Guikema Gang

New Year, Same Randomness

2012-01-10T15:03:00.002-05:00

If my hair could talk this is what it would say to my straightener, "Alright. You win today but tomorrow I'm going to come back bigger and curlier than ever!"
I sometimes like to wear my husband's slippers because it makes me feel petite.
When the gym instructor says "inhale" I almost always exhale. It's like I'm dyslexic in my breathing.
If I could teach a class to young female athletes it would be entitled, "How to be aggressive in every sport." I'm still working on marketing this.
I think if every husband helped cook dinner his sex life would suddenly become much more active. Forget the old adage that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach it should go; if you want hot sex make a hot meal once in awhile. I like it. Who works in marketing?
Hmmm ... what to write for number six after talking about sex?
Sometimes I just feel off and then realize it's because I haven't read a book recently. Reading nourishes my soul and quiets it too.
I'm hoping my mom can soon say goodbye to me after talking on the phone without crying. It's hard to hear her broken.
I think every woman needs a sister and if you don't have one, go find one!
Mexico. One month. Consider yourself forewarned stomach!

Nostalgia

2012-01-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

You're Better

2011-10-13T11:47:00.002-05:00

I've always been a confident girl. In fact, I was called "Gary" in college by a group of guys who thought I was as cocky as the NBA Seattle SuperSonics guard, Gary Payton. This cracks me up for two reasons. #1 - I had no idea who Gary Payton was at the time and #2 - I think this was the first time these boys ever met a confident girl. And I have my parents, especially my dad to thank for that. He quietly, mostly without words, reminded me every day that I was better. When you hear that word better it immediately draws a comparison. Who am I better than? Did I walk around school trying to prove to everyone that I was better than them? Nope. This wasn't how he used it. He told me I was better than:

talking behind my friend's backs.
talking negatively about a teacher or coach.
being silly or playing dumb so boys would think I was cute.
dressing in a way to attract attention to my body.
not trying my best at everything I did. School, athletics, music, plays. His attitude was, give it your all, all the time.
fighting with my sisters.
not respecting my grandparents.
not including someone because my feelings had been hurt before by him or her.

So for all you grandpas, dads, husbands and uncles, remind your girls that they're better. They're better than accepting anything less than the best treatment from the world, the media and their relationships.

Overwhelmed by a Loving God

2011-08-18T08:53:00.004-05:00

overwhelm: to cover over completely, to overpower in thought or feeling

I love the word overwhelm. It's just so big and well, overwhelming. There are times when I am so overwhelmed with love for my kids and husband that my eyes fill up with tears and I thank God right then and there for these gifts he so generously has given me. This usually happens at the beach under the bright Michigan sun with the sounds of waves and giggles lapping up to my feet. I had one of those days this week and let me tell you, this refreshment of my soul can carry me through many long weeks of winter or parenting challenges or minor arguments with my husband. I'm also just so grateful that God has entered my life's story so clearly and often. Wait, that makes him sound like an unexpected house guest who enters in and out of my life but really he's always there. It's my job to see that he's with me all the time.

With my mom in the hospital for most of the month of July, our family's normal summer routine was interrupted and we all slowed down, prayed more and played the role of care taker to the one who so lovingly took care of us throughout our childhood. This was a humbling experience for us all but I'm so grateful for it. Grateful that God took this really painful time and brought us closer together. Almost eight years ago, I spent six weeks in the hospital on bed rest awaiting the birth of our fifth child. (We have two baby girls in heaven who Jesus is waiting to introduce us to.) I've shared my story ... a lot. And I often feel embarrassed when asked when did you last feel God's overwhelming presence and this experience is always, always my first thought. I did feel God's presence and his peace but I also felt overwhelming fear and worry and distrust and guilt. But back to my mom's story. She really needed us to be with her in the hospital so our family set up a schedule where two sisters and my dad went to spend time with her every day. I was happy to help and hoped that I could give my mom some practical ways to help her get through her hospitalization. One day as I chatted with my mom she stopped mid-conversation and changed the subject to say, "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you more when you were on bed rest. I understand now." And God healed that nagging hurt that I had been carrying around with me. I told her I understood how hard it was for her to see me laying in a hospital bed overcome with anxious thoughts. I understand now too.

My Mom & Camping

2011-07-11T20:13:00.002-05:00

I'm going to begin by saying that I'm intentionally trying to keep this post light-hearted. You can accuse me of either not being serious or playing the role of the littlest sister to a tee. But just maybe you graciously understand that if I were to write about my mom right now (who this past week suffered a stroke, underwent brain surgery to remove a tumor - thankfully benign - and is currently in the hospital receiving intensive care and therapy) I would weep until I was out of tears. I'm sad. I'm scared. I'm feeling helpless but not hopeless.

So here is my Jeff Foxworthy inspired list of "You might be a (red-neck) camper if you ..."

You might be a camper if you pack an outfit for each day and end up wearing the same shirt all week.
You might be a camper if you wet wipe your feet clean before bed.
You might be a camper if deodorant is considered a shower. (Which in this case, it's too bad that your wife forgot to pack yours and you now smell like cucumber and melon.)
You might be a camper if you sleep in a sandy bed.
You might be a camper if you have a great tan but bad hair.
You might be a camper if you brush your teeth at the fire pit. (Some may use this as their nighttime urinal too but I'm not telling you who (Jeff).
You might be a camper if while you're driving down the highway your camper door pops open and the crank that is used to pop up your pop up falls out. Thankfully you remember you are surrounded by fellow campers who have cranks.
You might be a camper if you know how to make more than three different kinds of fire treats.
And finally, you might be a camper if you drive home from the campground in your pajamas.

Love & love to you all and if you're a praying person, heck, even if you're not - please say a prayer for my mom.

Because it's been awhile since I used the word RANDOM in a blog title.

2011-06-23T23:03:00.001-05:00

I go to bed way too late when the hubby is out of town.
I am seriously and hopelessly addicted to the show, "Sports Night". If you've never seen it, get Netflix and start watching it now. And if for some reason you don't like it or think their witty banter is too fast or frustrating, please don't tell me because I may never look at you quite the same way again.
I think relationships are more important than religion.
I cry nearly every time my son cries. Like tonight for instance when he came to me with his bottom lip quivering and told me that he couldn't last three days without daddy because daddy is his best friend. That little statement alone will keep me faithful to my husband for well, my whole life.
I read books and want to help others in really desperate need (like hide Jews in my secret room during WWII) and yet neglect to see that there is a hurting world around me.
I expect grace from others and yet am slow to extend it.
I think of how others can bless me instead of how I can bless them. I'm working on this.
I think Josh Charles has a big nose but still is incredibly handsome. (If you don't know who this is, please read #2 again.)
I raise my hands sometimes while running and listening to praise music. And I smile a lot lately while I run. It makes you run faster. Try it; I dare you.
I'm starting to think I may becoming less of a campy girl and more of a cottage girl. It could just be the weather lately. Either that or I like clean feet.

Heroes

2011-04-27T08:03:00.004-05:00

Heroes. They come in all shapes and sizes. The mom on bed rest who prays hourly for her little baby. The high schooler who leaves a party when the alcohol comes out. The little girl who shares a seat on the bus with a kid with special needs. The spouse who forgives and extends grace immediately. I'm humbled and honored to know all of you heroes.

A couple months ago we studied the chapter in Jonah where he prays in the belly of the whale. (Yes, you can start singing the Veggie Tales song here.) I was so struck that this stubborn man was praising God for saving him. Wait. Isn't he still in the fish/whale? And he's thanking God for bringing "my life up from the pit"? Jonah 2:6 After thanking God he promises to make good on his vows. Jonah doesn't try and bargain his way out of that fish. He doesn't say well God, if you do this then I'll do that. So often I thank God for "getting me through" trials once they are clearly in the rearview mirror. Jonah is a great example to me of how to praise God in the midst of them. Can I be thankful in the belly of the whale?

Now Jonah proves he's less than perfect in the following chapter when he sits back and waits to see if Nineveh will be destroyed. I mean really Jonah. God has just rescued you out of a fish and you're complaining about your shade being taken away? And you look like you're waiting to watch a horror movie up on that hill. (Really, don't you expect him at any moment to say, pass the popcorn?)

But maybe that's the beauty of heroes. Heroes of faith or life. They humble us and they are us. They make bold moves and yet still sometimes complain about the weather. This new song, "This is the Stuff" by Francesca Battistelli is one of my new favorites and I pray that my little messes don't ever stop me from seeing how much I'm blessed.

This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that’s getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I’m blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I gotta trust You know exactly what You’re doing
It might not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use

Endearing

2011-02-21T11:01:00.001-05:00

Definition of endear: To make dear or precious.

My mom, whose voice catches every time she says goodbye to me on the phone. Every time. It doesn't matter if she is in town or on vacation.
My daughter Paige being the activities director on a snow day. Everyone needs a Paige. The extent of my parenting so far today has been making pancakes. That's it.
My kids choosing to watch, "Worst Cooks in America" over all other shows. They may be budding kitchen stars or really mean food critics someday. It's a coin toss.
Watching my daughter Zoey throw some elbows around on the soccer field. That may not be endearing to you but boy do I get a kick out of it!
Recorder concerts. I'm a sucker for a good rendition of Hot Cross Buns.
Zach blushing and still running into my arms when he is embarrassed. Yesterday he tripped over a huge playground ball in front of his cousins and I opened up my arms to the sprinting, red-faced little man.
Teachers who love what they do & make your kids eager to go to school every day.
Nephews and nieces who still want to hang out with their old aunt.
My little Sunday school kids. They're a little rowdy in the winter months but they sure are cute.
Waking up to hand written notes from my husband.

Guest Blogger

2011-01-26T15:14:00.002-05:00

So I'm supposed to be blogging in 2011 & really shouldn't have a guest blogger write for me but this post by Sonny was just too good not to share. I don't know how she got inside my head but I am grateful for friends who are sharing a similar journey and who are trusting God to meet them in the quiet and wait for His leading. Enjoy this post & even her reference to Vanilla Ice. (For you youngsters, he was a white male rapper who now apparently does home renovations and can be seen on HGTV.)

2011. The Year of the Blog?

2011-01-05T14:04:00.000-05:00

Alright folks. Here is our Christmas and a bit of our year in review. The song is "Joy Is In Our Hearts" by Sara Groves and really the only reason I made this slideshow is because I love this song so much! :) I should have kept adding pictures so you could hear it all and I should have faded out the last few notes so it sounds more professional but I have to get to Target.

Hope 2011 is a year of blessings for your family.

Recent Pics

2010-12-03T09:21:00.001-05:00

Making a sign for Daddy's triumphant return from Guatemala.

Windy night = Lots of tape.

The breakfast in bed promised if Zach slept in. 9:00 a.m. - woo-hoo!

Have an old window? You have a cute Christmas decoration.

The table I decorated for our ladies dessert gala at church. Cheesecake, friends and lots of laughter.

A Few of my Favorite Things

2010-10-20T12:48:00.002-05:00

Going to ArtPrize with my man.

The view out my bedroom window.

A perfect dahlia.

Home Alone

2010-09-20T12:54:00.002-05:00

(Honestly, this is the only time he was quiet this summer.)

All three kids are in school full-time this year. Weird. I've discovered some things I love about it and some things I don't and have made a few funny discoveries along the way.

The clock above my computer ticks. Loudly. Who knew?
If all your kids are at school, you're stuck on the toilet if you run out of t.p. (Luckily I'm a quick thinker and resourceful. 'Nuff said?)
You find yourself saying "yes" to just about every volunteer position and then start second guessing your sanity.
I can read a book in the middle of the day if I want. Now on to read worthwhile and edifying material!
You don't need the childcare at the gym anymore. Sigh.
The laundry is no longer your nemesis but rather, your daily companion.
You can meet your husband for lunch. Most days. Fun!
You have time for prayer. You + God = some pretty great quiet time spent together.
Your hair is done and your workout is in by noon.
After school becomes your favorite time of day.

This Boy Needs a Brother

2010-09-08T11:30:00.000-05:00

I don't know why Paige made him be the girl partner in this dance but I'm glad I got the camera out for this show. Sorry Zach!

Tired

2010-08-27T08:48:00.000-05:00

Prepare yourself. In our fun filled, packed out, extraordinary summer I'm going to complain about a few things I'm tired of. Don't worry; it'll be fun!

Washing bathing suits and towels and hanging them up over every available kitchen chair and outdoor chair to dry. If we smell like a lake next time you see us in our suits, you'll know I put my foot down.
Lady Gaga (that just has to be said, right?)
Katy Perry (ditto to that California girl.)
Gaining weight over the summer. Hello? How come the season where I wear the least amount of clothes I decide to gain weight in? Oh yeah, ice cream. I guess I answered my own question.
Packing picnic lunches. In June it's so exciting and new again but by late August I just tell my friends, I'll meet you after lunch.
Putting sunscreen on the kids. I have the most moisturized hands in West Michigan. I should just stop being so cheap and buy the spray but that stuff lasts about one week with three kids.
Mosquitos and bees.
Kids in and out of my house all.day.long. I'm not ready to see my baby enter 1st grade this fall however.
Burgers and hotdogs.
And finally, I'm tired of not doing my hair. I've been riding the wave (and ponytails) for so long that I actually look forward to fussing with it again. I guess this proves that I have some girly in my tomboy.

Sisters

2010-08-09T13:55:00.000-05:00

I have four older sisters. Yep. You read that correctly. My mom and dad had five girls in six years & three months time. Yep. You read that right too. So when I asked my girls how their life would look different after going to a Christian summer camp and they answered that they felt like they had grown closer as sisters, you can understand how that made my heart sing.

I love my sisters. I love that God gave me two girls who I could watch grow up together as sisters. And even though I tease my sisters that they are the reason I hung out with boys all through high school, (they set the bar way too high for other adolescent girls) I feel so blessed that they modeled to me how to be in relationship with other women.

So love up your sisters. And if you don't have one, you can borrow one of mine. :)

Ordinary

2010-07-05T09:54:00.003-05:00

So recently I was doing some heavy reading, the Parade insert from the Sunday Press, and came across this quote from Connie Schultz. "It takes courage to live ordinary lives." All my life I've pursued extraordinary as I'm sure you have too. I used to walk around my childhood home pretending that I was in a movie or at least the star of a really amazing show called my life. What I'm discovering is that ordinary is not only o.k., it's downright admirable. Marriage, parenting, faith, teaching, being in relationships with family and friends takes ordinary, hard work.

When I was dating my husband in college he asked me why I picked him, an ordinary guy. I answered that by ourselves we were ordinary but together we were extraordinary. (Yep, you can cue the cheesy music now.) But I believe that. The way we love each other is special and different than any other couple.

Similarly, I think teaching elementary physical education is a rather ordinary job. But how I teach and care about kids, showing them Christ's love is kingdom building work, right? I often feel inadequate after reading my college's alumni magazine. It highlights the really amazing things it's graduates are doing around the world; working at the North Pole, risking their lives to be missionaries in a hostile African community, discovering how a missing or defective gene can't deliver vitamin A to your eyes (huh, what?) and the list goes on and on. I admire these people for taking their education and radical ideas into the world and I understand that their work makes for really interesting articles. But I must admit that once in awhile I would like to read an article about a stay-at-home-mom who teaches Sunday school every week.

But I guess that's my story. And I can choose how to write it every day in all it's ordinary glory.

14 years of Wedded Bliss

2010-06-07T15:07:00.000-05:00

Fourteen years ago today we naively stood in front of our friends and family and vowed to love each other for better or worse. I say naively because we had no idea what marriage, family and life would bring us and all the "for better and worse" circumstances we would face together. I am blessed to call this man my husband, lover (I know, get a room already), parenting partner and friend. Here's to another 14 years and more Lover Lips! (Seriously, could we have picked a cheesier nickname for each other and could my bouquet BE any bigger?)

The big 9!

2010-06-03T07:25:00.000-05:00

Our Zoey Elise turns 9 today! Love ya Z.

Mother's Day Gift

2010-05-17T18:21:00.001-05:00

The Many Faces of Zoey

2010-05-14T15:13:00.000-05:00

She is known by many names; Zo-Zo, Z, Ziglet, and most recently Whee. (The last one she hates and is only used by her big sister. Consider yourself forewarned.) In the past month she has had some kickin' pics taken. Enjoy.

From Baby to Big Boy Room

2010-05-10T11:51:00.000-05:00

Award Season

2010-04-29T10:11:00.002-05:00

I don't usually use my blog to brag up my kids but they're really quite special and it's fun for us when someone else recognizes this. In the past two weeks we've had many chances to sit back and say, "hey kid, you're great." Paige was recognized by her teacher and her school for her high level of reading, Zoey had a piece of art work selected for the district wide art show, they both performed beautifully at their piano recital, Zoey scored a goal at her soccer game on Saturday and Paige is set to sing a solo at both church and school. And Zach, he decided to start reading every book in sight. All in all, we're proud parents because of all these accomplishments but we are the proudest of the character we see our kids displaying while they try and succeed at all these things.

I Promise

2010-04-23T07:48:00.000-05:00

There are many things I wish for my children and some serious promises that me & their dad made when we became parents. This list isn't it. :) These are promises that pop into my head as I think about raising my two daughters. (Sorry Zach; hopefully dad is making some sort of list for you too. I'm sure it involves Home Depot and the proper way to spit. Wait, I may have to teach you that last one.)

Dear Paige and Zoey,

I promise to never make you get a perm. And with this promise let me just add, I will never get out the photo albums of your teen years when we have company over.
I promise to talk to you about your period. (Period.)
I promise to never poo-poo your "friend problems". They feel huge, I get that. And even though I never talk to any friends from late elementary school or middle school, I know that this is an important part of your social development.
I promise to encourage your sense of style. Even if that means you've clipped a braid across your head and you look like you've just walked out of a thrift store.
I promise to not giggle while we have the sex talk. (Like I did the last time.)
I will not compare you to your sister in either physical appearance or personality. This is a tough one because it's natural to notice differences in your children. I promise to try however.
I promise to not label you. This goes with #6 but I just want you to know that your "box" is flexible, stretchy and will change as you change.
I promise to let you borrow your Dad's sweaters to wear to school if that style comes back. (Dear God, please let this style come back.)
I promise to call you when you're a new mom and demand that you go to Starbucks by yourself while I watch the baby.
I promise to love you. Always.

Love Mom

Why I Love Men

2010-04-19T14:11:00.000-05:00

O.K. the title of this post is a little strange and I'm thinking that maybe I should change it. Nah. Here are some reasons why I find men (grandpas, dads, husbands, brother-in-laws, nephews) so darn endearing.

They grow out a beard for playoff season and refuse to shave until their team loses. It doesn't matter that their wife & kids find it to be hideous; it's there until the fat lady sings.
They cannot hear the children in the car calling their name, or screaming, and/or singing at the top of their lungs. Seriously? This is a gift or a curse depending on who you are in the car.
They will give you a kiss right after you tell them your breath is bad. Because let's face it ladies, we hear that and we are backing that kissing bus right up.
They can and will re-wear underwear.
They can lift heavy things.
They borrow shoes for big events. No need to shop when you have a family member who wears the same size.
They know how to work the grill.
They rarely cry but when they do it is one of the sweetest things you've ever witnessed.
You know you will always smell prettier than them.
And finally, because they are simply honest and most of the time uncomplicated. God bless 'em for not using subtlety to try and tell you what they want. (FYI: it's a big screen t.v.)

My Heart Is Full

2010-04-14T10:30:00.003-05:00

I continue to be amazed at how my heart can swell with love for my children and then two days later swell with sadness for someone going through a loss. Really. Isn't this the most fascinating, devastating and wonderful thing about being a human being? Our capacity to love one another, hate one another, sympathize with each other and truly feel a whole range of emotions all within our little 'ole chest. I've had one of those weeks. The week began with a birthday lunch for my oldest daughter. She was positively delightful. (I know that sounds like an old lady word but I'm using it people. When I start calling things "precious" then you can get concerned.) Paige was giddy, excited and super animated as we sat across from each other eating our oh-so-delicious-Yesterdogs. She kept thanking me for the lunch and her polite manners really made me think that maybe I don't all together stink at this mom thing. After lunch we headed over to do a little antique shopping at Eastown Antiques and her shopping savvy and little comments made me feel like we were girlfriends just hanging out for the afternoon. I drove away from her school with a full, full heart and I thanked God for the gift of my little girl who is growing up to be such a wonderful young woman. (I sound old again, don't I? Calling someone a "young person" is a sure sign I think.)

Then this morning I hear of a friend who is going through a loss. Today. And my heart is full. Full of sadness for the loss of a dream; the hope of something new. These heart-wrenching and extreme changes in our plans leave us feeling full and empty at the same time. And that really is the beautifully tragic thing about being a human being.

Ridiculously Rich

2010-03-30T14:42:00.004-05:00

Each time I pack clothes for a trip I feel ridiculously blessed. (Not to mention how blessed we are to even be going on another trip.) All three of our kids and my husband and I have more than enough outfits for every season. I walk downstairs and look through bins of clothes that friends and family have given us and realize that I really don't need to go shopping for anything new except for maybe a pair of flip-flops or tennis shoes. And as my arms ache from the heaviness of stuff, I remember these couple of paragraphs from the book, "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan. (If you haven't read this book, get thee to a bookstore and purchase it or come over & borrow mine.)

"Remember the story where Jesus fed thousands of people with one boy's small lunch? In that story, according to Matthew, Jesus gave the loaves to His disciples and then the disciples passed them out to the crowd. Imagine if the disciples had simply held onto the food Jesus gave them, continually thanking Him for providing lunch for them. That would've been stupid when there was enough food to feed the thousands who were gathered and hungry."

"But that us exactly what we do when we fail to give freely and joyfully. We are loaded down with too many good things, more than we could ever need, while others are desperate for a small loaf. The good things we cling to are more than money; we hoard our resources, our gifts, our time, our families, our friends. As we begin to practice regular giving, we see how ludicrous it is to hold to the abundance God has given us and merely repeat the words thank you."

My arms are tired from holding all this stuff and my mouth is exhausted from saying thank-you repeatedly to God. I want to give freely and joyfully to those who need my money, gifts, time, family and friends. How 'bout you?

Book Suggestions?

2010-03-24T18:28:00.001-05:00

One week from tomorrow we are headed to FLA and I'm looking for your best beach book, biography, historical fiction or classic book suggestion. The only two genres I don't like are mystery and anything by Karen Kingsbury. :) I just read "The Art of Racing in the Rain" by Garth Stein, "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett. All excellent books. So now that I gave you a few to check out, please give me some of your favorite titles. Thanks!

Quotable

2010-03-23T15:04:00.003-05:00

"It's great being a person" said Zach.

It's especially great being a person who knows you thought his mom.

From Deep to Fluffy

2010-03-23T12:47:00.000-05:00

If malted milk balls were nutritious, I would be ridiculously healthy. Easter candy is delicious.
If my life feels like a work out everyday, why must I work out?
I weighed myself before and after a spin class and in a time period of just 50 minutes I lost four pounds. This tells you two things; I sweat profusely while exercising and I'm seriously dehydrated for the rest of that day.
I can no longer wear my favorite jeans because I went down a pants size (thanks spin) and so I bought my favorite jeans in a size down and they are waaaaaay too long. Curious. Tall goes with skinny like peanut butter goes with jelly I guess.
I just texted my husband that I love life so much because I love him so much. He is the best! Well, except for his little Super Mario Bros. on the Wii addiction but otherwise, he really is top notch.
Speaking of which, if I could give college girls some dating advice I would recommend that you find a man who loves Jesus, makes you laugh and enjoys cooking. I don't know how women cook everyday. You deserve a medal ladies, like everyday.
I am reading "Crazy Love" by Francis Chan and "Crave" by Chris Tomlinson for two Bible studies this spring and I'm feeling very uncomfortable in my comfortable Christian life. I would love to know what God has in store for me and our family.
Speaking of that, I have a teaching degree, certificate and no job. I would love to work part-time in an inner school district. That would definitely challenge my comfort, I think.
And if Starburst jelly beans were nutritious, I would be really, really healthy.

Celebrating Our Story

2010-03-16T14:10:00.008-05:00

     This is a story about hope. About hoping for the unimaginable and expecting to receive it. It is about the kind of hope that can only be found in God and in his Son, Jesus Christ.

    After experiencing another miscarriage past the first trimester, I was considering giving up my dream of having another biological child. After all, I was getting older and the risk seemed to be too great. We had two beautiful girls at home, two more blessings than we thought we deserved. We spent the next few months praying and asking God to help us with this decision. Our hearts still desired another child, a new pregnancy and we were filled with a God inspired kind of hope.

    In October we decided to go on a vacation with friends in Florida and it was there that we found out we were pregnant for the fifth time. Two children here on earth, two little babies in heaven. We looked at each other with joy, fear and excitement. The pregnancy went very smoothly during the first trimester. At seventeen weeks I thought I could start breathing a little easier. After all, I had lost my other two babies at fifteen and sixteen weeks gestation and I was now passed this stage. While my husband and kids were out shoveling the driveway, I discovered some spotting. My heart sank and I ran out to tell my husband. His mouth said, “oh, it’s nothing” but his eyes said, “oh no.” I spent the next few minutes worrying and then calmed myself down and called the doctor. I was put on bed rest, a unique state of lying around in fear for my baby’s life; a state that I would live in for the next two months.

    I couldn’t stay home and wait for something to happen. I felt like I had ignored my body’s signals before with the miscarriages and I refused to do it again. I called the doctor again and was kindly told to come on in. I was having contractions every five minutes. I said to myself, “wait, this can’t be happening again. ” I drove myself to the hospital and checked myself in.

    In the hospital for five days. Home. Two weeks later, back in the hospital for a week. Before I was sent home this time, one of the nurses gave me these two instructions; don’t come back until the summer and make sure it’s with a tan. One week later I was back in the hospital and was told that I wasn’t going home until the baby was born. I was only 21 weeks along and could not imagine being there until the recommended 37 weeks. But at the rate I was bleeding and contracting, I also knew that I would never make it to 37 weeks.

    We finally decided to find out the sex of this challenging baby. “A boy?” “A boy, yes a boy,” the doctor repeated. We found ourselves excited while imagining this little guy and our hope was renewed. After the doctor left the hospital room, we sat in silence, absorbing the unexpected news that we were having a boy. After a few minutes, I looked over to find my husband with his head down, hands covering his face, crying like . . . well . . .   a baby. He looked at me and said, “I know it doesn’t matter whether we have a boy or girl as long as the baby is healthy. But a boy? Wow!” After having four pregnancies and four little girls we had just assumed that we would be having another little girl. We had already decided on her name too, Piper Hope. I just looked at him and laughed and shared in his joy.

    To say that bed rest in the hospital was difficult would be an understatement. Bed rest at home is difficult; bed rest in the hospital is impossible. I couldn’t even think about my two little girls at home without crying and I had one picture of them propped up against my radio that many times had to go in the drawer when it hurt too much to look at them. As a stay at home mom, I prided myself on being able to “do it all” and had a hard time letting go and letting others step in and care for my children. I have never seen the minutes on a clock go slower than when I was on bed rest. I have never wanted to sleep more and be physically unable to. I have never loved my husband more or my daughters each time they came to visit the hospital with their sloppy pony tails and mismatched clothes. And I have never felt the hand of God like I did while lying in a hospital bed and pleading with him for my baby’s life. He sustained me, he comforted me, he encouraged me and he carried me. The lyrics of this familiar hymn became my song; “I need Thee, O I need Thee, ev’ry hour I need Thee; O bless me now, my Savior, I come to Thee.” I can still hear the women of my childhood church singing this with their vibrato laced voices and it makes me smile to know that God uses “old” music to calm “young” souls.

    My husband Jeff was amazing through it all. Going to work each day, coming to visit me after work, picking up the kids, making dinner, getting them to bed and calling me after they were asleep were just a few of his “jobs” during this season of life. I know now (because he told me) that every day he walked into my hospital room he would say to himself, “here we go,” take a deep breath, paint a smile on his face and choose to be hopeful. True love looks like this.

    True love also looks like the sister that comes to the hospital to play cards, or a sister that comes just to visit or paint your nails, or another sister that offers to take your kids in to live with her family so that they can have some sense of normalcy. It also looks like the mom who just can’t stand to see you lying in a hospital bed, the sister-in-law that brings in a homemade meal, or the parents-in-law that take your children every weekend, all weekend long so their son can support his wife.   True love also is the dad that plays countless games of Yahtzee on his lunch break or skips a college faculty meeting because his daughter said she needed him to stay a little bit longer. It also was seen by countless friends who seemed to know just when I needed a visit or when I wasn’t up for it. For these examples of Christ’s love, I will be eternally grateful.

    True professional dedication was reflected in the nursing care I received and the encouragement my obstetrician gave me daily to hang in there. I saw this man every day for six weeks and each time he walked into my hospital room I hoped that today was the day he would say I could go home. Never mind that this was an unrealistic and naive thought, it was this hope that kept me going on a rough day. He also told me that this would hopefully be the hardest thing I would ever have to do in my life and that I could, in fact, do it.

    At twenty-four weeks I could receive a steroid shot for the baby’s lungs and I don’t think I have ever stared down a bigger needle with more joy and expectation and with as little care as to where it was going to be administered. One week later I received another because it was time to deliver at twenty-five weeks. The doctor walked in wearing his hospital scrubs early on a Sunday morning and I knew that today was my son’s birthday. I first felt scared, then relieved, and then guilty for feeling relieved.   I was wheeled into the surgery room and my husband had to wait outside while I was being prepped. I still remember my doctor coming around the bed and holding my hand while I was being prepped for surgery. He never stopped reassuring and encouraging me, just like he had done throughout the entire pregnancy.

    At 10:30 a.m. a red, wrinkly baby was born and let out a big cry. Yes, he was ready to fight and even was breathing on his own for several minutes until the neonatologist thought he would wear himself out. I got to give my little boy his first kiss as he was lifted up to me and then quickly wheeled down to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. At 2 lbs. 4 oz. , it amazed me just how much he looked like a full-term baby until I later went to visit him that night and saw just how tiny and fragile his little body really was under the bright light of his incubator. He was a fighter and fought for nine weeks in that NICU and had only one minor infection, no surgeries, no brain bleeds and no digestion problems. He came home at a whopping five pounds and continued to amaze us with his ability to grow and eat while never even waking up! On March 21 he will turn six and I am just as amazed by him today as the first day I met him. He is running, dancing, talking, laughing, hearing and seeing perfectly. You might want to know his name so if you see him you can say hello. His name is Zachary which means, “God remembered.” I told you this was a story about hope.

Pushing 40 & Ziplining

2010-03-14T15:30:00.000-05:00

O.K. we're not nearly 40 (not for a few more years for me and not for five for my younger man) but still, we did feel like quite the adventurous couple going ziplining and rappelling in Mexico. Add snorkeling to those and you start to feel like you're in your twenties again. :)

I have so enjoyed catching up on my favorite blogs since giving up facebook for lent. Blog on people!

Hamsters Like Pancakes

2010-03-10T13:05:00.003-05:00

Yep folks; this is our hamster Skittle. I know it looks like we went to a photography studio and set him up against a black back drop and waited for the perfect nibble but really, he just was sitting on a leather chair in our kitchen. This little rodent has brought hours of fun to our kids and is really a nice pet except when he escapes his cage and goes MIA for a couple of days. Last week he decided that since we were now back from vacay, he could slip out of his cage and have a little fun. Two days later the girls found him crawling around in *GASP* their bedroom. Ick. We were living with the false hope that he could not climb up our basement stairs. As I clean droppings that fell behind my bathroom trash can, I am once again reminded that hamsters are much cuter to me when they're confined to their cage.

Mexico

2010-02-25T20:00:00.002-05:00

Forgiveness

2010-01-21T20:51:00.013-05:00

One of my daughters struggles with forgiving her sister. It happened just tonight. As their play escalates from playful to mean, one of them inevitably gets either their feelings or body hurt. (Most of the time it's both.) A quick sorry is not enough. Me getting angry at her sister is not enough. She wants justice and she wants the punishment to be more severe than the crime. Her claim is that she always gets punished more severely and her "woest me" attitude can push me right over the edge of sane parenting and send me hurtling to the "exasperated, frustrated and I can't believe I just said that" kind of parenting.

My Sunday school lesson for last week was on how to give extreme forgiveness. And I got to admit that some of the examples made me wonder who would give out THAT KIND of forgiveness. Oh yeah; Jesus did. When I watch my daughter who struggles to forgive (and I hate to admit it but she gets it from me), I try to remind her of the times we have forgiven her for something she did wrong. And then I remind her that God forgives us for all the mistakes we make, big or little, so who are we not to forgive others or hold grudges?

As I was teaching this lesson it came time to give an example of when I, the teacher, struggled to forgive someone. It was in the lesson plan and I'd planned on skipping right over it using the excuse there wasn't enough time to include it. But the Holy Spirit led me to share the struggle I've had for the past six months with a dear friend. I get the joy of teaching one of my daughters every Sunday and as I scanned the room while teaching, I see her nodding as I said I was hurt by this friend and how it was so hard to forgive her. Wow. She nodded right along as I spoke and she knew exactly who I was talking about (without knowing a single detail of what the disagreement or hurt was about) and I was struck by how perceptive my child, really every child is about what's going on in their home.

This is a simple lesson, "Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13 It's the simple lessons that I need to be reminded of again and again however.

Church

2010-01-12T10:24:00.002-05:00

"Church isn’t where you meet. Church isn’t a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s not go to Church, let’s be the Church.”

Bridget Willard

Being the church to me is being in relationships with other people. Connecting with them and letting them know that I care about them, their spiritual life, and their family. Without a relationship, you are just someone posting Bible verses on a stranger's blog.

Disaster Date #2

2010-01-02T15:44:00.005-05:00

I know, I know. You can't believe I've ever had a bad date. Me either. I blame the boys. (It's easier than taking any responsibility.)

Date: Winter, 1991
Place: Some dance @ GRCHS
Date's Name: Let's call this one George

I am now a senior and still haven't learned my lesson NOT to date anyone outside of my class. I am dating a sophomore. (He was super cute as I remember. And mature for his age. Kinda sorta.) So there is some winter dance in the gym and my date decides to plan out where we will be eating dinner before we head over to the dance. (1st mistake.) Did I mention I was a senior? And all of my friends were going downtown to swanky restaurants and that part of the fun is telling everyone where you went to eat?

We went to Fuddruckers. (2nd mistake.) I kid you not. George told me he loved their hamburgers. I offered to help pay if that would help change the dinner destination. We waited in line for our food, picked it up at the counter, and sat down. Across the restaurant I saw my religion teacher. Dear Lord, shoot me now.

George was dressed quite nicely. He had on a wool sweater and khaki pants. About half way through the dance his neck looked all red and prickly and I asked him why he didn't where an undershirt. (3rd mistake.) Hello George, it's wool!

All in all, it was fun dance. I lied and told my friends we went to Cheddar's and I think George's skin recovered fairly quickly. Our break up was imminent.

Gift Guide for Guys

2009-12-29T11:08:00.004-05:00

The holiday gift giving season is officially over. Well, except for New Year's Eve and Day but who really gets presents on either of these holidays? My husband has triumphed through many gift giving occasions and really was quite the online buyer this year. When my sister asked me if Santa had been good to me, I had to honestly say he was VERY good to the kids this year. (Last year was my year when Jeff surprised me with an iMac. Oh, and diamond earrings this year for my birthday. You.the.man.Jeff.) But this year we were a little lame. Both of us were feeling a bit uninspired to buy when we are already so blessed with stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. I thought I would create a little guide for any man who wants to know what the women in their life really want. Feel free to add more ladies.

Guide For Men:
1. Plan a date night and get the babysitter all by yourself. You call and set it up. Seriously; you can do it.
2. Gift certificate for a pedi. It's fairly cheap, thoughtful, and every lady likes pretty feet. Well, except for one of my sisters who about crawled out of the chair the first time she got one ... But really, I think she is more of the exception than the general rule.
3. Starbucks gift card. Once again, this can be as cheap as you want and shows that you know that she needs caffeine to get through her normal daily routine.
4. Case of Diet Coke. (see caffeine note above.)
5. Take the kids grocery shopping.
6. Plan and cook a dinner.
7. Look her straight in the eyes when she gets in the car and has spent some time getting "dolled up" and say, "Wow. You look really beautiful." Remember, look only at her face. :)
8. Plan a vacation. Nothing says,"I love you" like planning a trip for just the two of you or the entire family.

That's it men. You too can achieve greatness; you just needed a little guidance.

White Christmas Party

2009-12-18T12:13:00.001-05:00

How did I end up on a date with Don Johnson AGAIN?

Funny Dating Story

2009-12-14T18:52:00.010-05:00

Year: 1990
Place: Senior Banquet, Amway Grand Plaza, Downtown Grand Rapids
Date's Name: Let's just call him Bob

Bob was a senior and I was a junior at the time of this spring banquet. The only way an underclassmen could attend was if he or she was invited by a senior. Since I barely ventured out of my class in search of friends, I thought I was safe. I was wrong. An acquaintance I knew from sports called and told me how hurt he was that someone had turned down his invitation to this big dance. He said, "I just wanted to go as friends. I don't know why she didn't understand that. You're my friend, right?"

NOTE TO MY HIGH SCHOOL SELF ... BE CAREFUL HOW YOU ANSWER THIS QUESTION.

I answered something like this, "Ummmm ... yeah. I guess we're friends."

To which he responded, "Well good. So you'll go to the dance with me as friends?"

NOTE TO MY HIGH SCHOOL SELF ... YOU'VE BEEN DUPED.

Since I was raised to be nice and kind, I said sure. After much teasing from my best friend (who just happened to be a guy), I planned out some of the details of this mercy date. When Bob asked me what I would be wearing I told him I had a silver/light blue dress. He seemed disappointed in the color. I quickly found out why when he picked me up in a full white tuxedo with tails accompanied by a white tie and cumberbund. Bob complained that he couldn't find a tie & cumberbund to match my dress.

NOTE TO MY HIGH SCHOOL SELF ... YOU ARE ON A DATE WITH DON JOHNSON. GET OVER IT.

The date was fine and relatively uneventful. But maybe I just don't remember it that well since I was blinded by his tux for most of the night.

Pic of Earring

2009-12-14T18:42:00.005-05:00

I must really like you ladies because I really dislike this picture of me. Here is my beautiful earring (which is part of a set but hey, this is a self-portrait.)

Men

2009-11-20T19:17:00.005-05:00

Men are funny and kind of predictable. Every year my husband asks what I want for my birthday and every year I tell him "nothing." Which of course translated from womenese to menglish means, "Can't you think of something on your own? Surprise me." I decided this year to have some fun and told him that diamonds are always a nice gift. I opened up a little jewelry box last night with diamond earrings inside. He thinks he is THE MAN and he told me he can't remember me ever saying anything about diamonds. Oh hon, you're so cute. Like an adorable little puppy who's leash I'm holding. :) (Disclaimer if my mother-in-law is reading this: I do not think of him as my puppy and just want you to know that you raised a pretty incredible son. And tell Dad thanks for cooking while he was growing up so he could see that men can cook and for teaching him how to do home improvement.)

They really are quite lovely earrings.

Halloween Pics 2009

2009-11-03T08:27:00.006-05:00

Here you go Emily!

2009-10-26T19:32:00.004-05:00

Reasons I hate facebook.:.
1) Provides a slight attention deficit disorder for all users (FADD) [aka homework doesn't get done and neither does my photography editing etc on my computer]
2) It stole my favorite blogger

Sincerely, Emily B.
--------------------

O.K. I got this message from an obviously talented, witty, and well-read stranger. ;) I'm really trying to get back into blogging but most days fb wins. I find myself thinking in status updates instead of blog posts. It fits my writing style; heck my personality. Get in, get out, be quick, be funny. Here are the other top five reasons I haven't blogged lately:

1. This rainy, cold fall weather is sapping my wit.
2. I am volunteering way too much in my children's classrooms. I was on the PTO board for the past three years (yeah, I'm not your typical PTO mom) but now I get to be a little more hands on. However, I did have another mom tell me she hasn't seen me around school very much this year and actually said, "It's like you've faded into oblivion." I just googled that word to see if she used the right one and this is the definition, "the state of being completely forgotten or unknown." Wow ... thanks lady. Let's do coffee sometime.
3. I'm doing homework sheets with my kindergartener every night. Yep, not every other night. Every night. Darn school district with high academic standards.
4. I'm driving my kids to soccer all over the city of Grand Rapids. Three kids + four fields = two months of no Saturdays.
5. And finally, can one blog about laundry too much? Because I think I do, or did, and probably will again.

Stay smart Emily and I'll try to keep blogging.

Where'd these little girls go?

2009-10-26T11:53:00.003-05:00

Zach Man

2009-10-06T14:04:00.003-05:00

While eating breakfast the other day Zach asks me, "Mom, does God talk to you?" Well buddy, that's some light conversation to start the day with! After launching into a mini-sermon about how he talks to me through prayer Zach stopped me to add something else to the conversation. He said, "God talks to me. He says, (now he's whispering),'Hi Zach.'"

Alert the media. I think we have a modern day prophet on our hands.

Blog On!

2009-09-24T14:54:00.006-05:00

I would consider one of my vices to be sour gummy bears. And now that you know this personal information about me you can choose to find this either oddly endearing or slightly immature.

I will read a book in a day if it's good. And yes, I don't intentionally skip words but probably do on occasion. I really do remember a lot of what I read.

My children are the best parts of me and my husband. Oh, and sometimes the worst.

I don't like beer. Gosh, I wish I did because it's a much cheaper alternative when out at a restaurant or bar.

I mow but I don't blow off the driveway or use the trimmer. I don't want to emasculate my man by taking over all the outside chores.

Speaking of my man, there is nothing sexier than a man who cooks. He was rolling meatballs last night at 10:30 p.m. Hubba hubba.

If my backyard neighbor moves, I might have to quit baking. Seriously. That woman provides me more vanilla, eggs, brown sugar, flour, and baking soda than Meijers.

I have three kids in soccer this fall. One is a great at defense, one is great at offense, and one is great at making dust clouds on the dry fields.

Goodbye Summer

2009-09-07T20:55:00.003-05:00

This is an ode to the summer of 2009. The summer of sweatshirts, running the air-conditioning only a handful of times, and to one that did not require me to move the sprinklers around the lawn all day.

Goodbye summer. Goodbye to lazy mornings, severe tan lines, freckling noses, and the swirl of sand in the laundry wash-tub. Goodbye to camping with friends and family and eating way too many amazing fire treats like "dough-boys", s'mores, and the infamous biscuits.
Goodbye weekly laundry loads of bathing suits and towels and sniffing to see if they could be used just one more time.
Goodbye to the neighborhood kids calling or just showing up and announcing that they could stay for lunch. Yippeee!
Goodbye to caramel frappacinos (I never seem to order these in the winter) and picnic lunches and visiting playgrounds, beaches, and pools daily.
And finally, goodbye to no agendas or appointments, no team practices, no piano lessons, and no over-packed schedules.

J-O-B

2009-08-18T10:13:00.004-05:00

I get to raise these three kids with a loving husband and a Lord and Savior who loves me. How blessed am I?

July Camping Trip

2009-07-15T15:21:00.003-05:00

Music is by Michael Gungor. Song is entitled, "I Will Never Stop".

2 Concerts in 4 days?

2009-06-25T07:54:00.005-05:00

How I knew that I was no longer at a David Crowder Band concert; the first t-shirt I saw someone wearing at the Indigo Girls concert read, "I love boobs." And it was worn by a woman. Enough said? 2 concerts in 4 days. Worlds apart and yet both groups were highly talented musicians. I couldn't get myself to raise my hands however when I was singing along to "Galileo" or "Closer I am to Fine" after raising my hands to the Lord at the Big Ticket Festival (Christian rock extravaganza in Gaylord, MI). Sorry Indigo Girls, only Jesus gets me to raise my hands and worship Him.

I'm Sorry Hair

2009-06-08T19:34:00.003-05:00

I feel I need to apologize to my hair after finding my old passport and my new passport picture together. I'm sorry hair. It was the 90's and I didn't know any better.

Lucky 13

2009-06-07T17:43:00.004-05:00

In a very "Say Anything" kind of a way, my boyfriend Jeff stood at the end of my driveway holding this sign. A dozen roses were laying on my bed with a card that said, "look outside your window." So from my childhood bedroom, I looked down from the second story to see my future husband on bended knee. I am so glad I answered yes to this question. I love you Jeff. Happy Anniversary. Let's go for another 13 ... and more! (And yes, I have kept this sign for 14 years stored in a box in the basement. I guess I'm more sentimental than I thought. My kids loved hearing the story of how daddy proposed until he mentioned the part where we kissed!)

The big 8!

2009-06-03T18:02:00.001-05:00

My "mini-me", Zoey Elise, is turning 8 today. I decided to go through the albums and scan some pics of our very smiley red-head. Now I'm feeling just a tad nostalgic. O.K. to be honest, my feelings are bit stronger than a tad nostalgic. My babies are getting so big.

You Know You're A Mom When ...

2009-05-12T14:57:00.005-05:00

In honor of the Mother's Day we just celebrated last week, I thought I would list some tell-tale signs of how you know you're a mom. Enjoy then share some of your own!

When ...

You do the nose wipe with your bare hand and wipe it on your sock.
You run down the steps in your jammies with your boobies in your hands.
You wear entirely too many ponytails.
You can take one look at your kids and know their sick.
You've learned to look away when your kids fall. Trust me. They'll cry less if they don't think Mommy just saw it all.
Your middle name should be legally changed to "Enabler".
Your nose can now rival a bloodhound. Every smell has met their match in you.
You've hand washed your panties only because you ran out of clean ones. And then used the hair dryer to dry them.
You save all the good fruit for your kids then realize you really should be eating more too.
Your kid spits something out in your hand and having nowhere to go with it, you pop it in your mouth.
You tell your hubby "not tonight" 'cause your hair looked really cute when you went to bed and your hoping to skip the shower in the a.m.

Random

2009-04-28T14:54:00.004-05:00

Here are some random thoughts if you were jonesing for my next post. Just kidding. I may have a healthy self-image but I'm not foolish to believe that people are actually awaiting my next post.

I've had a zit for so long on my chin, I may name it.
It would have been gone weeks ago if I would leave it alone.
I bought a pound or more of sour gummy bears and ate them all in a day and a half.
I actually hid them from kids.
Speaking of hiding candy, Jeff hid Starburst jelly beans in his truck.
When I asked the kids who they thought he was hiding it from, they said from me.
Smart kids.
I think people should monitor what they put on facebook more.
For example, pics of you in your bathing suit, bad idea.
I don't care how hot your bod may be.
Also, don't invite people to dinner or an event if you're not willing to invite all your fb friends.
Seriously. There is a box that says compose new message people.
How do high schoolers deal with this?
I'm 36 and still sometimes feel left out.
That's it folks.
Randomness concluded.

Our 1st Baby

2009-04-12T18:20:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Paige Elizabeth! I can't believe you're double digits. The big 10! And check out her black hair. I can still remember my OBGYN asking Jeff if he needed to be suspicious of the mailman. Oh, and he said this while I was still in stir-ups and he was working down "there". Nice. :)

Self Confidence

2009-03-26T14:15:00.005-05:00

Alright ladies. This post is for you. I just went to party where you got your tummy wrapped. Why? Well, I told the host I thought I could make it, it sounded silly, and yes, sadly this is my "problem area." About ten women got wrapped and sat around talking about how fat they were and how time was stealing their good looks. A couple women even said that they wouldn't tell their 8-10 year old daughters what kind of party they were going to because they didn't want their little girls to think about weight and self-esteem issues yet.

Let me remind you, YOU were once a little girl. You were a little girl who used to twirl to music and thought you were beautiful and thought that that freckle on your big toe was the cutest thing ever. You believed your dad or mom when they said, "You're special. You're extraordinary. You're beautiful." You believed them even when you had a poodle perm, braces and the beginning of acne. And now look at you. You have birthed, nursed, and loved your very own children and you no longer can see your beauty.

Move closer to your computer screen. I'm going into mommy mode a minute. I am putting my hands up and holding your face in my hands and I am saying, "You are beautiful and special and SO worthy of love." And please, guard your ears and eyes from whomever or whatever that says you are not. Guard YOURSELF just like you guard your own children.

The Zoo Crew by Paige Guikema, age 9

2009-03-13T19:55:00.003-05:00

My family is a zoo.

My Dad is the giraffe - tall, hungry and easy to find.

My mom is a lion who cares for her cubs, but unfearful.

My sister is the spunky wolverine - fierce, but silly.

My brother is the monkey - loud and always snacking.

And I'm the cheetah - wild and up for an adventure.

The Monkey Who Had Adventures by Zoey Guikema

2009-03-03T20:08:00.004-05:00

Written by Zoey, age 7, second grader.

There wons (once) was a monkey named Phill.
He wonc (once) flingd (flung) poo. Then he got erested (arrested) for flinging poo.
He stad (stayed) in there for 100 years. He was hongry and tired.
Then he got out of galle. (jail) to see his grandson and he was happy.

The end.

Alright, Alright Already

2009-03-01T12:58:00.006-05:00

Yep. Blogging has officially become a chore on my "to do not" list. Let''s just say that the Guikema family is happy to have the month of February in the books. What promised to be a month of fun, turned into a month of poop. Seriously. Literally. Grossly. I have never talked about this subject so much in my whole entire career as a mom. We've experienced diarrhea, constipation, enemas, laxatives, and that's all for the youngest and smallest member of our gang. The principal at my girls' school even had a "meeting" in his office with Zach to discuss why people need to poop. (This was a hilarious conversation and quite effective ... if you know what I mean!) After the dam broke, Zach went to his room to get on his pajamas and without any encouragement from me, he folded his hands together and said sweetly, "Thanks God for helping me to go poop." Now who could get mad at a kid like this? Oh wait. I have gotten mad at this kid many times over the past month. :)

We had to miss out on going to the Dominican Republic with eight other members from our church because Zach was hospitalized the same weekend we were to fly out. My go to line when asked how we are doing is, "we are profoundly disappointed." Ultimately, the health of our children will always be the most important thing to us as parents and we made the right decision but that doesn't make it any easier to understand.

We have appreciated everyone's love, encouragement and commiseration and I even found that the Sunday school lesson that I taught this week was perfectly designed and timed for the teacher. Who knew a second and third grade curriculum could teach this old lady a valuable lesson? The lesson was all about prayer and learning the ways that God answers our prayers with a yes, no, or wait. When God says no this lesson writes, "God's 'no' will not always make sense. Sometimes you'll think, "Why did God say 'no'? I can't understand it!" Sometimes you'll be able to look back and say, Oh! I see why God said no and sometimes you won't."

Faith isn't always about agreeing with God's answer to our prayer and I think He honors a relationship that is honest and includes some respectful rage. I'm pretty much done raging and am looking forward to this spring and a renewing of health, nature, and hopefully, faith.

What I Know (Now that I'm Older)

2009-01-26T08:32:00.010-05:00

- Tan underwear may be practical for wearing under white pants, but they ain't sexy.
- When you live in the Forest Hills/Ada area, the likelihood that your child will have a play date with the child of your husband's urologist (aka - vasectomy doc) is highly probable.
- You can feel skinny and the scale still knows the truth.
- Your tail bone will hurt if you go sledding AND you're over 30.
- Some kids are easier to like than others. I know this from my own kids and from countless play dates and school visits watching others.
- Eating dessert every night and saying you're on a diet is nonsensical.
- When your gym instructor wears a sports bra to teach a class in you can either be offended because it's inappropriate, or just jealous because her boobs don't jiggle.

Christmas Cards Display

2009-01-18T19:28:00.006-05:00

Here's an idea for how to display all the great Christmas cards you get. My sister-in-law Amy found this idea in a magazine and it suggested you take cute paper and cut it to just the right size and "wallpaper" some clothespins. I had cute little clips so I skipped this step. Just find some cute ribbon and you're in business.

Is this thing on?

2009-01-16T15:23:00.004-05:00

Alright people. I know I've been a slacker blogger now that I joined the newest obsession, facebook, but I still like blogging because it gives you the chance to not write in the third person (Laurie is ... ) and you can write something longer than two sentences. :)

So here's some funnies for you to laugh on and for goodness sakes --- leave me a comment already.

Zach is under the impression that God IS the sun. (He must like listening to Sara Grovers, "You are the Sun ... shining down on everyone. Light of the world ..." So when he sees the sun (which face it, is darn rare here in Grand Rapids) he will actually talk to it. This morning he said, "Hi God. How you doing." Then he asked me why God/Sun was following him all around the house.

He likes to talk about Barack Obama and when I asked him how he knew who that was he simply answered, "He won the competition."

Since Santa brought us a 2-liter of Mountain Dew and we finally opened it, Zach likes to ask for a sip sometimes. However, he calls it "Mountain Burp". I like it, it's catchy and accurate.

After losing something again in the house, I stormed around asking why people couldn't just leave MY stuff alone. I told Zo she was on my poop list and she quietly came up to me later and tried to pay me off with money out of her piggy bank. Apparently this girl thinks she can buy my love. :) I laughed and told her to keep her money and that I loved her.

Stage Fright

2009-01-10T19:04:00.005-05:00

I love this video for so many reasons. The first being the first three seconds I started taping before I realized my kid was crying and looking like he was in serious pain. I then quickly turned off the camera, started making goofy faces at him, and called his teacher over to give him some love. The rest of the program went on without a hitch (on his part but tears came to the adorable girl on his right so she went to the teacher's side to sing.) I also love the way Mrs. Boot (Zach's teacher) talks to the kids and the kids' incredibly sweet voices. And the last thing I love is that my kid has rhythm (check out his clapping) and that when he claps, he must stick his tongue out of his mouth.

I have changed most, if not all of my expectations of what my child should do up on stage from child #1 to child #3. I know not every kid loves to be the center of attention with 60 pairs of adult eyes staring at them while they "perform." And I know that some of the best moments come when you least expect it. (Like when Zach kept telling me the whole ride home how much he loved me. I think he needed some bolstering after the performance.)

O.K. the quality of the video isn't great (not sure why ... still playing around with both the new camera and iMovie) but trust me when I say, the first three seconds were priceless!

That's a Gaggle

2009-01-05T17:13:00.005-05:00

This is a whole lot of Guikemas with one on the way. (Nope, I'm not pregnant just ate too many peanut butter balls this year.) Hope you are all doing well in blogsville. (Check out the new jammies from G & G.)

Buddies Kim & Steph

2008-12-27T13:15:00.005-05:00

Hello Digital

2008-12-26T08:43:00.002-05:00

Our first digital video camera and clip. Enjoy & remember this isn't high quality entertainment ... or video for that matter. :)

'Tis the Season

2008-12-22T22:52:00.004-05:00

Apparently for my husband, 'tis the season to get his butt grabbed. Let me back up a little. Our friends threw the most amazing wine-tasting party last Saturday night. The food was gourmet all the way, the wine tasting was fun (yeah, I pretty much guessed what I was drinking and definitely did not smell the bouquet) and we met some really cool and unusual people. Unusual and frisky. Jeff was chatting by the sink when he felt a hand grab his rear and since I was standing across the way, he knew it was not my hand.

Oh my. This very colorful (and I hope innebriated) woman had grabbed his tush right in front of me and her hubby. Then she claimed she thought it was her husband. (Ummm ... hello. They were not even wearing the same colored pants and Jeff is way hotter.) :)

Merry Christmas and keep an eye on your man this season.

Blog On!

2008-12-04T22:09:00.010-05:00

This is by far my favorite thing in the house. A cheap barn window that hold pictures of my three priceless kids. Thanks to my good friend Steph who once again captured each one of their unique and colorful personalities.
Zach on the hunt to find Sacajawea. (When we met her, she had the most beautiful black hair with bright blue eyes. Hmmmm ...curious.)
I guess it's hard to find non-Dutch actors in the Ada area. :)

This is Paige and I on the way to the David Crowder Band concert sporting our new T's. (Yep, we're that geeky. And no, I wasn't drinking prior to this picture being taken. My 13 yr. old niece snapped it and apparently has a very unsteady hand.)

Mya (photographer of pic above) & Paige. It really was a tiny glimpse of heaven for me that night. To see my favorite artist, hear my daughter singing every lyric to every song, and watching my 15 yr. old nephew, Ross, lifting his hands up in worship right next to my husband Jeff. Take me home Jesus. And make sure Mr. Crowder is playing that night.
Oh yeah. That's my skinny-big-haired-Jesus-loving friend.

(O.K. really we're not friends but I know if we ever met, we would be like BFFs.)

Filter Me, Please

2008-11-19T15:01:00.005-05:00

I have a problem. I'm a conversation filler. If there is a long pause or someone is shy and just looks at me then I'll just start filling. Usually that's o.k. Today? Not so much. Sorry. I'll be back on my 'A' game tomorrow. (Maybe.) I'll leave you with this photo of Michael Phelps. It leaves me speechless. Which today ... is a good thing. :)

What Have I Been Up To?

2008-11-10T08:39:00.003-05:00

Nearly 5'6" if I'm stretching. :)
Getting all the paper work together to get a passport so Jeff and I can go to the Dominican Republic with a group from our church on a mission trip.
Jumping through hoops to get my teacher's certification back --- just in case I decide I would like to get join the work force again. (In other words; get paid for working instead of the current SAHM salary.)
Avoiding housework.
Finding rocks and sticks in the bottom of my daughter Zoey's backpack. Will I someday miss the "treasures" they bring home?
Doing laundry. Like daily. Seriously Deb, I don't know how as another mother of three you only do it once a week.
Blowing my nose and coughing for about a month now. I'm sick of being sick. Time for some drugs. Too bad I have never gone to a regular doc. Could my high risk OBGYN prescribe me something? :)
Playing on facebook. Where does the time go?
Taking a crying four year old to swimming lessons.
Going to see David Crowder Band in concert. I've still got a "holy crush".
Making 50 homemade invites to a brunch that I'm hosting.
Looking forward to our couples get away to Chicago the first weekend in December.
Watching the Lions and U of M lose on a weekly basis.
Did I already say "avoiding housework"? It needed to be repeated.

Please Hold

2008-11-06T19:30:00.001-05:00

My friend Tara uses this line when her kids interrupt her. "Please hold". I've decided it applies to my blog since it's on hold since I joined facebook last week. Sorry. Please hold. :)

For the Grandparents

2008-10-31T17:29:00.007-05:00

And for anybody else who wanted to see the kids all dressed up for Halloween. Here's the cast of characters; Paige - flapper, Zoey - 50's diner waitress, and Zach - the happiest kitty you've ever seen. :)

Zo and her friend Abby

(Abby seriously has the best giggle ever)

Got the flapper dress for 50 cents at a garage sale.

(The seller? Bill Hybels daughter Shauna. So it's kind of a famous dress right?)

A Little Pre-Halloween Fun

2008-10-26T15:17:00.007-05:00

Obiwan Kenobi and Princess Leia

(yeah, we know they didn't date but that's the free costumes we borrowed from our friends.)

Have we mentioned how much Zach loves to dress like a kitty. Every day he tries it on.

Loved the head-to-toe costume. My "buns" were a little itchy however.

Our friends Stan & Jackie.

More friends - Scott (Wilma) & Jeannine (Fred)

Tami (Martha Stewart) & Dave (Joe the Plumber)

2008-10-19T12:44:00.004-05:00

Well the kids can't go to college now, but it sure looks pretty in our kitchen!

Beware of Footy Pajamas

2008-10-15T08:03:00.012-05:00

This blog has become more about pictures than writing and since I'm not a professional photographer like my good friend Steph, I should stick to what I can kinda do, write. So last weekend Jeff was at a YGuides camp out with Zoey and since he is the "early to bed" partner in this marriage, I was excited to stay up late watching a movie &/or reading my book. I rented "Becoming Jane" (very good in a heart-wrenching-she-ends-up-alone kind of way) and then decided to read my book club book "Beautiful Boy" (also good in a heart-wrenching-your-kid- is- on -crystal- meth. kind of way.) So after going to bed around 12:30 (yeah, that's late to a mother of three) I fell asleep and slept soundly until 6 a.m. when Zach came into my room and told me he had pooped. Now he's been potty trained for about a year but we haven't tried the overnights yet because ... well to be honest ... we've been lazy and we don't want to change sheets in the middle of the night. So Zach's up, there's a poop in the diaper, there's no hubby to roll over and hit, so I stagger to the bathroom with my stinky short friend. As I unzip his footy pajama, I realize that one side of his diaper is already unstuck. Uh-oh. I tell Zach to wait so mommy can undo the other side so we can keep the poopy in the diaper. Too late. He's yanking at it and plop. The plop has plopped inside one of the legs of his pajama. Did I mention it was a footy pajama? After shaking out both legs over the toilet because I couldn't tell which one was heavier, I wiped Zach up, got a clean jammy and tried to get him to fall back asleep next to me.

Yeah right. 5 1/2 hrs. of sleep. That will teach me to stay up "late".

A tale of two pictures

2008-10-14T08:45:00.004-05:00

The girls looking cute.
And then there's their little brother ...

Running with the Bulls

2008-10-05T11:30:00.014-05:00

So, I volunteered to organize a float from our school and it was fun and Jeff was amazingly helpful. (Even though he flat out refused to be the bull rider but instead opted to be the truck driver.) Our elementary school really is amazing. You shoot out a few emails and the next thing you know, your house is filled with moms making tissue paper flowers! :)

Thanks everyone.

(Dad G. for letting us borrow your trailer, Sheryl for dropping off a sweet yellow shirt and cape the day of the parade, Tasha for finding a matador hat at her church, Nicole, the art teacher, for making the incredible signs, and all the moms, dads, and kids who helped make the flowers and/or walked.)

(This dad, Tom, was an amazing matador.He had to act like he wasn't having any fun, but we know the truth! He had the most props of any float participant and held a rose in his mouth for the entire parade - 45 minutes!)

Getting Ready for the Big Parade

2008-09-29T11:44:00.003-05:00

Here are the neighbor kids (& a couple of mine own)

using the trailer for their Rock Band.
These girls can jam!

Can my kids be average?

2008-09-25T14:05:00.005-05:00

In a world where each child is pushed to excel at everything they do at school, at home, or on the playing field, can I ask just one simple question; can my kid be average or does she or he have to be excellent at everything?

You forgot how to read certain musical notes over the summer? Get out the flashcards and practice before piano lessons next week.
You forgot some of your multiplication facts? Hey, we got flashcards for that too.
Go to soccer practice to improve your ball skills.
Don't forget to read every night.
Get an 'A' on your spelling test every week.
Here's a math sheet for homework.

I'll admit most days I want my kids to exceed, excel, be excellent. But I also want them to be a kid. Just a fun-loving, care-free, average kid.

Chew On This

2008-09-22T09:32:00.001-05:00

"Pride is forgetting the bigness of God and the smallness of you."

Fall Feast

2008-09-15T15:28:00.005-05:00

Candy corn + peanuts =

Absolute Deliciousness

(It tastes just like a Pay Day candy bar. But looks more festive.)

Thanks to our dentist & friend for bringing this to a party and introducing it to our family. Is he trying to boost his business? :)

Professional Softball Family?

2008-09-15T07:36:00.009-05:00

O.K. I never blogged about our family's crazy softball schedule this summer. M/W/F we were out on the softball field and the girls had fun learning how to play the game. (Their mom/coach had "fun" trying to teach them too!) The girls were very sweet but after yelling, "throw it to first, first base, first, go to one" and then watching them toss it to second, my patience was extremely tested. :) I also had one little player who after telling her to run out to her position, she stared at me and walked every so slowly out on the field. Grrrrr. I think I better wait a few years before I coach softball again. Maybe I should coach a sport I know nothing about ... Zoey's up to bat.

Paige's up to bat.

Crazy girls.

How I Know

2008-09-09T13:44:00.004-05:00

This is how I know that I sent a little boy off to school yesterday and not a little girl.

I had to remind him to try to hold in his "toots". (Seriously, it was our lunchtime discussion.)

This is how I know that I sent my baby off to school.

I was the only mom in the carpool line and since I was a few minutes early I asked the teacher if I was the first one. To which she responded, "No, most moms and dads are walking their child in for the first day." Alrighty then.

I stayed in my car. :)

I watched him run in all excited with his camo backpack looking like a little man.

I cried as I rounded the corner and drove away.

And They're Off ... to School!

2008-09-02T12:38:00.010-05:00

1st day of school tradition; picture taken with sign.

One latest home improvement project; displaying the kids artwork.

1 Phenomenal art teacher at school + 2 creative little girls =

13 incredible pieces of art that are now proudly displayed in the basement.

My Boys

2008-08-27T17:31:00.009-05:00

I thought I should post a picture of Zach doing something "manly" like washing the car since I posted a picture of him in a pink dress. Sorry little man. You look cute either bare back or in a pink tutu however.

Jeff and his mini-me.

Poor Boy

2008-08-22T14:05:00.004-05:00

It's tough having older sisters. Here's to a life of dress up and tiaras.

Room's Done / IKEA Trip / Saying Goodbye

2008-08-20T13:25:00.006-05:00

So apparently the word "submit" doesn't get the comments flowing! :) Here is a pic of the inside of our room. I really do love how it turned out and I can now finally walk around in a towel (or less) in my room without feeling like I'm on display. Good news for me; great news for my neighbors? My friend Steph and I headed to IKEA yesterday (great conversations + fun shopping = happy mommy) and we bought a lot of organization and kitchen stuff. The only bummer was that they were out of a few things I "needed": nightstands for our bedroom, curtains for the girls room, and a new area rug for our kitchen. I guess when I prayed at lunchtime for God to help me only buy things that would be useful, he was in fact once again listening to my prayers. As soon as I got back I changed my clothes to go to a funeral visitation for a friend from our former church. Tim was just 41 years old and leaves behind a beautiful wife and four kids. Please pray for Becky if you think of her during the day. Hope all you bloggers are well.

"Monkeying around" with more upper case living art.

Dirty Word?

2008-08-17T20:40:00.012-05:00

Best sermon I've ever heard on the word submit. Thanks to Pastor Steve Armfield at our church for helping me re-think submission. If you have a few minutes , o.k. more like a half an hour, take a listen. (Be patient. It takes a few seconds to download.)

If I'm being perfectly honest, I've always struggled with the word "headship". After all, I'm a confident independent woman of the 21st century. I want to be the head of my own ship thank you very much. A funny example of this is when my dear brother-in-law called us about a year into our marriage and just a few months into his own and asked Jeff how he was handling being the "head of our household." To which Jeff moved the phone away from his ear and yelled across our dingy apartment, "Hey Laurie - am I the head of our house?" I think if you have to ask ... the answer may be NO! ;)

Maybe what my brother-in-law was asking wasn't how are you doing at being the "boss" and "ruler" of your home but rather, how are you loving your wife? Are you loving her like Christ loved the church? When you look at her do you see the cross right over her shoulder? I'm going to believe that is what he was asking and that we were too immature to understand the question. Because let's face it, the other alternative would make him somewhat less "dear" to feisty 'ole me. :)

The Zoo, New Hoosier & Wall Art

2008-08-04T09:05:00.011-05:00

When did my kids get so blonde?Love us some free face painting!

Don't poop on us birdies.

Our find in Pentwater. A refurbished Hoosier cabinet.

Uppercaseliving art in the girls' newly painted pink room.

VBS Week

2008-07-30T15:27:00.003-05:00

This week I'm leading games at our church where over 350 kids are coming every day. The first day I met my "assistant" who is entering seventh grade. Can you say baby face? He was late the first day and so I told him if he was late again I would make him run wind sprints. His eyes bugged out of his head and he said, "Oh no. I'll be on time from now."

Every time I picture his face, I laugh out loud. I love middle schoolers. They're so gullible.

Confessions of a Tomboy

2008-07-26T21:01:00.006-05:00

I hate to paint my toenails. Really I do. It's uncomfortable, time-consuming, tedious work.
I spit when I run. My mom once told me that I wouldn't appeal to the opposite sex if I spit while I played college softball. Hmmmm, as I recall, I had a few dates in college.
I say the s*word that rhymes with spit while playing co-ed softball at the Christian Reformed Rec. Center. Usually quietly & just to myself when someone botches a play. I even yelled at my nephew when he cut off the ball when I was trying to throw someone out at 3rd base. Sorry Ross. Love ya - but get the rock out of the way.
I love to mow the grass. My husband will often be cooking dinner inside while I'm out mowing. I still remember my neighbor telling me that when her boys saw me out mowing for the first time they shouted, "Look. There's a mom mowing the grass!"

Long Jump Contests

2008-07-25T07:37:00.010-05:00

Camping means joining in an impromptu long jump contest at the bottom of the sand dune called, "Old Baldy" (not kidding about that name & yes, I can think of other things that could be called that), talking about deep and not so deep stuff around the fire or around the picnic table as you battle it out gender vs. gender in cards, letting your kids stay up too late playing charades, putting your bathing suit on right when you wake up and leaving it on until after dinner, it's many moments ... sandy, sticky, silly, unforgettable moments.

If you get a chance, read this book, "Cold Tangerines" by Shauna Niequist. Her words are bursting off of every page encouraging you to celebrate everything in your life. She writes, "Today is your big moment. Moments, really. The life you've been waiting for is happening all around you. The scene unfolding right outside your window is worth more than the most beautiful painting, and the crackers and peanut butter that you're having for lunch on the coffee table are as profound, in their own way, as the Last Supper. This is it. This is life in all its glory, swirling and unfolding around us, disguised as pedantic, pedestrian non-events. Your life, right now, today is exploding with energy and power and detail and dimension, better than the best movie you have ever seen. You and your family and your friends and your house and your dinner table and your garage all have the making of a life of epic proportions, a story for the ages. Because they all are. Every life is."

Camping Part Deux

2008-07-22T15:33:00.009-05:00

Wrapped up the camping adventure with my sister & her family. The cousins had so much fun together that Paige said we should live closer to each other. Cindy came back by saying we should move because we turbo through home improvement projects! Ha! I would love to bulldoze my house and build my dream home right on the same lot. Our neighborhood is just too great. Take today for instance; I asked my neighbor if we could borrow his chain saw to cut up a fallen branch and he said he would take care of it for me. Nice. Then I sit outside on my porch and watch my neighbor across the street chat it up with my kids and then hand them a bag of fresh picked cherries. Too nice. I love it here. (Don't worry Patti, I haven't forgotten about your late night contributions to my baking extravaganzas. Love ya too. And Tara, if you actually read my blog - I miss ya girl.)

Thanks Groots! We had a blast with your family and we love you lots. And thanks Te Slaas for letting them borrow your camper for the weekend.

Time to Reload

2008-07-16T15:16:00.010-05:00

This post is dedicated to my neighbor & friend Patti who for some reason finds my life interesting. :) We are home for a day and a half from camping to re-load on food, clean clothes, and for the girls & I (their coach) to get to their softball game tonight. Today is picture day and we thought we shouldn't miss it. Later ...

Mr. Twisty in his sleeping bag.

Camping causes craziness.

The nine year olds; Maddie & Paige.

The 7 & 8 year olds; Zoey & Ellie. Dough boys are so good you want to lick the paper plate.

The hot mamas; Steph, me, Kim

The hot papas; Mark & Jeff playing corn hole. Could this game have a stranger name? :)

The crew (minus Jeff who was snapping this photo.)

Mark & Steph & their four kids

Us & our three

The Hoekstras & their two boys who came to visit for a day.

The Clampetts go Camping!

2008-07-05T21:08:00.009-05:00

A pick-up truck is like cheating when going camping.

So easy to pack - love it.

Have I mentioned that I'm not afraid to be a little cheesy? :)

Fruit pizza flag for the 4th. Oh baby, it was good.

Dear Fellow Bloggers,
Hope y'all had a great 4th. Here's some pics of our fun day and a pic of my friend Kim & I who keep getting asked if we are sisters. Thanks to the Hoekstras for grilling up a mean steak & for paying their East Grand Rapids taxes so we could enjoy the fireworks display! I will be unavailable for the next two weeks because I will be working on my tan. Please try not to abuse my comment section by having miscellaneous conversations and musings. Actually, go ahead. I get more comments when I'm gone then when I'm around. ;)

Sulphur smell - yum!

Sisters? If only she had red hair and more freckles.

Boys are pyromaniacs.

Snakes, aka poops. The kids absolute favorite of all time.

Eight IS Enough & We Be Jammin'

2008-07-02T07:58:00.008-05:00

(o.k. that's only 7 - where's Mikayla?)

I thought I'd share a shot of our kids & the cousins (all five of them) that we babysat while their mom & dad interviewed for a new pastor job in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They really are the sweetest kids and they were so cute when I told them I got some good ideas for their next birthdays by watching them play with our toys (remote control car and MP3 player). Until two of them told me they would like a trampoline and a Wii instead. LOL! Pastor's kids with expensive tastes - I love it! Thanks to Patti for having a tramp and always letting our kids jump on it. To wrap up our busy day we decided to make eight batches of homemade strawberry jam. The girls did a great job helping and 45 minutes later we were done.

All in a Day's Work

2008-06-29T10:59:00.010-05:00

For inquiring minds like Jamie & Amy :) - we got rid of the slider because it was from the 1970's, made our room either the hottest or coldest room in the house, we were sick of always having the curtains closed because you never know when you need to do a quick change of clothes, we wanted a better wall to position our bed on and now can have wall sconces wired in, and finally, because we have another slider that is off the deck from our eating area.

Oh, and I think in the five years we lived here we used it five times.

Enough reasons ladies? ;)

9:00 a.m. the old slider is removed from our bedroom.

Window is installed with a new wall.

Siding going on pretty easily.

4:30 p.m. the outside is complete.

Next steps on the home-improvement to do list: insulate the inside, dry wall, wire in two sconces for either side of the bed, trim out the window, & paint the walls. Whew! Is that all?

Answer This

2008-06-27T12:54:00.005-05:00

Jeff was posed this question by a fellow colleague;

Why do you pray when God already knows what's going to happen?

Please join the conversation by sharing your answer.