The Windy City

Since Erin is in 8th grade, the tradition at her school is that the 8th grade class take a class trip.  All three girls went to Chicago for it's sights, sounds, and education.  So this time I was picked to be a chaperone.  What a great time we had.  We started off at 5:30 a.m. (yikes) and met at school.  During the school year, there were a lot of opportunities for fund raising, which we did a lot of.  There were train shows, soup suppers, trivia night, etc.  We earned enough money to pay for the entire trip plus a chartered bus.

We started our trip off by packing 18 sleepy kids and adults on this bus, only to be lectured by the driver about not destroying "his" bus.  Really?  He obviously didn't know he was driving the best bunch of kids you could ever meet.  They all behaved really great, and never did any of us have to discipline them. 

After riding/sleeping/talking/listening to music/watching movies etc. for 6 long hours, we arrived at our first destination -- Wrigley Field.  Since all of us were Cardinal fans, we couldn't help but "rub it in" when the opportunity presented itself.  The tour of Wrigley was really interesting and we learned alot about it's origin, owners, players, etc.  Here are some pictures of what we saw:

In front of "our" bus at Wrigley

Picture of the field

Erin in front of the sign

Erin, her classmates and chaperone posing on a really cold day

Erin -- You can see the score board that is kept by men.  No electronic scorekeeping

After we left Wrigley, we visited Navy Pier and went on a speed boat ride/tour on Lake Michigan.  It was so cold and windy, (they don't call it the Windy City for nothing), but we had a great time.  We also got a chance to look at the shops and Erin bought Cody a camo bear from Build A Bear.  It was a lot of fun.  Just take a look:

The Navy Pier Entrance

Our Speed boat.  The tour guide was really a lot of fun.  He had fun picking on us

The "gang" with the skyline in back. We also met a really nice dog

Mr. M and the kids

Chicago Skyline

Then we finally left and headed back to dinner at Genos'.  Usually I don't care for this pizza, but since no one had eaten anything since early in the morning, and we had been running all day, I think we all could have eaten anything that was put in front of us.  I have never experienced a bunch of kids eat so much food so fast in a long time.  This may just rival our family the time we went to Disney and ate at Perkins, but that is another story.  At Geno's you get to write on anything that you can.  Everyone had fun doing this and leaving their memory:   

Erin leaving her legacy at Geno's

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We then travelled to Oak Park Illinois and stayed at Concordia University.  We stayed in the dorm call Martha/Mary.  May of the kids thought is was fun, but we had to share a bathroom, and actually it gave them a little dose of college life.  I have no pictures of the campus, because I was too tired to take them.  We had about an hour of rest and then off to the Blue Man Group show.  It was really really good, and would warrant a trip to Chicago just to see them.  Here is the only picture we were allowed to take:  

 After this we went back to the University and off to bed.  It was a very long and exciting day, but stay tuned for day 2...

Erin's Confirmation

Erin before the service

Today is Erin's confirmation.  This day has been a long time in the making.  Erin spent three years preparing for this day.  Sermon reports, class study, Camp Trinity, small and large group activities.  It all culminates today.  (Actually I am writing this several weeks later, but still).  Anyway, she was so excited.  This is a special day for her. 

Confirmation day is special for all of us.  It is the day we are given a special Bible verse to carry us through life.  I often wonder how mine was picked for me, but I have gone to is a few times.  It is Hold fast to what you have that no one takes your crown.  Nope I'm not going to let anyone take that from me.  It's mine.  Erins' verse fit her perfectly.  She likes to sing and her verse was Psalm 28:7

Anyway, Erin looked beautiful.  Last Friday night she had to read an essay she wrote on "Confession".  She did a really good job and made a lot of good points.

Today, she will get to take communion for the first time.  I know it makes her nervous, since she is the type of person that needs to know how everything is going to work before she tries something.  I know she will do fine. 

After the service, we went home and shared the day with cousins, grandparents, sisters, and everyone who loves her.  My mom even came, and she never thought she would live long enough to see this.  I only wish my dad could have been there.  He was in my thoughts all day.  I really miss him.  Because of him I got to church every Sunday, and he was the one that taught me how important it is to make the time to worship the one and only Person who loves me more than anyone.  I find that incredible.

Anyway.  Congratulations Erin.  Always remain God's child!!!

Posing with the banner she made of her special verse

Erin and her sisters

With her Godmothers

With the cousins and Nana

EASTER!!!!

Alleluia!!! He is Risen, He is Risen indeed!!!!.

Happy Easter.  This is by far my favorite holiday.  All fear, and hopelessness is gone.  We are forgiven, and saved and have the free gift of eternal life.  I love Easter.

We went to church and then ate lunch and then spent the day just hanging around.  We drove by the storm damage and I am truly thankful for being spared.  Prayers need to go out for those that weren't.

Anyway, next week is a big weekend for us.

The story continues

Easter Eve.

Today the mood is definitely lighter.  Yes last night was a horrible night, but it is amazing how many folks are reaching out to others to help with storm cleanup.  What a great city I live in.  Now today is different from other years.  Usually I am scurring around to make food and get ready for Easter, but since Erin is getting confirmed next week, I don't have much to do today.  I am having a meal, but it will just be me, Brad, Erin and Joe.  Julie has to work and Katie will be coming next week.

I also am going to church again tonight, but this service is really neat.  We go outside and light candles and then process into church.  The church is so beautiful.  Where last night was dark, cold, evil and stormy, tonight was better.  The cross was adorned with a gold and a Crown.  The Crown that no one can take from me.  I got to sing in the choir tonight and even saw Julie, as she was on call and didn't have to go to work.

I love this service.  Tonight Hope... stay tuned

Wow.  I know it has been awhile since I have written anything, but the past few weeks have been super busy.

So lets get started.

Good Friday. -- What a day this is.  Jesus' death.  This day really makes me cry, especially since I had a lot to do with him dying FOR ME!!!.  What a Savior we have that he would totally do this for all of us.

The day started out like any other, but as the day went on, I could tell it was going to end badly.  The weather was extremely hot and humid for April.  The air was so oppressive you could feel the moisture.  We went to church that night, but as we left for church, the tornado sirens were going off.  I find it extremely unnerving to be in a car when that happens.  It just plain scares me because if a tornado swoops down, you have absolutely no where to go.

So we get to church, and the service is one of my favorites.  The alter is striped so no adornments are in church.  Just a cross with a black drape and a crown of thorns, THE crown I helped put there and seven burning candles -- one for each "word" of Christ. Our service usually has a lot of solemn hymns and slowly the candles get extinguished and the room gets darker.  Only this night it was eearie.  The sky outside was pitch black, and you could feel the evil lurking around and the lights were flickering.  It was just an evil night.  In the middle of the service I heard the sirens go off for a third time, and realized this was definitely not good.

One of the ushers stopped the service and we were told to evacuate to the basement for safety.  We finished the service, but by then everyone's nerves were shattered, and the moment of darkness was lost.  I was just glad to come home and find that 1.  I had electric; 2, my father-in-law, who was recovering from surgery and staying with us was safe, and 3. our neighborhood was spared the tornado. 

Other member of our church were not so fortunate, but the amazing thing was that not one person died or was seriously injured.  I truly believe that God was watching over our city and spared everyone.  Houses and cars can be replaced.  So on that Good Friday, Jesus died...but read on.

Birthday Girl.

Age 6 Months

This past Saturday was my first daughter's birthday.  Katie came into my life when I was 27.  I realized for the first time in my life what unconditional love is, and with each subsequent daughter that love became deeper.  Katie was the smallest of my three girls.  Honestly, at 5 lbs, 9 oz, that is small.  I had no clothes to fit her, and finally my sister gave me some preemie clothes that she wore every day.  Katie also had the darkest hair of all three girls.  (The other two have more blond).  I remember the day I brought her home only to find my dad working in my house, waiting for us, and with tears in his eyes the first thing out of his mouth was "she looks like my mom".  He had lost his mother at age 13, (her name was Katie),  and he always talked about how much he missed her.  Katie is a high school history teacher. How she deals with snarky teenagers every day is beyond me, but her passion for history makes her a pretty darn good teacher.  When she was little, she played school with Julie and always made Julie sit through her "classes" until I thought Julie would hate school forever. My only regret is that she has chron's disease, and it breaks my heart to see her suffer so. But, she marches on through pain, doctors and more doctors.  Katie taught me patience, (she was a fussy baby), and that even though I made mistakes (and still do), that being a mom to her and her sisters is the greatest blessing I could ever be given.  So --- Thank you God for Katie, Julie and Erin AND HAPPY 27TH BIRTHDAY SWEET GIRL. Love  Mom

Katie and Sam 

Addendum

Okay.  So more often than not things I write come out different than I meant.  For example... Valentines Day.  I wrote about this a few weeks ago.  In my post I put that I hated Valentines Day.  The reason being is that I remember when I was a kid, I was the one that never got many valentines at school parties.  That was in the day when you only brought valentines for your friends.  Then there are all the single people.  Why is it that we celebrate a day of love when these people don't have a special person in their life.   I feel it emphasis this fact, and there are many lonely people in the world who already know that they are alone and don't need a day to remind them.   Why do we feel the need to have a day set aside to tell our loved ones that we love them.  Is it a problem to tell your loved ones that you love them EVERY DAY???  It's nice to hear all the time.  Many years ago, I went to a parenting class at a local church.  One of the things they emphasized is to tell your family that you love them every day.  Even though you know that they know you love them, it still reinforced to them that they were special to you.  I love my family more than anyone will ever know.  They are the reason I get up in the morning.  They are the reason I pray so hard for them  to have good days at work,  good days at school, good health, happy marriages and relationships, and help to support a family. So I hope this clears up what I meant by my previous post--- I don't hate Valentines Day because I don't like you, just the opposite.. I just feel bad for lonely folks.