While we wish we had more time to spend with everyone, we were grateful for every visit!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Family Catching Up
We were thrilled to be able to see so many family members in such a short time. It worked out that Mark's Uncle Ben and Aunt Elaine were passing through PA from NE, so we were able to spend a little time with them. We also enjoyed visiting with Uncle Dave and Aunt Betty, close family friends who live not too far away in PA (Dave and Dad went to seminary together...long-time family friends. Sorry, Dad and Uncle Dave-couldn't resist)! We spent some time on the road as a family, making a loop to see friends and family, and we were able to stop for a while at Mark's grandma's, and his Aunt Bev and Uncle Harvey were able to join us all for lunch. 
While we wish we had more time to spend with everyone, we were grateful for every visit!
While we wish we had more time to spend with everyone, we were grateful for every visit! 
Then...and now
Laura and Andrew, eating spaghetti together, July 2006.
(When we had a family reunion here in AK).
Laura and Andrew, eating spaghetti together, September 2008.
Hanging out!
We had a great time just hanging out at Grandpa and Grandma's house, often with a cousin or two in tow! Mom and dad live only 45 mins. from Dave and Sue, and they have an established halfway point for transferring kids!
Lesley was going to have to miss the day at the zoo due to her class schedule, so one day she came over to hang out for the day...we had a delightful time!
One of the simple pleasures of PA that we miss...great corn on the cob!
All of these kids just love to read!
Cousins, cousins everywhere! The group shot is from the Science Center! The kids enjoyed the sandbox at Grandma and Grandpa's! And we brought AK hats for all the kids...here they're modeling them!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Vacation Summer Fun!
While for many September means summer is over, the temps for us were very definitely summer! And so, for the first time ever, our kids were able to enjoy some of the common summer pleasures...a slip n' slide and a kiddie pool! As you can tell from the pics, they enjoyed every minute of
it! Anna was quite funny about the kiddie pool. She and I were out there before her brothers, and while she enjoyed splashing her hands in the water, she wanted nothing to do with climbing in the water! Well, Andrew came out and of course hopped right in. Next thing I know, Anna is clambering over the side to get in and join him. A quick learner, she is! And some of Jacob's expressions are priceless!
it! Anna was quite funny about the kiddie pool. She and I were out there before her brothers, and while she enjoyed splashing her hands in the water, she wanted nothing to do with climbing in the water! Well, Andrew came out and of course hopped right in. Next thing I know, Anna is clambering over the side to get in and join him. A quick learner, she is! And some of Jacob's expressions are priceless!
Zoo!
We were able to spend a day at the Pittsburgh Zoo with Mark's brother David and 3 of his kids (it would vary by day which cousins we were able to spend time with. Their kids are all homeschooled via a state cyber program, so each of them-with the exception of Walter, who attends a Christian school, have a different class schedule).
We took this vacation when we did b/c Mark's annual business trip was in MO this year. Work paid for his ticket-it didn't make much difference which city he flew in and out of. So we just paid for the much cheaper ticket to get him from Pitts. to MO. Regrettably that meant he missed a bit of the fun, but it sure was nice for me to not be stuck at home with three kids for 5 days who miss their daddy terribly! At any rate, it ended up working out flight-wise that Mark was able to spend the day at the zoo with us, for which we're grateful.
After I sorted through and organized all of our vacation pictures (no small task), I couldn't believe that I had so few pictures from the zoo. I mean, this is a real zoo! Penguins and all! (If you've ever been to the Anchorage zoo, you know what I mean). So I know I took tons of pictures! Then Mark reminded me that we had actually opened a new memory stick while at the zoo...and the old card, which held about 100 pictures, hasn't yet been located. (I know, I know...I'm losing pics left and right these days). Thanks, mom, for filling in some of the gaps!
Andrew loved getting to pet both a deer and a kangaroo!
They had this really cool tunnel that wrapped around and under the sting-ray tank. They all crawled through again and again...even Anna!
We took this vacation when we did b/c Mark's annual business trip was in MO this year. Work paid for his ticket-it didn't make much difference which city he flew in and out of. So we just paid for the much cheaper ticket to get him from Pitts. to MO. Regrettably that meant he missed a bit of the fun, but it sure was nice for me to not be stuck at home with three kids for 5 days who miss their daddy terribly! At any rate, it ended up working out flight-wise that Mark was able to spend the day at the zoo with us, for which we're grateful.
After I sorted through and organized all of our vacation pictures (no small task), I couldn't believe that I had so few pictures from the zoo. I mean, this is a real zoo! Penguins and all! (If you've ever been to the Anchorage zoo, you know what I mean). So I know I took tons of pictures! Then Mark reminded me that we had actually opened a new memory stick while at the zoo...and the old card, which held about 100 pictures, hasn't yet been located. (I know, I know...I'm losing pics left and right these days). Thanks, mom, for filling in some of the gaps!
Andrew loved getting to pet both a deer and a kangaroo!
They had this really cool tunnel that wrapped around and under the sting-ray tank. They all crawled through again and again...even Anna!
Campground Playground
The kids all had a blast at this playground! Mom and dad took all the kids to the campground and got the rv set up. They played all day, had lunch, biked, etc. Mark and I had the afternoon to ourselves to do some shopping. We stopped to get Subway subs for everyone and then headed out the camground for dinner, a campfire and mountain pies! Then we brought Anna back the house with us for the night, while mom and dad stayed with the boys. Wow...an evening to sit and watch a movie without being interrupted by boys' bathroom trips! Grandparents are fantastic!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Two things...
...that Grandma and Grandpa are especially good at, among many;
lots of story-reading,
and camping with the RV!
While on vacation, Mark and I enjoyed a break in routine from bedtime stories. Don't get me wrong, we love reading bedtime stories. But every night for years on end? A break is nice now and then. :)
The boys were most excited about camping in the RV while on vacation! The first night, due to time constraints, they just "camped" in the driveway after roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around the campfire on mom and dad's property. Towards the end of vacation they actually took the rv to a campground, which had a great playground to boot, and the boys still talk about it!
Time with Grandpa means...
Going out for ice cream...
Riding bikes...
Washing cars...
And tractor rides! (Unless you're Mark, in which case it's more of "Well, I guess if you really need the help then I guess I could manage to mow your yard for you. I'll sacrifice and ride the tractor around a while. If I have to.... See the grin on his face)? :)
Let the Vacation (Memories) Begin!
Our trip back east was by far the highlight of our year! We thoroughly enjoyed our time catching up with family and friends! You know a vacation is too short when you're just not quite ready to come home yet...our overwhelming feeling on leaving was "Goodness, we wish the rest of our family lived closer."
The kids were troopers for the flight there, especially considering that our flight left Anchorage at 2 a.m. It counted as a school day...a field trip to the airport! And Andrew traced our path on a map of North America that was packed in his bag.
It was fun getting the kids ready to go...the boys each got an early Christmas present of an LLBean backpack. (Hmmm...I wish I had remembered that it was a Christmas present a few weeks ago). Anyway, LLBean packs are truly kid-sized but adult-version durable. And nothing like adding a bright splash of color to your child's back to keep track of them in the airport! The boys had all manner of novel snacks, coloring books, 4-color pens, etc. They did really well! Even Anna only had one bout of fussiness...and I was grateful that she wanted daddy most of the way. ;)
The kids were troopers for the flight there, especially considering that our flight left Anchorage at 2 a.m. It counted as a school day...a field trip to the airport! And Andrew traced our path on a map of North America that was packed in his bag.
It was fun getting the kids ready to go...the boys each got an early Christmas present of an LLBean backpack. (Hmmm...I wish I had remembered that it was a Christmas present a few weeks ago). Anyway, LLBean packs are truly kid-sized but adult-version durable. And nothing like adding a bright splash of color to your child's back to keep track of them in the airport! The boys had all manner of novel snacks, coloring books, 4-color pens, etc. They did really well! Even Anna only had one bout of fussiness...and I was grateful that she wanted daddy most of the way. ;)
Ready or not...
...here comes the vacation pics!
I know some of you may be wondering why I'm even bothering to post pictures from our vacation in September. But, this blog is our main vehicle for recording memories, assuaging my guilt of not scrapbooking...so in the vacation must go!
I feel a huge relief in not having this huge project hanging over my head-I don't function well when I have major unfinished stuff. Getting there!
Anyway, the posts will coming 3 or 4 a day for the next week-a total of 19 vacation posts in all! I'll warn you that they are almost entirely collages. The fastest way to blog (for me) is from the picture program, picasa, that I use. However, it only lets you post 4 pics at a time the quick way. So, 4 pics at a time, 900-some pics to sort through=collages are a lifesaver. I posted them all as large as possible, but if you want to see the pictures better, just click on the picture and it will pop up enlarged in a new window.
I'm going to skip Friday Funny posts and any other postings just so that these are all together...I'm picky like that. Sorry.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers since the last post regarding everything going on here. The first memorial service went very well, and in actuality, Mark just had to open in prayer. (A compromise between the family that wanted a service and the friends who said there was no way that the deceased would have wanted anything "religious"). Mark was amazed at how many people expressed genuine appreciation for the prayer...really from the last people you would expect.
Tomorrow is the big memorial service for the native man that lived next door. As of now, they haven't been able to arrange for the medicine man to come down from Anchorage-and that may well be how God is using your prayers! And the funeral home is releasing the body for the service, so someone from church is taking care of that tomorrow morning. Communication with the girlfriend of the man who died was better today than it has been (there are some mental issues there besides grief), so Mark is getting a clearer idea of what to expect, but she's still rather vague on some things, and very muddled in her beliefs. (Think "a little of this religion and a little of that religion spread over with some native spirituality...some prayers here, some peace pipe smoking there...that's just right"). I don't mean this to sound offensive to anyone, and perhaps I'll go back and delete this part tomorrow. I just wanted to give a better understanding of what Mark is having to sift through in preparation for tomorrow. The one song she requested is "As the Deer," and we're also doing two old hymns (Victory in Jesus and Old Rugged Cross). Please pray that the message in it's entirety is accepted as truth!
The service starts at 2 our time...we covet your prayers! Thanks so much for the prayers to this point...we can feel his grace being our sufficiency!
PS: Isn't it supposed to be "Three weddings and a funeral?" What's that from? Just thought of it since we've had "Three funerals and a wedding..."
I know some of you may be wondering why I'm even bothering to post pictures from our vacation in September. But, this blog is our main vehicle for recording memories, assuaging my guilt of not scrapbooking...so in the vacation must go!
I feel a huge relief in not having this huge project hanging over my head-I don't function well when I have major unfinished stuff. Getting there!
Anyway, the posts will coming 3 or 4 a day for the next week-a total of 19 vacation posts in all! I'll warn you that they are almost entirely collages. The fastest way to blog (for me) is from the picture program, picasa, that I use. However, it only lets you post 4 pics at a time the quick way. So, 4 pics at a time, 900-some pics to sort through=collages are a lifesaver. I posted them all as large as possible, but if you want to see the pictures better, just click on the picture and it will pop up enlarged in a new window.
I'm going to skip Friday Funny posts and any other postings just so that these are all together...I'm picky like that. Sorry.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers since the last post regarding everything going on here. The first memorial service went very well, and in actuality, Mark just had to open in prayer. (A compromise between the family that wanted a service and the friends who said there was no way that the deceased would have wanted anything "religious"). Mark was amazed at how many people expressed genuine appreciation for the prayer...really from the last people you would expect.
Tomorrow is the big memorial service for the native man that lived next door. As of now, they haven't been able to arrange for the medicine man to come down from Anchorage-and that may well be how God is using your prayers! And the funeral home is releasing the body for the service, so someone from church is taking care of that tomorrow morning. Communication with the girlfriend of the man who died was better today than it has been (there are some mental issues there besides grief), so Mark is getting a clearer idea of what to expect, but she's still rather vague on some things, and very muddled in her beliefs. (Think "a little of this religion and a little of that religion spread over with some native spirituality...some prayers here, some peace pipe smoking there...that's just right"). I don't mean this to sound offensive to anyone, and perhaps I'll go back and delete this part tomorrow. I just wanted to give a better understanding of what Mark is having to sift through in preparation for tomorrow. The one song she requested is "As the Deer," and we're also doing two old hymns (Victory in Jesus and Old Rugged Cross). Please pray that the message in it's entirety is accepted as truth!
The service starts at 2 our time...we covet your prayers! Thanks so much for the prayers to this point...we can feel his grace being our sufficiency!
PS: Isn't it supposed to be "Three weddings and a funeral?" What's that from? Just thought of it since we've had "Three funerals and a wedding..."
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Prayer Support, Please!
I just want to send out a quick request for prayer for our family the rest of this month, and especially this coming week. There's just so much going on-most of it stressful, some of it hard.
On Sunday, we had a long but fruitful congregational meeting regarding the property the church is ready to purchase...it was a unanimous vote to proceed. When the dust settles, I'll let you knwo the whole story, as God's hand has obviously been moving in great ways. But, lots of decisions, paperwork, and follow-up still to do to bring it to closure.
Last week, 3 people in MP died within 24 hrs. of each other. Two were a married couple...he had a heart attack, then she drowned herself in the lake. To our knowledge, neither of them were Christians. The other was a new neighbor next to our church (he slipped and fell on the ice, had a brain hemorrhage, and died there in the driveway). They had only lived there a few weeks, and he had come to church once, and the church had helped them with firewood. We don't believe he was a Christian, but hard to say for certain.
There was just going to be a memorial potluck for the couple that died, but we just got a call from MP a few hours ago, and the family wants Mark to officiate at that tonight.
Apparently the man next door that died really liked our church, and so they've asked us for help in planning and conducting his funeral potlatch (he was native). It's been difficult ascertaining how to work within cultural customs, etc, and now they've also asked Mark to officiate and want some music, too. That said, please pray for the service Friday afternoon, for us to share and help in the name of Jesus, and for spiritual protection (and for the coordination of everything that has thus far been characterized by poor communication, as the family is completely rattled and drained by their grief).
Saturday we drive to Anch. to get our new puppy, and have to be training her in the midst of the following craziness.
On Sunday we have a wedding, for which Mark and I have been doing premarital counseling over the last several weeks, which will continue into the new year, as well. The wedding will be after church, with a potluck following for the reception.
Then, after that, the ladies from church are having a Christmas party/gift exchange.
Add to that the kids' Christmas program that I'm coordinating, with several practices b/t now and the performance at our Christmas Eve service.
We close on our house Friday, Dec. 26th (we have written in the agreement occupancy till Jan. 5th). If we remember to put our tree up, we'll have to take it down that day.
We'll celebrate Christmas w/ my family on Sat. after Christmas, but it will have to be just a quick over and back trip, as we have church the next day.
Sunday we have yet another church meeting regarding constituting and incorporating as an independent church (trying to get that done in time for the new year). Continues the process Mark has been in of writing/adapting a constitution and bylaws to establish the functioning of the church.
And to top it all off, we need to have all of our earthly belongings ready to load into the u-haul on Sat. Jan. 3rd.
That said, we feel like we are just going to crack if anything else is put upon our back, and 'tis the season for everyone else to be too busy to help much! We're making some progress in packing...Mark and I got several boxes done last night in just a few hours. We're loading them up and taking them to the warehouse at Mark's work to get them out of the way, and then we'll just go there first with the U-Haul.
In case you're wondering, no-I'm not sending Christmas cards. Merry Christmas, love you all, but I'm not going there. I should wait til after the New Year anyway, to confirm our new address and phone #!
Anyway, thanks for your prayers for the memorial services and , and , and , and , and that 's going on here!
PS: For those of you who thought you saw a vacation post yesterday and then you didn't see it again, you're not losing your mind. I thought I was about done with all the drafts of vacation stuff, and then realized I wasn't and had some reformatting I wanted to do. So it was there, and now it's not. Sorry to get your hopes up, Karen-I did get your comment! :)
On Sunday, we had a long but fruitful congregational meeting regarding the property the church is ready to purchase...it was a unanimous vote to proceed. When the dust settles, I'll let you knwo the whole story, as God's hand has obviously been moving in great ways. But, lots of decisions, paperwork, and follow-up still to do to bring it to closure.
Last week, 3 people in MP died within 24 hrs. of each other. Two were a married couple...he had a heart attack, then she drowned herself in the lake. To our knowledge, neither of them were Christians. The other was a new neighbor next to our church (he slipped and fell on the ice, had a brain hemorrhage, and died there in the driveway). They had only lived there a few weeks, and he had come to church once, and the church had helped them with firewood. We don't believe he was a Christian, but hard to say for certain.
There was just going to be a memorial potluck for the couple that died, but we just got a call from MP a few hours ago, and the family wants Mark to officiate at that tonight.
Apparently the man next door that died really liked our church, and so they've asked us for help in planning and conducting his funeral potlatch (he was native). It's been difficult ascertaining how to work within cultural customs, etc, and now they've also asked Mark to officiate and want some music, too. That said, please pray for the service Friday afternoon, for us to share and help in the name of Jesus, and for spiritual protection (and for the coordination of everything that has thus far been characterized by poor communication, as the family is completely rattled and drained by their grief).
Saturday we drive to Anch. to get our new puppy, and have to be training her in the midst of the following craziness.
On Sunday we have a wedding, for which Mark and I have been doing premarital counseling over the last several weeks, which will continue into the new year, as well. The wedding will be after church, with a potluck following for the reception.
Then, after that, the ladies from church are having a Christmas party/gift exchange.
Add to that the kids' Christmas program that I'm coordinating, with several practices b/t now and the performance at our Christmas Eve service.
We close on our house Friday, Dec. 26th (we have written in the agreement occupancy till Jan. 5th). If we remember to put our tree up, we'll have to take it down that day.
We'll celebrate Christmas w/ my family on Sat. after Christmas, but it will have to be just a quick over and back trip, as we have church the next day.
Sunday we have yet another church meeting regarding constituting and incorporating as an independent church (trying to get that done in time for the new year). Continues the process Mark has been in of writing/adapting a constitution and bylaws to establish the functioning of the church.
And to top it all off, we need to have all of our earthly belongings ready to load into the u-haul on Sat. Jan. 3rd.
That said, we feel like we are just going to crack if anything else is put upon our back, and 'tis the season for everyone else to be too busy to help much! We're making some progress in packing...Mark and I got several boxes done last night in just a few hours. We're loading them up and taking them to the warehouse at Mark's work to get them out of the way, and then we'll just go there first with the U-Haul.
In case you're wondering, no-I'm not sending Christmas cards. Merry Christmas, love you all, but I'm not going there. I should wait til after the New Year anyway, to confirm our new address and phone #!
Anyway, thanks for your prayers for the memorial services and , and , and , and , and that 's going on here!
PS: For those of you who thought you saw a vacation post yesterday and then you didn't see it again, you're not losing your mind. I thought I was about done with all the drafts of vacation stuff, and then realized I wasn't and had some reformatting I wanted to do. So it was there, and now it's not. Sorry to get your hopes up, Karen-I did get your comment! :)
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Disagreement
Andrew and Jacob do not agree with Mark and I on naming the puppy Sophie. Their pick? Jabby.
You know, so we can have Abby and Jabby.
Perfect-in their minds.
No, we're not giving in.
You know, so we can have Abby and Jabby.
Perfect-in their minds.
No, we're not giving in.
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