Just a thought...

"An unnoticed life 

that is lived for others, 

is more important 

than a highly visible life, 

that is lived for self."

Jerry E. Tobias

The Greatest Gift

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us." 

Matthew.1:23

We hope you all have a very blessed Christmas! May His presence surround you in the coming year! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

"It's beginning to look....

.....a lot like Christmas, everywhere I go!"

How about you? Is it looking like Christmas there too?!:)

Honeymoon: Part 1

Yes! It actually allowed me to upload some pictures! So, since they say, "A picture is worth a thousand words" I'm going to let them do most of the talking!:) Enjoy!

This was at the very beginning of our trek up to the summit of Pikes Peak. What a climb it was! Switchback roads, sheer drop-offs and magnificent views! Wow!

We actually caught the 'Big Foot' crossing himself! (smile)

We arrived at the summit after nearly 2 hours of driving. It was absolutely incredible! I will never forget it!

Did you know? That America the Beautiful was penned after Kathrine Lee Bates visited the summit of Pikes Peak? I didn't, but once you've been there you can understand why someone would be so inspired!

The views at the summit of Pikes Peak were breathtaking! We serve an awesome Creator!!

I didn't know this about the Rockies, and found it fascinating!

Here we are behind the waterfall at Casa Bonita's

On the opening night of Fireproof, we headed to Denver and ate at Casa Bonita's before the movie. It was such a fun restaurant! Josiah had been there before, and it was special to get to go back with him. They had live entertainment while you were eating. Everything from music, to old type gun shows, and divers who dove from up to 28 feet into a 14 foot deep pool with a waterfall too! It was a ton of fun!!

Keep checking back...there's more to come, so long as the computer cooperates!

Attempted Honeymoon Post--

Some of you know that we spent our honeymoon in Colorado, and the rest of you just found out. (grin) My wonderful husband planned 10 marvelous days to be away, and it was so special!

The scenery was alsolutely gorgeous! This is Pikes Peak!!

Us, as the summit...what a view!

We also went to Garden of the Gods. The massive rock structures were incredible!!

As to the pictures...well...you'll have to just use your imagination! (LOL!:) My computer is giving me fits about uploading them! So until it actually lets me you will just have to be creative as to what it might look like! :) You can be sure though, that I'll get them on as soon as I can. Hopefully attaining an actual 'honeymoon post'?!

So bear with me--it's STILL coming!!!

Randomness...

Guess what happened to me this morning?!? I awoke to my sweet husband laughing out loud, in his sleep at a dream he was having! So I woke him...because it was 4:30am, and I desired a little more sleep than that. It was a funny dream, but if you think I'm going to publish that here, you've got to be kidding! LOL!

The best part of it all--was that he delivered to me a GREAT BIG

KISS!

Which is nothing new...he does that every morning when I awake!!:) And that--was TOTALLY WORTH waking up for!!!

This is your Co-Pilot speaking!

Since you've all been asking...and because this post is LONG overdue...I thought I'd take a moment, and at least try to update all those out there wondering how WE are?!

It hardly seems possible that we've already been married 82 days! Where has the time gone?! Marriage is wonderful, and my husband is the ABSOLUTE BEST there is!(grin) I can say that, 1)because he's mine, and I know 2)also, because I know the password to login, and 3)just because he is!!

I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner. Are you all ready? I'm not!! I think it has successfully snuck up on me this year. Wonder why that would be?? Hopefully soon I'll get up some decorations here, and then I'll most likely feel, or see that it's coming!?!

Between Thanksgiving, and being gone to visit the family in Branson(tons of fun, and special memories!). I've not been home much to pull them out, or go shopping for a few things of our own. All the cute ones...my mom has!:)

So, I hope you all don't mind me trying my hand at this whole blogging/posting world?! My husband is super busy with work--faithfully providing, and caring for me! Therefore, you'll have to bear with my glitches, and hope it doesn't take me toooooo looonnnggg to get a handle on how this all works!

Holding your breath is probably not a good idea. Because there's a high likelihood you could just run out! lol! Yet, I'll do my best to drop in now and then as time allows.

I'm really hoping to get a honeymoon post up a going here soon! That is, if y'all would like to have one??? Guess you'll have to check back to see if I can possibly bring it in for a safe landing!

Marital Bliss!

After being married 37 days of married bliss!! There are a few things that we have learned. One of which is that smooching, (aka kissing), is kind of like a "to-do" list. In that, you might get enough done to get by for a little while, but you'll never get it all done. (smile)

Did you hear??

JOSIAH PASSED (((drumroll.....))) HIS CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RATING!!!

So, since he's been so busy lovingly taking care of me(grin)...his co-pilot...I decided to 'hi-jack' his blog and let you ALL know that God has greatly rewarded his diligence, perseverance, and trust in HIM! Would you all rejoice with me in the Lord's goodness, and send a hearty congratulations his way?!!? You already know this Josiah, but I'll tell you again--Thank you for not only persevering for my sake, but most importantly for the Lord's!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!

Had a blast on Tuesday as Abi and I went on a date with two other couples from church who were engaged!! Check it out!! Thanks Alaina!

I know its been a long time since I have posted, but its been well worth the wait!!!

Meet Abi!!!

Need I say more!?!

Food for thought...

With all the changes in the family this year. Rachel and Bethany going to China. Andrew going to the Ukraine. I am really treasuring each day that God gives. Seasons in life change. Enjoy the season of life your in. It will not last long, and then it will be gone. Its to easy to miss today dreaming of tomorrow. Today is to short to want tomorrow. So enjoy every day God gives.

A guest post--

...picture overload...

Josiah flew down to join our family in Orlando, Florida, this past weekend to surprise Andrew on his birthday. That of course gave lots of opportunities for some fun pictures, and I thought I'd post some here.

But I do want to make the annoucement before I go any further that I am not 'hacking' my brother's blog. Last time someone posted something without his knowing, he was quick to point out to all of us that since this is his cockpit, we had surely hijacked his blog. BIG difference.

[smirk]

It was great having him back with us on-stage, too. Those four guys can sure jam up some good 'ole bluegrass music!

Trying on big brother's hat!

We had time to talk...

and hug...

and sing...

and smile...

and smile some more...

... and have TONS of fun!


Love you, Josiah!

If you need a hint for the post bellow I've left it in this posts comments. But you have to let us know if you used the hint.

From time to time I like to throw out a riddle or some kind of trivia. So here we go. I was reading in 1Kings and the end of chapter 6, and beginning of chapter 7 tells us that Solomon spent 7 years building the temple, and 13 years building his own house. How grand Solomons house must have been. I found in Ecclesiastes where Solomon makes a brief comment about what might be considered today as the "master bedroom/bathroom". What is it, and where? See if you can find it.

After over four years and more than $25,000 dollars invested I can now be paid to fly! This morning God gave a beautiful day to take my commercial pilot check ride. And with God's blessings I passed with complements from the examiner. Praise The Lord!

Now it's on to the Flight Instructor rating!

Ok, so its been awhile since I have posted. But then again not much is happing with the family gone. I have been studing a lot, and working some. So as I do not have anything to write about lately I thought I would share that happend a long time ago, one of my Childhood memories. As a person grows and learns, there are two basic ways of learning. From other peoples experiences, and from your own experiences. Well, this is my knowledge that I'm am going to pass on to you from my own experience that AC and DC electricity are diffrent. As a young fellow I was your curios type. I loved, and still do love to figure things out and how they work. When I was eight or nine I got a erector set from dad and mom for Christmas that had a little 3 volt electric motor to power the different things you could build. I noticed that the AA batteries were 1.5 volts and that the two of them were put in series in the battery case. Thus I concluded that when you put batteries in series you added the voltage. So I lined up four batteries in series and put the wires to the ends and noticed that more voltage equaled more rpm's and more power. thus stared my quest to see how fast I could get that little motor to spin. I got a 9 volt battery, then two 9 volt batteries, and they worked really well as the positive and negative sides snapped right together real nice. I began to think of how many nine volt batteries I could get a hold of, and just about that time my eye caught sight of the outlet on the wall. I knew that was 120 volts, wow, that will make this thing spin really fast. So I took the wires and stuck them into the outlet expecting the motor to spool up like a jet engine. Instead all I got was disappointments in the form of a flash, sparks and a puff. That little engine never did work again, it was fried. It was only later that I learned that there was a difference between AC and DC electricity. I will not bore you with the details of the differences, but believe me, there is a difference.

Wow I'm impressed with how well some of you know my siblings. The cutter, cutter thing was Rachel. Stephen was the breaker box. And Andrew was (and still is) our dinner bell.

Working on a bus till the wee hours in the morning with your brothers and sisters, you really get to spend some quality time deepening those ever important sibling relationships. But how well do you know my brothers and sisters?
Which one of my siblings do you think:
-called a utility knife a “cutter cutter thing”
-touched both the hot and neutral electrical connections in the breaker box at the same time, calmly stepped back and said, “ ouch, that kind of hurt”
-was our human dinner bell (ok, so maybe this one is to easy)
So how well do you know my sibling? Who and why, do you think did what?

When it comes to food I will be the first to admit, with a mom and four sisters that can cook really well, and more learning, I am spoiled! Here recently they themed a restaurant that we have been at up in Michigan called, Taboo. Now Taboo serves wonderful lamb, but we didn't have any lamb so instead they used one of my favorite meats, cow tongue. (the meat in the center of the platter) So I come home from work and wonder what's for supper, lift up the lid on the pot and there is a cow tongue boiling around in the pot. That's a little different, but if you can get past the mental block, cow tongue is one of the best parts of the cow. I rate it up there with the steaks. It's very tender and tasty!

Happy New Year! As in thinking of 2007, in one word or phrase, How would you sum up the year? What is the top ten memories of the last year? And what has the Lord taught you in the past year?
For me to sum up the year: Practical learning, and rubber meets the road. Practical learning: having gone out to Wyoming and living some on my own, I had to learn how to do laundry, make my own lunches…ect (yes I was spoiled up with wonderful sisters who did all that for me) Rubber meets the road: I also have had a great opportunity this year for learning how to apply my convictions and wisdom from God’s word to real life situations.
The top ten memories of ‘07. (It was hard to limit it to only ten!)
1.The Bus wreck
2.Dad Buying a C-150 and flying it back from VA
3.Surprising my twin when I came back from Wyoming, and helping him drive his car back from Philadelphia.
4.NCHEA Kids conference
5.Kids Camp up in North Dakota
6. Wissmann Ent. Christmas trip
7. Silver Dollar City this spring
8.Leaving for Wyoming
9.Catching the Stingray in Florida
10.Spending time with Caleb in California
Over the last year the Lord has taught me a lot of things. But if I were to sum it up I would say it would have to be, simply trust the Lord for EVERYTHING, He knows what He is doing and that’s all I need to know.

So whats down the road for '08?

Only the Lord knows!

And that is all I need to know!