Tiptoeing Through The Tulips

If you read other blogs from the Seattle area then this might be just another tulip post to you. But if not....welcome to my first trip to the Tulip fields!

April in this area means Tulip time. I only live 15 minutes from the festival so you would think I would have been before. But I always think about doing it after its over. Well this year I was a little bit more prepared. I remembered the DAY BEFORE it was over. Better late then never seems to be my theme these days.

Fortunately it was a day without rain and Todd had the day off. So, we grabbed the camera, pulled Kyler out of school early, had an over-priced lunch in town and then headed to the fields!

Can you find Kaden?

Not much to do but walk around and enjoy the beautiful colors and massive amounts of blossoms. We only visited one field because most had already been harvested. And I didn't want to spend 5 bucks a head to go see the more manicured gardens.

We let Kyler take the camera for awhile (thank goodness we live in digital times) I'm not going to tell ya but I bet you can't tell which pictures are his. I think he did that good of a job!

They are so pretty we just wanted to share them with everyone!

Part 5...We Finally Come To The End!

My Aunt is someone who I have always felt close to. Someone once told us that when we are together its like we have kindred spirits. I have always been able to tell her anything and I know that she loves me like a daughter. I didn't know why I was supposed to be in that car but very quickly I felt a peace come over me. I knew that of anybody, she could help me figure this out. She herself used to be a mormon. I never really knew what happened, just that she didn't go anymore. So I told her everything that happened and everything that I was feeling. You would think that I would be able remember everything about our conversation but unfortunately over the years I have forgotten bits and pieces. What I do remember is her telling me that I need to list the pros and cons of being with Todd. Of course the pros totally outweighed the cons. I only had two cons on the list. I was still holding on to this idea of being married in the temple. The idea of being together forever was very romantic to me and of course I wanted to be together forever with the man I loved! And I had a desperate need to have my parents approval. Even at 22 yrs old I couldn't help falling into that role of a little girl. I hated it and to this day I find myself slipping back into it from time to time.

My aunt encouraged me to try and step back from the situation and look at it from another point of view. Are these things really enough to keep us apart? She asked if I really believed in God? Yes! Did you desire him in your life? Yes absolutely! Then why are you letting all these "things" get in the way from that? Why are so concerned about all the religious stuff when all that should matter is your personal relationship with Christ? And as soon as I stepped back from the situation...I knew exactly what she was talking about. Its like the light bulb finally came on and I could see clearly what was going on. I finally got a sense of what had been missing. Its not that Jesus was ever missing from my life but there was to may rules, steps and legalities getting in the way. To much religious junk! To much emphasis on procedures and people that didn't really matter and not enough emphasis on Jesus. And I knew instantly that I only wanted Jesus! I knew I was at a point in my life that I truly needed to know the Lord personally. For the past 22 years, I have relied on the Church – the building, the people, the programs, and the prophet – to serve as my physical connection to an unseen God. I didn't want those things in the way anymore.

What do I have to do to move on from this point? Little did I know it would be so easy! I was so used to having to go through so many steps to gain this or that....who knew it would just take a simple heart felt prayer? All I needed to do was ask him to take over my life, my will and my ways. Stop relying on everything else and only rely on him. I experienced the term "born again" that day. Not a physical birth but a spiritual birth. From our physical birth by our human parents, we have a dying physical body; a corrupted psychological organ (the soul), consisting of the mind, emotion, and will; and a spirit that is dead and incapable of contacting God. By receiving Christ as our Savior, we are born of God. The Spirit of God comes into our human spirit to regenerate it, enliven it, with the life of God. This is to be born again. First we are born of our parents, then we are born of God. The first birth gives us the opportunity to have the second birth. The first birth produces us as a dirty vessel; the second birth cleanses us and fills us with the divine and eternal life of God. The first birth destines us to die; the second birth results in life eternal. In the first birth we are cursed, but in the second we are blessed, not with material riches but with God. And that is what happened to me while driving in the car on a warm sunny afternoon on July 12th 1996. I was able to pause and take my eyes off of the legalities of religion and place them on Christ. He changed my life that day. It was a miracle. It was not of this world but lasting and undeniable.

That's not to say everything fell into place and all my questions were answered immediately. I had alot of issues to wade through and alot of stuff to still figure out but I finally had a peace that I have never had before. Not just a peace about my relationship with Todd but a peace about my salvation. It took me years of reading and studying and hearing God's word. Many hours of discussions and a few debates here and there. But when I finally stopped trying to fight it and just opened my heart and eyes and to what God was trying to tell... I just understood everything! And I finally let go of the teachings of the LDS church and just...Let God! I turned to the word of God to discover the complete truth about God and his will for my life. So here is what I learned and now believe after 13 yrs in my new life (in no particular order).....

• Jesus is God in the flesh and there is no other way to the Father but by faith in the Son. Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the Way, the Truth and the Life for all mankind. I believe God is consistent and doesn't constantly change his mind and the rules.

I worship one God who consists of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I believe that God has never had a beginning and will never have an end. I think its blasphemy to think that we can one day become our own God

I hold that the Holy Bible is God's inerrant eternal Word and is the sole, final authority for faith and practice. I believe it to be the ONLY word of God

I believe that important spiritual works of love will follow them that truly believe. I reject the idea that any sort of works can save a person in the kingdom of God except the work of Jesus through His life, on the cross and by His resurrection. God's grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone will gain our entrance into the Kingdom of God. I believe in good works as a result of, rather than a means of salvation. Did the Thief on the cross work his way to Heaven? No...Jesus said to the thief on the cross who repented "Today (Present tense) you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). This thief was neither baptized nor partook of the Lords supper, he believed and was promised to be with Jesus. He did no works but only believed. This can be hard to accept for those who add requirements to be saved or busy themselves to earn their way to heavens abode.

I accept the Word of Wisdom as sound advice for living and highly recommend individuals to incorporate it into their daily lives. However, obedience to this doctrine has no bearing on my salvation. What I eat, drink or take into my body is between me and the Lord. Yes I drink alcohol and no I don't feel guilty about it. Wasn't Jesus's first miracle turning water into wine? No where in the bible does it say that we can not drink BUT yes..Drunkenness is considered an activity in opposition to biblical truth

• I believe everyday is a day of peace and rest for the believer through the Lord Jesus Christ. Sabbath-Day observances are legalistic and have served no redeeming purpose since the ascension of our Lord. I readily accept the opportunity to congregate on the Lord's Day, however, and look forward to worshipping God with like-minded believers. I love going to church now. I look forward to it and I don't feel an obligation to go. I don't go because I feel its going bring me salvation...I go for myself. To feel Gods presence, to learn about how I can a be closer to him and so I can have that time to praise him.

The authority to act in God’s name comes from faith in the cross. This has been the case since the ascension. Jesus is the high priest, and our faith in Him authorizes us to act in His name. All true priesthood begins and ends through him. I believe everything in the Old Testament points forward to the cross of Jesus Christ and everything after the death of the Savior points back to it. To make a long story short, all the authority and Levitical lineage required of holders of the priesthood pointed to the coming authority of Jesus, and every act, rite, spiritual gift, authority, or ecclesiastical position today comes from our faith in Him.

I do not believe that Joseph Smith or any other "so-called" prophets are true prophets of God. Jesus said "Beware of false prophets" (Matthew 7:15) and the Apostle John warned that "many false prophets are gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). How do we identify a false prophet? A key test is to examine the prophecies he or she has made in the name of the Lord. If a single one of those prophecies fail to come to pass, the speaker is identified as a false prophet and we are not to pay any attention to them (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). I know of at least 7 failed"prophecies" given by Joseph Smith. That's 7 to many if you ask me! I believe that Jesus Christ is the only true prophet needed to guide me

• I believe that a born again Christian is the temple in which God dwells through the justification and sanctification of Jesus Christ. I believe that once your dead...your dead and you don't get a second chance. I reject the concept of physical edifices which serve as holy stations for the performance of vicarious ordinance work for the dead.

I believe that the New Testament church, the Body of Christ, has never apostatized and is alive and well today, called to win the lost to Christ and expecting His soon return!

And what about my one con on that list? My romantic idea of being married in the temple and being together forever??..

When a person places his or her entire heart and life in the trust and care of God, fear flees. Do I believe that I will be with Todd after this life? I believe in the glory and honor of God first. Do I desire to have my children with me in the eternities? I want it if God wants it. The fundamental question here is not, "Will families be together forever?" The bottom-line question is, "Do I place all my faith and trust in Him?" When human beings decide to formulate ideas to help soothe their worried hearts (like the non biblical idea that marriage is eternal and that families will be together forever), it removes the faith and trust God commands His children to have in Him and replaces it with ordinances and theologies that bring false, non biblical hope. So while I love my family with every bit of my soul, I love and trust God more, and know, unequivocally, that He will take supreme care of me, my husband, my children, and the rest of my family if they have faith in His Son. No matter how wonderful human ideas are regarding God and the after-life, I trust that God will take care of me and those I love in a much more authentic and superior way.

So there you have it! I can't say that this is where my story really ends. My story is my life and my life continues to grow and get better everyday. Why have I decided to tell my story in this way. Well for one thing this is like my journal and so far I have never really written this stuff down and I don't want to forget anything as the years go by. Also, I feel this is easier then telling it over and over again. I have wanted this out in the open for a long time and have never quite figured out how I was going to do it. I am a writer not a talker. I have spent many hours and days mulling over this. Editing and rewriting things over and over again. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect and nothing was forgotten. I welcome any and all comments. I hope to hear lots of thoughts on what I have written. My intention was not to offend anyone or put anyone in a position that they feel they need to be defensive. I love my friends and I love my family. I pray for them just as much as they pray for me. I love the Lord and I love the person I have come to be in him. The music on my playlist in the side bar are the songs that are constantly in my head and in my heart. I sing them all day long. Do I feel like I get extra blessings for who I am? No, not at all. I still have trials and I still have disappointments. But I can't stress enough the freedom I feel in Christ. The freedom from religious legalities that get in the way from the whole point of me being here in this body and in this life. I am here to praise God in everything I do and I hope that my life with reflect him in it. He came to this earth to pay the price for my sins. He created me. He knows who I am and knows my name. There will come a day when he will take me in his arms, hold my face in his hands and say to me "Well done..my good and faithful servant!"

And finally all the troubles of this life will fade away!

Part 4..A Moment I Will Never Forget!

My heart was broken!

I went home thinking that this will pass, that he will call me and reassure me that things will be ok. I went to bed and slept horrible..tossing and turning in tune with my nightmares. The next day I wandered aimlessly through my house. I couldn't eat, I couldn't think. I waited all day till I knew he would be home from school and stared at the phone willing it to ring. Finally,hours after I knew he'd been home, he calls me. He is distant and slightly cold on the phone. He has the nerve to ask if I am ok. Of course I'm not ok!! I keep waiting for him to tell me to come over but he doesn't. He says its best if we don't see each other right now. I hang up the phone and look around me. I couldn't bear it..I couldn't bear the suffocating feeling inside of me and I knew I had to get out of there before I went insane. But where do you go when you have lost your best friend? The only place to go was my parents house. So I packed my things and gave Todd once last call back. I wanted him to know where I was going and that if he could please feed my cat for a few days. He agreed and so I left.

My parents were very kind and sympathetic to me. They did understand that I loved him but I am sure they thought I would just get over it in time. I don't know what I was trying to accomplish by staying there. I didn't want to hear any advice that would confuse me anymore then I was. Fortunately I was mostly left alone because they had to go to work. I spent the day zoning out on the couch feeling sorry for myself. I couldn't come up with any solutions so I decided to maybe pass the time by writing his family a letter, letting them know how grateful I was to have known them. To thank them for taking me in as one of there own. Tell them how much I loved their son and how I appreciate them not giving up on him. It made me very sad that they wouldn't be my family anymore. Needless to say I was digging myself into a deeper despair as the minutes ticked on.

What comes next is a pivotal moment in my life.Whenever I think about it and talk about it I can't help but get emotional. But what I am about to tell you did happen!

As I was sitting on that couch, with the sun coming through the window and shining on my back. While MTV was playing on the TV and I was the only person present in that house......

I heard a voice. A voice that spoke to me. Not in my head but like another person was standing behind me. A voice loud and clear. A voice that was deep, strong and powerful. A voice powerful enough to move mountains and calm the seas. A voice that never in my life will I ever deny. Even as I type this my heart is beating fast and I feel a trembling in my fingertips just remembering it. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt who it was. Little ole insignificant me, sitting there feeling small, forgotten and alone....heard the voice of God and He said to me...

"You need to call your Aunt RIGHT NOW!"

Without even thinking or freaking out about it I calmly but quickly got up from the couch. And then all of a sudden it felt like I was in one of those dreams where you are trying desperately to get somewhere but you can't because your legs are like lead. I was trying to go up the stairs and it was like I was pushing against a brick wall. I was stumbling and couldn't get my legs to work right. Finally I make it up the few stairs but the air is thick and its like I am trying to run in water. In what seems like forever I finally make it to the phone and again I am having a problem. The phone kept slipping out of my hand and I couldn't get past the fog in my mind to dial the number. I finally shout " Stop It!" and the fog lifts from me and I am able to get a hold of my aunt on the phone. I tell her I need her to come get me right now...quickly! Luckily (or was it really luck? I don't think so!) she was just approaching the exit to my parents house and she would be there in 2 minutes. I grabbed my stuff, left my car behind and little did I know that I was on the road to salvation!

Too Be Continued....

Part 3 ..My Turmoil Continues!

So who was this mysterious woman strategically placed in our lives? Well...her name is Karen and she photographs very famous rock bands. She always wears black and has very bright platinum blond hair. She is loud, edgy and fun. She came back from a life on the road to disaster. She has an amazing story and she is extremely fired up about God! When I first met her I was a little taken back. A little bit intimidated with her enthusiasm. She was not afraid to tell it like it was and I thought to myself .. "Uh oh, Todd is not going to like this!" Well as it turns out, I was wrong. Evidently she was exactly who he needed to meet. I didn't know the details about all their conversations but what I did know is that there seemed to be a slight transformation happening in Todd and I didn't know if I liked it. I would get angry that they would spend so much time together. Not that I was jealous (she is a married woman) but I didn't know if I wanted her to rub off on him. And also I was scared. Scared that the topic of religion would come up again and that it would have to be dealt with. I was also scared that he would eventually decide that I actually wasn't who he wanted.

He had assured me that he wouldn't be swayed but I could tell something was happening in him. He had never met what he thought of as a cool Christian. Someone that was fun and cool and he wanted to know what she knew. She made such an impression on him that he allowed himself to open his eyes and ears. He finally stopped and listened to someone. And in time everything he knew and felt as a little boy started working its way back to the surface. That hard outer shell started chipping away and this stronger, better man started to appear before my eyes. It scared me but at the same time I secretly liked it because when I first met him I knew there was an incredible person hidden that no one else could see. And that person was finally making an appearance.

On day he announces to me that we were going to go to church with Karen and her family. I really wasn't very excited about it. I had never in my life been to a Christian church service before. I didn't know what to expect and I kind of felt like he was pushing this on me and neglecting my feelings. but I went anyways because I would follow this man till the ends of the earth. The first thing that I noticed was that everyone was sooooo excited. and that everyone was actually singing with enthusiasm. No one had there faces in the hymn books and barely getting through the songs. And the songs themselves were interesting and lively. Not boring! The Pastor was interesting and I didn't find my mind wandering while he was speaking. I don't remember what he talked about but I remember feeling like it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I had a good time but unfortunately the cat was out of the bag now. Our comfortable situation was falling apart. His beliefs compared to my (so called) beliefs couldn't be ignored anymore. But what was it that I even believed anymore??

And so continued the conversations from 6 months earlier that we had put on hold. I was surprised at how much he knew about the Mormon religion and I of course knew little about Christianity. At times I felt ignorant and naive. He seemed to have an answer for everything and that frustrated me. Of course I would get extremely defensive but found myself struggling in backing myself up. So I decided I was going to really work hard on proving him wrong! I got out all my books and little materials that I had and set out to wow him with all the answers. The first thing I realized is that I had to prove everything with only the bible. He wasn't going to believe anything from the other books. So as I was going through the bible I then began to realize that the version I had was translated and "set up" to coincide with The book of mormon and other books I had. Hmmm...that was not good or working out at all because I couldn't find the answers that he would except. The more I searched and the more I read, I realized that I didn't know as much as I thought I did. I was confused and in turmoil. I believed this stuff because it was what I grew up on but I had come to find out how none of this stuff could be believable to an outsider. So why was I still hanging on to something that was beginning to sound weird even to me now?

So our relationship was becoming somewhat fragile. We were at a cross roads but neither one of us had the courage to either change or end it.

And then came the breaking point! My parents took me aside and confronted me about the fact that I was sleeping with Todd. I know..I know..I'll admit it. Yes, we were having sex! They spoke their opinions on the matter and even though I was 22 yrs old I turned into a little girl again seeking my parents approval. I went to Todd that night and cried and complained about not knowing what to do. My parents said this and told me I had to do that. Boo hoo and whine whine! And Todd said "You know what?...I am done with this! I am done with your back and forth, wishy washy attitude. You need to make a decision. I want nothing to do with that church and if you can't decide if you want me or something you don't even know if you believe in anymore then I will make that decision for you!"

Have you ever had a broken heart? Have you ever physically felt it break in half? Have you heard the sound of it tearing in shreds and not knowing if you could live through another day?

I have!

To be continued....

My Story...Part 2

If you are curious about what happens next in my story.......

During the time that I decided I was going to take a break....I was managing a music store in Shoreline. I met some new friends and I don't think I need to tell you what happens when you mix music, Seattle and taking a "break"! Nothing to over the top but stuff that back in the day I thought for sure you were on the road to hell for doing. But I was having fun and that was my goal!

Ok...now is where Todd enters into the picture. I knew him from the few times he would visit the store. One day I decided I needed to hire a guy to do all the heavy and dirty work for me. As I was literally putting up the now hiring sign, he walks in and says he needs a part time job. So one-two-buckle my shoe....I had a new employee. Todd has a story of his own and its not up to me to reveal it but lets just say he was not the sort you would immediately think about taking home to meet Ma and Pa. But I found him intriguing and well....who wouldn't want a piece of this????

But as much as I found him attractive...I also found him to be infuriating! I knew he found me attractive and yes...I liked that but it seems like he was always trying to get under my skin, stirrings things up. Once he found out my background he was constantly trying to challenge me. I didn't know him very well but I was irritated and confused as to how he would even know what he was talking about. Why was he even trying to challenge my beliefs when his lifestyle didn't reflect any beliefs at all! Why did it even matter to him? Well as irritating as he was and inspite of it all, I was still immensely attracted to him. The magnetic pull between us could not be ignored so against my better judgement (at the time), we started dating. "But it will be ok" is what I told everyone. "It's not like I'm gonna marry the guy !"

When I came to know (and love) his family, I found out he actually had a strong Christian background. A foundation obviously deeply buried and hidden deep. But we had somewhat of an understanding between us.....I wouldn't talk about what I believed, he would give me break and we would just go on from there.

My life seemed to be taking a turn that I never imagined it would. I still FELT I believed everything, but the way I was living was pulling me closer to the point of no return. I ended up loving him and absolutely could not be with out him! But I just couldn't figure out how to do both. Even though the thought of going back to my old life was a dreadful thought. And that thought would only come up because again, its all I knew. I didn't really want that as my way of life anymore but when your told its the only way to Heaven then you can't help NOT think about it at times. You can't help not worry about it. So I told myself again, like I had many times before, that I would just deal with it at another time. Somehow I would make this all workout. There has to be another way!

So meanwhile..life went on. We continued to spend every spare moment together. Most of the time at his parents house because we were to broke to do anything else. It got so I really looked forward to being at his home and hanging out with his family. They totally loved and treated me like one of their own. The relationship this family had was so unique and I found myself wondering what it was that made them so different. Not that I didn't have a good and loving family of my own, but there was something about them that was drawing me in. On Sundays I would watch his family go to church while Todd and I would stay behind. They always seemed to have an eagerness and joyful spirit about going. This seemed somewhat strange to me because personally I never really had that attitude about church. It was always more of a feeling of obligation as oppose to something to look forward to. Looking back I think this was the first tiny seed that was planted.

While we were dating, Todd was going to school for his photography degree. To graduate he was required to do an internship with someone that was in the field that he was pursuing. By the grace of God he was placed with a woman that would help change his life and which ultimately helped change mine.

To be continued....

This Is How My Story Begins...Part 1

Have you ever known or felt something that you wanted to share with everyone?

Have you ever had a dramatic transformation happen to you and you wanted everyone to notice?

There is something that happened to me.

Something great and magnificent!

Something that changed my life and changed who I was.

If you have known me for more then 14 yrs, then you need to know that I am not who I was!

Please know that as I tell this that I am not out to put anyone down or judge anyone for what they believe. My intention is not to ridicule or force my faith on anyone. But these are the things that happened to me. This is what I believe.

This is where and how my story begins.....

This a story about a girl who spent the first 21 yrs of her life believing in the Mormon faith. I had great friends, a loving family and a belief system that kept me out of trouble. And because of that I can go through life without feeling any regrets. But I believe that organized religion is like having a culture. And when you grow up in a strong culture...its all you know! You only know what they tell you to believe. and knowing what I know now...I believe that people get used to the doctrine they are taught and convince themselves they believe it.

I was told that I was not supposed to look outside of what I was being taught. Don't read any material that would contradict what was being said. So... didn't! I was young and ok with where I was at. I didn't know any other way. I was "encouraged" to only have friends and date in the church so there was never anybody or anything to make me question what it was I believed. I didn't know specifically what others on the outside where believing but whatever it was....I thought it must be wrong.

I felt I had a good "testimony" but now looking back, it was just what everyone else was saying. I remember always trying to conjure up spiritual feelings. I would go to the temple grounds hoping for these glorious feelings to come over me. But nothing happened the way I thought it should. I was never excited about testimony time because not only would I hear the same thing over and over again ("I now this church is true, I know Joseph Smith was a true prophet, I know the book of mormon is true...yada yada yada...blah blah blah") but I never felt apart of what everyone was else was supposedly feeling. In some ways I guess I was faking it, thinking the feelings would happen in due time. Fake it till you make it. eh? As long as you say those core beliefs in your testimony then you are good to go...right? And if I could try real hard to conjure up some tears then I guess I was feeling the spirit. How can you really have a testimony about something unless you have totally researched and made sure there was nothing else out there.

Something was missing from all this but I didn't know what!

After coming home from college and moving out on my own, I had some decisions to make. All my close friends seemed to be going their own separate ways. Marriage, missions, more college etc. I felt kind of alone. I was officially out of the youth group (which seriously was the one strong anchor I had up until this point) I felt to young and out of place for Relief Society and the thought of going to the singles ward scared me to death! With the security of my friends gone, I dreaded the whole social part of getting older....visiting teaching, giving talks, bearing my testimony etc. I felt I had skated by under the radar until this point. This was the first test to see how strong and committed I was....and I failed! I just felt different from everyone. Not quite fitting in. That wasn't the fault of anyone, its just how I had felt for a long time.

So I decided I would take a break. A break from the rules. A break from trying to do everything perfect. A break from the grip it had over my life. I needed a breather! I felt I still believed everything but I just wanted a break from living it. Part of me wanted to see the other side of life and do some living. I was on my own and for the first time I could really and truly do what I wanted.

Now this a reminder that at this point in my life I did not know Todd. There are alot of assumptions about me going out there. They assume that Todd was my downfall. Its not that he doesn't play a major role in this story but these were the things going on inside me before he even entered my life.

And here is something I sometimes think back on and reflect about.....

If I truly and whole heartily believed....why would I even entertain the thought of taking a break. Why would it be so easy to accept? If this is what I truly wanted for my life....why would it be so hard to keep it up?

To be continued.......

Our Easter Morning

Our Easter morning started out like most people around the world. Early and with lots of candy! This year I did not give into the Easter candy marketing ploy and just bought it in bulk from the grocery store. This resulted in buying more then necessary and eventually hiding around 70 eggs around the house. 70 eggs divided into 2 children (one of those children not liking chocolate) equals more sugar then they will ever need in there entire lives!

This is Kyler. He was worried that the eggs wouldn't be hidden well enough for him. He was changing his story later when he couldn't find all the eggs and we had to help him

Kyler was glad to be the one to find all the shiny eggs and Kaden couldn't stuff the candy in fast enough. This is definitely a treat for him because I don't let him eat candy all that often. For example....he still has Halloween candy in his bucket

Please excuse my children's miss-matched pajamas...that's just how we role around here

A popular treat this year was these little bunny shaped marshmallows. How cute are they

Every year I always seem to go overboard on the candy. But all in all it was another successful Easter gone down in history !

I hope your Easter was as blessed and meaningful as ours

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

The angel said to the women,

"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said."

Matthew 28:5-6

He is Risen - He is Risen Indeed.

The power of sin and death is broken and Jesus is Alive.

Let the celebration begin, Let the Angels sing and the trumpets blast.

Let the people of God Rejoice.

He is Risen – He is Risen Indeed!

I then shall live as one who's been forgiven,

I'll walk with joy to know my debts are paid!

And now for the sugar portion of the weekend

Easter egg hunts sure aren't what they used to be!!!!

Not only do we have the candy filled eggs but there is .....

cookie decorating

Story time

Bouncy house games

Face painting

And pony rides!

Our church did an awesome job this year. Now that kids are all hyped up on sugar it's time to get to bed for a great Easter service tomorrow and probably lots more candy.

No Greater Love

As long as I remember I've been walking through the wilderness

Praying to the Father And waiting for my time

I've come here with a mission And soon I'll give my life for this world

I'm praying in the garden And I'm looking for a miracle

I find the journey hard but It's the reason I was born

Can this cup be passed on Lord, I pray your will be done In this world

So I'll carry my cross

And I'll carry the shame

To the end of the road

Through the struggle and pain

And I'll do it for love

No, it won't be in vain

Yes, I'll carry my cross

And I'll carry the shame

I feel like I'm alone here And I'm treated like a criminal

The time has come for me now Even though I've done no wrong

Father, please forgive them

They know not what they've done In this world

So I'll carry my cross

And I'll carry the shame

To the end of the road

Through the struggle and pain

And I'll do it for love

No, it won't be in vain

Yes, I'll carry my cross

And I'll carry the shame

Three more days and I'll be coming back again......

Three more days and I'll be coming back again......

Maundy Thursday

Before I had become a Christian I had never heard of Maundy Thursday. Of course I had heard of the Last Supper but never a specific day to remember what took place that night. Tonight I will be attending the Maundy Thursday service at church and am really looking forward to basically going back in time. Back to the day before all lives changed. I know that Jesus knew what he was doing...He knew what was going to happen but you would think he had to have been scared. How would you feel knowing this would be your last meal? And how great that even in the last moments, he used this opportunity to keep teaching. Always teaching till his last breath. I hope you will also take time to remember this day...

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 (Today's New International Version)
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes

Spring Break Re-Cap

Spring Break came and went and now everyone is back in the saddle again. I feel like it has been forever since I checked in but that's what happens when husband and children are home all week sucking all the free time out of your days! But you'll find no complaints from me about it. Todd was home all week while Kyler was on vacation and it was a huge treat for us. Slightly weird at times to have him here but definetly worth it. It was also a unique vacation because it was the first one where we didn't have any big plans to keep us busy. No weddings to attend, no Disneyland trips, no family reunions....just US the whole week.

The one place we did go to was Leavenworth. Just the 4 of us on a couple day trip. That is a first for us. We were able to get a few days at the Worldmark Condos that my Aunt belongs too. It was such a nice place and an extremely low price. (Bonus!) 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, fully stocked kitchen, deck...everything you need! And the extra bonus.....no funky hotel smell.

The view from the deck included a beautiful snowy mountain and some deer grazing in the grass

The weather was everything from pouring down rain to sunny skies.

And yes even snow!

But somehow things worked out. It rained outside while we were playing games inside and having family time

And then it was like the stars where aligned for us because as soon as we set out to go shopping the sun came out and showed its beautiful self!

I had never really been to Leavenworth in the winter. There wasn't as much to do and some of the shops were closed but miniature golf was available and to my boys....that is all that matters!

And just for the record.....I won!

We visited the Cheesemongers shop. This little hole in the wall shop down some steep stairs. They let you try anything and the people are really friendly. Of course we found something to buy. We are huge cheese lovers over here. We fell in love with this special type of aged Gouda cheese. I can't remember the name but it was $16.50 a lb!! Yikes! Needless to say we only bought a 1/2 a lb and its being savored as we speak

Our one huge splurge for the trip was having dinner at one of the German restaraunts. I have been waiting for months to come back and have some Jagerschnitzel. Its not cheap though. Lets just say our dinner cost more then the price of our two night stay in the condo! But it was ooooohhhhh so good. So good that I forgot to take a picture! I was so bummed that as I finished cleaning my plate...*slurp...burp*.. I remembered that I wanted to take a photo and share with everyone the wonders of Jagerschnitzel. Well if your curious then I guess you can google it

On the way home we encountered snow but since we were in Todds car it was no big deal. The boys slept and I was busy distracting the driver with my camera!

We also stopped at the little Wayside Chapel on the way home. Many years I have driven past it but never actually stopped. We had the time so we thought...what the heck!

The rest of the week consisted of just hanging out with each other. No real big exciting plans. Movies, taking walks, going to church, playing games, working in the yard, going to the mall.. The kind of stuff that people with normal jobs and schedules do all the time. But we have to be on vacation to do all these things!