On Ryan's New Cell Phone

We took these photos around New Year's while in MN.

We don't always look like this. I promise.

If we're lucky, more like this.

What Will You Wish For Now?

Photo courtesy of Beau Snyder

Photo courtesy of Beau Snyder

Photo courtesy of Beau Snyder

Happy Birthday, sweet man of mine. I love you something special more.

Sidenote: How time does fly! We've changed our hairstyles a lot since that day. More you than me, as usual.

A New Recycling Record

Ben and I recycle at our house. We recycle items such as numbers 1 and 2, paper, glass, cardboard, and aluminum. When we have anything else (mostly numbers 5 and 6) we put it in a box in our entry-way closet. The recycling site where we drop off our items does not accept everything, so we store away the rest to take to our generous friends, Ben and Ashley Barber. They pay to have their recycling picked up and they can typically recycle everything we cannot. Although, to my knowledge (and as the images show) we have used their service very minimally.



The towering collection has been added to (shockingly) since I took these photos earlier today. Therefore, I think Ben and I should continue to see just how high we can stack the pile and turn it into a game. You know, like a round of Jenga or Tumbling Tower. Whoever makes the pile fall over has to take it all to the Barbers! (No cheating.)

I must add, for the sake of our defense, that a couple weeks ago we told Ashley about all of the recycling we had for her and she requested that we wait until she and Ben moved into their new house to have it all piled on them. Yes, I know that excuse is no longer valid as of this past weekend. Okay. We're lazy. Still, I may get used to its ever-growing company, much like our in-house arboretum. But that's a story for another post... a post that Ben may wish to share.

Chalked Full of Goodies

I enjoyed the Fourth, much to my pleasure, at a beach along Superior in Wisconsin. I played a couple matches of beach/sand volleyball with most of Ryan's family after quite the chore of setting up the net and before its quick and hapless destruction by way of a storm that blew across the lake. (The winds were so fierce we had to chase after several belongings that had escaped us!) Ryan's youngest brother made a fire on the beach (I'm positive he could have doubled as Tom Hanks in Cast Away with his mad skills) in order to roast our hot dogs (only a miniature example of all the lovely things consumed during our picnic). After our quick departure from the storm, Ryan, his dad and I drove back the way we came, stopping in Duluth, MN for the rest of the evening. We met up with some of their church friends and walked along the boardwalk for a couple of hours until the 10pm showing of fireworks on the water. We were actually able to see two shows at once, with Superior's fireworks visible in the distance!

Yesterday, I spent time with Ryan's family at the local community hospital welcoming the July 5th arrival of Micah Tyler Watson (Ryan's older brother's third child). Also, I was graced with my first experience of holding a brand-spankin' new-born. (I wasn't able to see both Megan and Josh until a month or two after they were born, unfortunately.)

Today, I'm looking forward to the following possibilities (er, what I know of so far): hanging out with Ryan's nieces (they've been here at the house with Ryan and I, their grandparents, and their other two uncles since their mom went into labor), cooking up some Thai recipes with Ryan that he got back at Union from Somsri Chollett, and practicing a special music or two with Ryan for tomorrow at church.

Tomorrow's events (again, only what I know of) are as follows: Ryan will be preaching the sermon at his home church and then a group of us (family, church friends, etc.) will probably head to Gooseberry Falls State Park, in MN, for the afternoon.

Who knows what other goodies may actually be in store...

My Job Title: The (Insane) Traveler

I just figured it out.

I'm going to be flying seven different plane routes back-and-forth across the nation (I wish I could draw out what it will look like) from now through August 4th. Let me lay out the details.

I'm in MN, currently. I came up last night to spend the holiday with Ryan and his family and will be here until July 10th. On that day, I will fly out to CA to see my mom and stay there until the 18th. Then, I'll be coming back to MN for a couple days and flying back to NE on the 20th.

Now, that's four routes right there, but here's where it gets interesting.

On July 26th, I'll be taking a detour to MD for a day to help Kristina and the kids fly out to San Diego (it's a 5+ hour plane ride... providing entertainment should be fun!) for our family vacation, starting July 28th. Matt cannot make it until August 1st and I haven't seen any of them since mid-March, so that should explain why I would opt for a way to see any number of them longer!

Finally, on August 4th, I'll return with Ryan and Ben to Lincoln and hopefully stay put for a while with school starting about two or so weeks later.

I'm not asking for pity because, indeed, I agreed to all of this. Although, confirming the insanity of it all wouldn't hurt. Even better, please tell me I'm not the only one traveling this much this month?

The Marvels of Butterflies

Taken from muttscomics.com

Picking Up An Old Hobby

With some quiet time to spare this evening, I spilled over an old collection of books on a topic that I once committed all of my interest (and plenty of time) to. Here is a stirring passage I read:

Oswald Chambers once said about death, "The Bible never allows us to waste time over the departed. It does not mean that the fact of human grief is ignored, but the worship of reminiscence is never allowed." When does rekindling a pleasant memory become the "worship of reminiscence"? I believe this happens when thinking about the past is more of a focus than living in the present. When remembrance of the old prohibits enjoyment of the new, the past is exerting too powerful an influence.

--Written by Lois Mowday in Daughters Without Dads © 1990