Meet my friend....Luke

***********nerd night at FSB 2003************************
Luke Osler was a good friend from FSB. Infact, I considered my friendship with him much like I do of my friendship with my younger brother. He was my little brother away from home. He was such a blast to be around and he was so on fire for Jesus. It was refreshing hanging out with him. I remember a afternoon we were traveling back from Scottsbluff and talking about all of the goals that we both had for our lives. It is a special memory between us and I really think it was the day that I fully understood Luke and his passion for life.
I was on my facebook a couple weeks back and I got discouraging news from his sisters status. 16x14x10 cm tumor in his abdomen(the size of a nerf football) , 2 or 3 smaller tumors lower in his pelvis. There are also 3 lesions on his liver and 1 on his spleen. He had a biopsy done and they have discovered cancer. Extraskeletal Ewing's Sarcoma is the name and it super aggressive and very deadly. He will start chemo this week and surgery will follow soon. Luke has 3 young kids and a beautiful wife. Please be in much prayer for him as he goes through all of this. I pray that God will get all of the glory in this time but more then anything that our prayers can just be encouraging for Luke and his young family. His wife Krystal posted this on a prayer page for Luke.
"Thank you everyone for all your prayer and support! I can honestly say that Luke and I have a peace in our hearts that passes all understanding! Thank you, please don't stop praying! "
Hearing those words just broke my heart. Of course in happiness and in just grief. They have challenged me in so many ways and they have only just begun on this journey. Please, if you think of Luke, pray for him. He is such a treasure to this world and has been a wonderful friend in my life.
Luke's favorite verse:
Isaiah 40:31
"but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

3 down....9 to go

I finished "The Host" this afternoon. I just LOVED that book. Different then anything I have ever read before. I am not really into Sci-fi kind of stuff but this book was great. U just add some love into the picture and I am hooked! I am now having my little pitty party because the book is finished, yet I am still hooked and wish there was more of the story to read. *sigh* I enjoyed this one so much, I think I am may have to wait a week or so to get over it in order to start another book. (for sure adding this one to my library) Stephenie Meyer...why do you always do this to me????!!!???!!!

My little Punky

Currently, this child of mine is screaming her head off because I laid her down for a nap and she would much rather be on the Trampoline with her Brother and Cousin. *which I must say, I am very impressed with her balance on that thing.* So, in honor of her broken heart, I thought I would post these CA-UTE pics of her I took the other night. She never stays still and smiles for me...I think she is so beautiful!

Look...it's the sun....(kind of)

This week we actually got to enjoy some DRY days!! We treasure these days, almost like they are Christmas! They are so rare on the Oregon Coast in the winter.
Logan was a super HERO pretty much everyday this week! He was thrilled that mommy and daddy let him go to Freddy's as BumbleBee and Sleep in it for his PJ's. (we did make him take off his blue power ranger outfit for Awanas, We didn't think a Blue visitor would help with the already SUPER HYPER kids.)
3 days in a row, we hung out on our Favorite toy for hours! WE love your Trampoliny:)
Logan is so handsome.
I just LOVE this picture of Peyton! Her Hair was so cute! It took me a million shots to finally capture this adorable picture!
Both my kids LOVE wearing scarfs! Of course, Peyton doesn't have a small enough one, so she had to where mommies.
I love this little man!
CUTIES in their shades...Peytie wasn't thrilled I was taking a picture. I was pretty camera happy this week.
LOGAN'S first time ROLLER SKATING!!!! He had a BLAST!!!!!! Has talked about it everyday since!
Mommy, shoving his foot in those things....It took forever!
This is Peyton's favorite thing to grab out of the bottom cupboard and carry around the house!(it's a costco nestle quick mix.) She cracks US UP!
LOGAN still LOVES swimming Lessons. He told me the other day, "Mommy, I wanna do swim lessons forever." Bless his heart. To bad it's $44 dollars a month!
Peyton LOVES KITTYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We found this little Kitty at a little store in the mall. She won't put it down!!! She puts it on her arm and waves, bye bye to mommy and walks around the house like she's about to leave. Such a cutie!!

obsession...I think so;)

Here are my amazing deals of the WEEK!!! FYI: these were in several different shopping trips and all of my catalinas allowed for me to get these amazing deals. *3 boxes of honey nut cheerios *14boxes of betty crocker fruit snacks *3 boxes of yummy instant oatmeal(Maple and brown sugar, my fav) *15 bags of kraft shredded cheese _____________________________________________ I paid NOTHING and have $1.55 in Catalina coupons left over!!! IS THAT AMAZING OR WHAT??!?!?!?! SOOOOOOOOOO excited!!!

FYI: For those of you new to the coupon world here is the definition for a Catalina Coupon: 'Catalina Category Marketing (CCM) rewards purchases of promoted products with “catalinas”, also known as “check-out coupons”. These offer incentives good on your next shopping trip to that retailer. There is usually a 4-week window on any given program/incentive promotion.'
Example: of what it may look: pretend it this looks like a coupon:
Thank you from Kraft. Here is $5 towards you next shopping trip

So far, so good

OK!! So, so far I am keeping up with THIS! I've finished TWO books!!! I read the "Blindside" a few weeks ago! A VERY inspiring but SAD story. I kept going back and forth between being so HAPPY for Michael and just plan old MAD at his mom!!! UGH! Read the story and find out why! Super awesome though. Jason and I watched the movie after I read the book, and I pretty much cried the whole movie! Very emotional! I just finished, "Redeeming Love"by Francine Rivers as loaned to me by my beautiful sister in law! Another super good read! EMOTIONAL as well but a wonderful, wonderful reminder of God's amazing Grace!! Logan's verse this week for Awana went so well with this book, "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." AMEN and so very thankful He did!
I am starting "The Host" by Stephenie Meyers tonight! I will be excited to see if she keeps up with her amazing Twilight series.
I saved more money with COUPONS and Catalinas!!! YIPPY!!! I am getting so many free goodies my little family is feeling so lucky and this MAMA is happy! I love having full cupboards and a full wallet;) This week I got 5 boxes of fruit by the foot, 2 boxes of yummy oatmeal, and a box of honeynut cheerios for 1 dollar after a Catalina Coupon;) I am loving it!!!!!!
The marathon thing is kind of going out the window for now...Jason isn't getting home til 4pm and it gets dark by 5 so, I am thinking, once the sun stays out a little longer, I will work on that goal...right now, my elliptical and Biggest Loser video is doing a good number on me...can we say dripping and sweating? I have a pair of pants that aren't so tight anymore! That is always a fun thing!!
We start Zoo-phinics with Logan this week!! He LOVES IT!!!!!!!!!:) PTL PTL:) AND I am so enjoying my One Year Bible! I am keeping up and so enjoying reading about Joseph right now! I love the forgiveness he had for his brothers after such a horrible thing they did! (I am so thankful for God's word! It is changing my heart and life right now! God is really working on me and sometimes it hurts but I am thankful for it, because I know it is all for his Glory and for my good.)

We Need to Keep our Eye's Wide Open.

"It was the first of two trips I would make covering the miles between Centreville, Maryland and Grand Island, Nebraska. At 5 in the morning I had pulled out of our Maryland driveway with my 1994 Chevy Truck and our 9 year old camper behind. The plan; drive the 1,400 miles to Nebraska in two days, hop a plane back to Maryland the following morning, pack the moving truck, and head out a second time. There was very little room for error-I had to make time. Things were going fine. Around 5pm the first day I was passing Chicago planning to go at least another 3 or 4 hours. That would get me a good night's sleep and plenty of time the next morning to make Nebraska and catch my flight out. I was just passing a spot where several highways come together with all kinds of traffic(not to mention rush hour) when suddenly I felt my truck lurch and seem to have lost power. All the gauges looked good, what could be the problem? One look in the side rear mirror answered my question, rubber was flying everywhere. I had blown a tire on my camper. I pulled over to the side of the road(what side there was), put my flashers on and headed for my tools. It was not to be that easy. That tire had been on the camper for 9 years. All the lugs were rusty. One and a half hours later, I was finally lowering the jack. Can you say "frustrated"?!? Why would God allow this to happen, knowing how tired I already was and how much further I had to go. Oh well, I headed back on the highway determined to still put in the same amount of miles I had planned, it was just going to be a longer day. That night when I finally pulled in to find a motel, I decided to fuel up before heading to the motel. As I was putting gas in my truck, a young man came walking up to me. "Sir, would you like to buy some tools? I need the cash." I told him I was in the process of moving, had been out of work for 8 months and was moving to Nebraska for a new job, so I didn't have the extra cash. Sorry. He wished me well in my new job and quietly moved away. I watched to see where he would go next. He walked over to a beat up old car and there I saw him shake his head as he began talking to a young woman who was holding a baby. I decided I needed to investigate this a little further. So as I pulled away from the pump, I pulled up beside their car. "Son, are you trying to sell your tools to get some gas for your car?" "Yes sir. I've got a job in Omaha if I can get there but I've been out of work too and we've run out of money." " Well, I don't have any money but I have a credit card, so if you pull up to the pump, I can at least fill your tank." He smiled and pulled the car over to the pump. As I pumped the gas, he thanked me warmly and then asked where I was moving from. I told him he probably hadn't heard of it, it was a little town in Maryland called Centreville. His face lit up and he said, "I'm from Preston!" Preston is 15 miles from Centreville. Well, for me...it was certainly a God moment. After I hooked the hose back on the pump, I turned to the young fellow and grabbed his hand and said, "Son, without going into details, let me just tell you that God set it up for me to be here right now. You need to know that God loves you and your family very much...he sent me all this way from Maryland to fill your gas tank at this station." I don't know if he got the full impact of that moment, but I certainly did. God stuck me on the side of the road for an hour and a half just to make sure I would be at that station right at that moment."
My uncle Paul sent this to us in his Christmas letter and it just touched my heart so much. How often do we miss these "God Moments" because we are so frustrated or not paying attention. I hope you all enjoy this story as much as I did and I hope that it is a good reminder and an encouragement to you today. God is STILL working People!! WE just have to have our EYES open to see what he may have planned for us.