch you leave and think how fast our time together passed.

Let me hold on longer, God, to every precious last.

Just something to think about.

what really matters? what is most important?

have a great day...

{Sundays Story....}

"I'd like to tell you a story my grandmother told me when I was six or seven years old.
We had gone to her home for Thanksgiving dinner and the drive was rather a long one. I had filled the time with making a list of all the things that I wanted for Christmas that year.

Later that evening after I was ready for bed, I showed the list to my grandmother. After she read it, she said, "My goodness, that really is a long list!" Then she picked me up and set me on her lap in the big rocking chair and told me this story:

"Once there was a little girl who came to live in an orphanage in Denmark" (Now my grandmother was from Denmark, so this story might even be true.) "As Christmas time grew near, all of the other children began telling the little girl about the beautiful Christmas tree that would appear in the huge downstairs hall on Christmas morning. After their usual, very plain breakfast, each child would be given their one and only Christmas gift; small, single orange."

At this point I looked up at my grandmother in disbelief, but she assured me that was all each child would receive for Christmas.

"Now the headmaster of the orphanage was very stern and he thought Christmas to be a bother. So on Christmas Eve, when he caught the little girl creeping down the stairs to catch a peek at the much-heard-of Christmas tree, he sharply declared that the little girl would not receive her Christmas orange because she had been so curious as to disobey the rules. The little girl ran back to her room broken-hearted and crying at her terrible fate."

"The next morning as the other children were going down to breakfast, the little girl stayed in her bed. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing the others receive their gift when there would be none for her."

"Later, as the children came back upstairs, the little girl was surprised to be handed a napkin. As she carefully opened it, there to her disbelief was an orange all peeled and sectioned."

"How could this be?" she asked.

"It was then that she found how each child had taken one section from their orange and given it to her so that she, too, would have a Christmas orange."

"How I loved this story! I would ask my grandmother to tell it to me over and over as I grew up. Every Christmas, as I pull a big, juicy orange from my stocking, I think of this story.
What an example of the true meaning of Christmas those orphan children displayed that Christmas morning. How I wish the world, as a whole would display that same kind of Christ-like concern for others, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year.

Have a great day!!

{ Thankful Thursday...}

Heidi Swapp graphic
I love this quote and how thankful I am for "those" who
have done just that just when I needed it.

{The actual amount of days left till christmas...}

A friend and I crashed another wards RS "super wednesday craft night" last night , I did countdown blocks my way which I wasn't to sure was going to turn out the way I had pictured it at first. I had seen some on the internet with scrapbook paper and m.p so I picked out some paper and I modge podged for the first time and love it!!Turned out better than I thought
I might just be addicted lol~ hum what else can I modge podge????I am just in love with this little blue eyed drooling baby he makes me laugh, smile, want to wake him up just so I can hold him and I am just so so thankful for him. He is the sweetest, content baby ever! He is getting so big! and starting to really smile and laugh and he rolls everywhere!
Don't grow up to fast baby please!!!I love his chubby curled toed little feet.
I was in the garage and found a box of 3-6/6-12 clothes that were K's old baby clothes I really cried going through them each one had a little memory attached to it, am I weird do other people have flashbacks of their babies doing some milestone in them?? Like for ex. these ones K2 is wearing in the pic I fed K his first solid foods in those pj's almost 8 years ago!

I'm thankful for this book I love it its the perfect ADOPTION book by Jamie lee Curtis
I cried when I first read it and can barely make it through with the kids..its the perfect lets talk about when and how you came to our family.
Tonight we read it and they had all sorts of questions like how did our birth moms pick us so I showed them the profiles for K2 since it was the most recent then they wanted me to read my biography that goes with it it was fun. They all had big smiles.
and wanted to know who my birth mom was.
Which started an entirely new topic.
....Oh how I love my kids.
---------------------
I am so so proud of K and L we had parent teacher interviews this week and both did awesome little miss L is learning so fast and picking it up more then I ever thought
because she has never liked to do any type of learning at home with me! But she is sounding out letter sounds, singing the songs that go with them!! And I couldn't be more proud of the reports they both brought home. Good kids I am a lucky mama!!
{L calls me mama every time she says it and I secretly love it its just the way she says it and I love it so much! M calls me stupid mom haha lots of T.O's this week lol!! and kolt just says hey mom!}
I love the way they are all different and come with their own quirks, and personalities.
So thankful for them!!!
-------------------------
I'm thankful for my life for each day because you never know what might happen suddenly without warning. D's uncle passed away last night in I.F, of a sudden heart attack he wasn't old so its quite a shock.
My heart just aches for their family and the pain they are going through.
But it also makes me so thankful for the knowledge and plan that we WILL see our loved ones again after this life.
For a loving Heavenly Father who loves us and knows how important our relationships and families are here and in the next life.
That is a blessing.
One I am very very thankful for.

----------------------------

"This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that it is brief. Opportunities come, and then they are gone. I believe that among the greatest lessons we are to learn in this short sojourn upon the earth are lessons that help us distinguish between what is important and what is not."

Thomas S. Monson

Have a great weekend!
Remember what is important....

{ Me thinks Monday...}

Me thinks...
to much sometimes...
Ever feel like life is a little upside down sometimes?

Where your thinking {to much} gets carried away?
where you wonder to much about what the future holds for these
special little kids we are raising?
how our kids will grow up?
what will they have to go through?
what will be their trials, hardships, joys, sorrows, happiness?

am I doing a good enough or better then good enough job to help them get through the tough times and to make our home a sanctuary where they know they are always loved and welcome no matter what.
or even if they'll still want you when they get older?
if they'll make correct choices?
if we can answer the many questions they might have?
Adoption is so so wonderful but so hard sometimes there are just some questions
you can't answer, there are some issues that you just don't know anything about?
there are some people that are so insensitive to adoption and have no clue and say the rudest things. just let it roll off. i know. i do.
its just hard sometimes
so many questions
so few answers. a lot of the time.
you just hope your doing a good job now to make it through the hard times to come

and really we can only do the best we know how...
-----------------------------------

The past week has been full of emotions one thing after another. Its not fun to think that something might be wrong with your child no matter what it is. You don't want them to hurt or have to go through things that will make life even harder. Sometimes life/things/health just happens and you take each punch as it comes, get down on your knees and pray alot for blessings and miracles and move on and do what you can. We are all given trials to see what we do with them, and there is always someone far worse of then we are. Isn't that the truth eh!
So where is this all coming from??

well

for a couple of months we have noticed that it seems like
K2 can't see far away and has a hard time focusing, his eyes are constantly like slowly moving/ scanning back and forth never stopping sometimes he does for a second?

It wears on me a lot thinking about it.
Anybody heard of it before?
Developmentally he is is right on everything. I spent hours this week looking up possibilities of what it might be {the Internet isn't a good thing sometimes in trying to self diagnose the problem...} But thankfully after seeing the Dr. and having a good friend who works with the specialist in there office got us in a month and half earlier then we otherwise would have been in! A big blessing! That we didn't have to wait and wonder for 2 months almost.
From that appointment we found out that all things in the eyes themselves are structurally sound and strong. But he referred us to a pediatric ophthalmologist which we will be getting into in a couple of weeks. Hopefully he just needs glasses or something who knows the specialist told us he could just be slower developing in the vision department and it could correct itself but thankfully he wants to make sure all is done to see if there is a problem so we can fix it!

Hopefully its nothing. But keep him in your prayers and hopefully everything is just fine.
There are so many unknowns in life we just have to take what comes

enjoy the journey,

come what may

and learn and endure, grow through it all.. cause that's what life is.
Every single trial. No matter how big or small.
------------
Anyway onto other funner topics we took off a couple hours away this weekend on sat with the three older kids and went shopping and took the kids to dinner. It was kind of nice to get out of town didn't get done everything I wanted to get done but it was nice to spend time with the rowdies! They are such good kids and we had fun listening to them sing and talk on the way. {Thanks to aunt Dawna for spending the day with K2!! we Love you!!} no pics forgot my camera!
----------

Anyway
People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and enemies.Succeed anyway.

The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow.Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you help them.Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you've got anyway.
-- Mother Theresa

Have a great week!

Sunday Story...}

{I thought that for every sunday before Christmas starting last week I'm going to try and post a christmas story something to make us think of the true meaning of Christmas....}

The Gold Slippers

It was only four days before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn't yet caught up with me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our local discount store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and last minute shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I wondered. My feet ached almost as much as my head.

My list contained names of several people who claimed they wanted nothing but I knew their feelings would be hurt if I didn't buy them anything. Buying for someone who had everything and deploring the high cost of items, I considered gift buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled my shopping cart with last minute items and proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the shortest but it looked as if it would mean at least a 20-minute wait. In front of me were two small children - a boy of about 5 and a younger girl. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered tennis shoes jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He clutched several crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl's clothing resembled her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curly hair.

Reminders of an evening meal showed on her small face. She carried a beautiful pair of shiny, gold house slippers. As the Christmas music sounded in the store's stereo system, the girl hummed along, off-key but happily. When we finally approached the checkout register, the girl carefully placed the shoes on the counter. She treated them as though they were a treasure. The clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. The boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his pockets. He finally came up with $3.12. "I guess we will have to put them back, " he bravely said. "We will come back some other time, maybe tomorrow."

With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little girl. "But Jesus would have loved these shoes, " she cried. "Well, we'll go home and work some more. Don't cry. We'll come back," he said. Quickly I handed $3.00 to the cashier. These children had waited in line for a long time. And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of arms came around me and a small voice said, "Thank you lady." "What did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?" I asked. The boy answered, "Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she might go before Christmas to be with Jesus." The girl spoke, "My Sunday school teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these shoes. Won't mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match these shoes?" My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear-streaked face. "Yes" I answered, "I am sure she will."
Silently I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true spirit of giving."

-Author unknown

{Thankful Thursday..}

"Little things in human relations form the foundation of a happy, successful life. If the little things are attended to, the big things will take care of themselves. Lasting happiness seldom comprises monumental events, enormous wealth, stimulating entertainment, or phenomenal success.

Happiness is found in the daily events that make up a person’s life.
Words of respect, support, and gratitude
can make daily events memorable."
------------------------------
Gratitude.. for each DKLMK2 minutemoments like these ..make me happyand the biggest
Thankful Thursday
-GRATITUDE Moment this week--
is for ADOPTION
For K2, For his birth parents,
We ♥ them
WE ♥ Adoption
{btw check this out -awesome}
HE
IS
LEGALLY, FINALLY
OURS
found out yesterday!
{Here we don't go to court anymore they just tell us when its finalized}
I wish we did still its a nice ceremony.
Feelings of happiness. Gratitude. Blessedness. Miracles. Memories.Prayers.
Tears.
Yes.
Definitely.
Thankfulness/Gratitude is
an understatement.
Now just waiting for the papers
for the Forever part... can't wait.

{Me thinks... Monday..}

We had a quite weekend at home Friday night we decluttered got L moved to her new room and K2 into his new room and a place for all his stuff!! Feels so much better, cleaner around here! Saturday night D took the two older boys to a football game. So L and I played some games talked and had some good one and one time. It was a nice quiet Saturday night!
Until the boys came back ha ha!Setting up the crib {D being a nerd lol!}all done! I love it!!sound asleep!! Just needs all the finishing decorating touches!Then I'll post the new bedroom finished pics.. same as the basement and a few bedrooms! so much to do!!

ME THINKS MONDAY...
first....
check this out its amazing!!
{My mom sent this email to me this morning then I clicked over to Lynn's blog and she had blogged about the same painting.}
------------------
Another link for you{if it works not sure it will for everybody??} so I was on face book and noticed one of my friends that I grew up with in Creston, long ago had on his status a link to a CD so I clicked over and it is HIS band, HIS lead vocals, His own songwriting and they are amazing {if you like this kind of music}
I love lily's song and she's already gone and the coldplay one they are so good!
So go buy the CD~ I want too! You can listen here scroll down and click the arrow then scroll back up and listen!!
if that doesn't work try this link

AND
For the REAL ME Thinks
is the next post....
REMEMBRANCE..
so keep reading...

{...Remembrance....}

REMEMBRANCE....
My Trip to Germany Sept 2006
I went with my mom..
and it is by far one of the most memorable, life changing times
I have ever experienced in my life so far.
There is no classroom or lesson, movie or tv show that can adequately teach about the Holocaust, the Berlin Wall
WW1/2, all of it.
To feel it,
to experience it
where it happened was almost hallowed
you could feel it from the ground
you could hear it in the air
you could physically see the remains of a countries past all the horrible things that happened there everywhere around you.
It is a beautiful country! We met so many awesome people.
People ashamed of the past actions of their country still
others who don't talk about it
others still suffering from memories
and others seeking change.
so it never happens again.

Fitting that it is Remembrance day this week and 20 years since the BERLIN Wall came down...
Watch this clip -- can you imagine!

me {in all my eye allergy glory read here if you don't know what I used to look like for years! ha ha}
in front of a piece of the Berlin wall.

the brick that lies as a constant reminder of what once was where the wall was literally like cutting the city in half and saying you can't go there ever or you'll be shot, crazy...the memorial of book burning square this is in the ground empty bookshelves hundreds and hundreds of them...the Jewish Holocaust memorial you can feel a tangible thickness sadness there it is an incredible memorial....

Checkpoint Charlie overwhelming to stand where so much history has happened...
In case you didn't figure it out I love history whether its world history, family history stories and lives...

Brandenburg gate ....More of the Jewish Memorial.
I only regret that we didn't have enough time to go to Auschwitz while we were there for that reason and alot of other I would love to go back...

I had to just throw these in it is so beautiful there

Attendorn, Germany a castle we stayed at amazing!!!
Thanks Mom!!
-----------------------------
Anyway the purpose for this post is
Remembrance
of those that went before us.
those who suffered beyond anything we can image.
those that fought for us.
those that are fighting for us.
and those that lost their lives for us.
For things that happened to lead to what happened.
To remember that we have to keep remembering every year
so we don't forget and have to live it again to remember.
Teach your children.
Take them to a ceremony on Nov 11
Remember.

{ Sunday Story....}

The Tablecloth

A pastor and his wife, newly assigned to their first ministry, reopened a church in suburban Brooklyn. Excitedly arriving in early October, they saw the opportunities to accomplish something good before them. When they first laid eyes upon the church, they found it to be very run down and in need of much work. They set a goal, though, to have everything done in time to have their first service on Christmas Eve.

They worked hard, repairing pews, plastering walls, painting, etc., and on Dec 18 were ahead of schedule and just about finished. On December 19 a terrible tempest hit the area, lasting two days.

On the 21st, the pastor went over to the church. His heart sank when he saw that the roof had leaked, causing a large area of plaster about 20 feet by 8 feet to fall off the front wall of the sanctuary just behind the pulpit, beginning about head high. The pastor cleaned up the mess on the floor, and not knowing what else to do but postpone the Christmas Eve service, headed home. On the way he noticed a local business having a flea market type sale for charity so he stopped in.

One of the items was a beautiful, handmade, ivory colored, crocheted tablecloth with exquisite work, fine colors and a Cross embroidered right in the center.

It was just the right size to cover up the hole in the front wall. He bought it and headed back to the church. By this time it had started to snow. An older woman running from the opposite direction was trying to catch the bus. She missed it. The pastor invited her to wait in the warm church for the next bus 45 minutes later. She sat in a pew and paid no attention to the pastor while he got a ladder, hangers, etc., to put up the tablecloth as a wall tapestry. The pastor could hardly believe how beautiful it looked and it covered up the entire problem area.

Then he noticed the woman walking down the center aisle. Her face was like a sheet. "Pastor," she said, "where did you get that tablecloth?" The pastor explained. The woman asked him to check the lower right corner to see if the initials, EBG were crocheted into it there. To his astonishment, he found that they were. These being the initials of the woman. She had made this tablecloth 35 years before, in Austria. The woman could hardly believe it, for the pastor told how he had just acquired the tablecloth.

The woman explained that before the war she and her husband were well-to-do people in Austria. When the Nazis came, she was forced to leave. Her husband was going to follow her the next week. She was captured, sent to prison and she never saw her husband or her home again.

The pastor wanted to give her the tablecloth; but she made the pastor keep it for the church. The pastor insisted on driving her home, that was the least he could do. She lived on the other side of Staten Island and was only in Brooklyn for the day for a housecleaning job.

What a wonderful service they had on Christmas Eve. The church was almost full. The music and the spirit were great. At the end of the service, the pastor and his wife greeted everyone at the door and many said that they would return.

One older man, whom the pastor recognized from the neighborhood, continued

to sit in one of the pews and stare at the Tablecloth on the front wall because it was identical to the one that his wife had made many years ago in Austria before the war and how could there be two Tablecloths so much alike?

He told the pastor how the Nazis came, how he forced his wife to flee for her safety, and he was supposed to follow her, but he was arrested and put in a prison. He never saw his wife or his home again all the 35 years in between.

The pastor asked him if he would allow him to take him for a little ride. They drove to Staten Island and to the same house where the pastor had taken the woman three days earlier. He helped the man climb the three flights of stairs to the woman's apartment, knocked on the door and he saw the greatest Christmas reunion he could ever imagine.

tears.

who says things don't happen for a reason.

Have a great sunday.

{Thankful...}

Thankful
by Josh Groban
{turn up sound}

Some days we forget to look around us
Some days we can't see the joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see

It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for

Look beyond ourselves, there's so much sorrow
It's way too late to say, I'll cry tomorrow
Each of us must find our truth
We're so long overdue

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And every day we hope for
What we still can't see

It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for
Even with our differences
There is a place we're all connected
Each of us can find each others love

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see

It's up to us to be the change
And even though this world needs so much more
There's so much to be thankful for
----------
I'm thankful for
HOPE.
JOY.
Believing.
Change.
Miracles.
D.Me.
K.
L.
M.
K2.
Family.

{Me thinks randomness...}

There is a lot of me thinks going on here lately :

{{Me thinks people should really stay home when they are sick...}}

me thinks I'm really glad D is back from Texas after being gone most of last week..

me thinks there is to much candy in this house calling my name
so my treadmill is also calling my name cause I think I gained 5 lbs over the weekend...

this is a funny.... some of you have read it...

A bear, a lion and a pig meet. Bear says: "if I roar in the forest, the entire forest is shivering with fear." Lion says: "if I roar in the jungle, the entire jungle is afraid of me." Pig says: "big deal.... I only have to cough, and the entire planet freaks out." :)
-----------------------

my baby is 4 months old today where does the time go???He learned to make sounds yesterday in church it was the cutest thing ever the kids were so excited and thought maybe he would be able to say"dog" and such things it was so funny! We all got a good laugh watching him try his voice out so cute! Kind of like this picture!!
he loves to cuddle still and we love it too

• he can roll over both ways
• he loves showers and baths
• he sleeps over 10 hours a night and takes 2 naps during the day
• he pukes like no other
• he has the best smiles and the cutest laugh ever
  
• he has a hard time focusing and we call him scanner sometimes cause his eyes go back and forth
• he is such a content baby
• he is a Blondie and has the longest eyelashes EVER!! for a boy
• he loves his soothers and bottles
• he wears size 6-9 clothes

HE is pure sweet, cuddly, joy !!
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me thinks Remembrance day is already here next week...watch this

To many are forgetting why we have the freedoms we do
and we are slowly losing them sometimes without even realizing what is going on
what will it take to remember them?
Before we are back to to where it started..
what those who died for us. were fighting for.
FREEDOM. of speech. of religion. of press. of expression.....
-------------------------------
me thinks this quote:

“.....Mortal misunderstandings can make mischief in a marriage. In fact, each marriage starts with two built-in handicaps. It involves two imperfect people. Happiness can come to them only through their earnest effort. Just as harmony comes from an orchestra only when its members make a concerted effort, so harmony in marriage also requires a concerted effort. That effort will succeed if each partner will minimize personal demands and maximize actions of loving selflessness.”
Russell M. Nelson

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maybe this product will help somebody suffering with infertility ...
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this is worth watching...
told you random..all of it..

Have a great week...make it count....