Definition of Beseech:
To request earnestly or beg for.

I am beseeching God to perform a miracle and heal little Hannah. Even though you don't know the family or situation, I beseech you to do the same. Thank you.

Perspective

So ... I've been thinking. I know, I know. It's something I usually try to avoid. However, we just watched the movie, "The Kite Runner" this weekend and it gave me and my husband a new appreciation of just how blessed we are to live in America. The landscape of that movie in the 1970's is gorgeous and then thirty years later the land is ravaged and the people are living under the oppressive rule of the Taliban. The father and son have to flee their country and never return to the land they once called home.

And our country is giving us an economic stimulus package so we can buy more stuff. Nice stuff. Some stuff we might even "need". But stuff nonetheless.

And for $32 a month we can sponsor our Compassion Child, Patria so she can have some stuff too. Stuff like water, food, education, and clothing. You know, that essential stuff you and I take for granted every day.

Oh perspective, you are a challenging and uncomfortable friend to be around sometimes.

Jazzy Ladies

Today was Paige and Zoey's dance recital for Hearts in Step ( a local Christian dance academy) and not only did they look fantastic, but their jazz dancing was pretty great too! Cousins Kylie & Lindsey take ballet at H.I.S. and you could tell that they've been dancing for a few years. Way to go girls! Now, take that make-up off 'cause you're way too young to be looking so old. :)Brrrrrrrrr ... where'd the 80 degree weather of yesterday go?

It's a sister thing.

Look out boys - future heart-breakers!

Victory!

Step #1: Convince your child that he or she needs help getting that wiggly tooth out.

Step #2: Get the dental floss.

Step #3: Tie a lasso around the snaggletooth.

Step #4: Give it a yank.

Step #5: Have a piece of paper towel close by for the blood.

Step #6 (most important step): Don't forget to play tooth fairy or there will be tears. :)

Our little Soloist and our little Snaggletooth

Paige had a short solo during her third grade musical this week and she once again amazed us with her voice, confidence, and presence in front of an audience. The music teacher actually switched her to a different solo the day before the concert and when I asked her if she was o.k. with the new one she said matter-of-fact, "Yeah, it's fine." She also reported that she didn't have any "butterflies" this year. Look for her on American Idol in about 10 years. :)
(This girl has skills too!)

And Zoey has several loose teeth right now just waiting to either fall out or get the dental-floss-lasso-yank out by Mom. I tried to get her to let me pull it by enticing her with the fact that the Tooth Fairy brings you a $2 bill when you lose your first, big front tooth. When that didn't work, I told her it might fall out while she is sleeping and she may swallow it. (nice scare tactic huh?) She answered me quickly back with, "I sleep with my mouth open so I won't swallow it." Ah ... yes you mouth breather. You do have the kickin' morning breath that proves this is true! :)

An Ode to my Boobs

You girls have always been there for me

Filling a dress or feeding a kid;

But now that I've lost some fatty,

You don't fill out a bathing suit as you once did.

___________________________________

This ode was inspired by our recent trip to the waterpark at the Great Wolf Lodge. While wearing a bathing suit I bought two months ago, I realized that another one of the downsides to losing weight (besides the constant calorie counting and exercise) is that I have sadly ... lost my boobs.

R.I.P. girls.

And don't worry, we might meet again ...

after several pounds of sour gummy bears! :)

Thanks Great Wolf - It was fun!

Happy Birthday Paige

To our first baby ...

next year, double digits!

Love you Paige Elizabeth.

Guikema Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

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MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family pictures - Geneology

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MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Family history - Pedigree chart

Blog on Mommy!

The Wall Street Journal highlighted these blogs written by moms. The first blog is written by a mom of one. (Just one? Come on now! I should have three times the material!) Her hubby quit his job to manage all of the advertisers who want to post on her blog. Since one of her posts got over 500 comments, I'm not surprised he now works from home. Hmmmm ... I don't think I've ever even had double digits! Keep your day job honey. :)

For your reading pleasure?! I just picked a few and the determining factor was if I liked the name or not. Very scientific research, I know.
http://dooce.com/
http://5minutesformom.com/
http://designmom.com/
http://notesfromthetrenches.com/
http://fussy.org/

What I'm Reading

"These two visiting teachers were the gold and silver sun-splash in the great muddy river of school days ... If all the teachers had been like (these two), Francie would have known plain what heaven was. But it was just as well. There had to be the dark and muddy waters so that the sun could have something to background its flashing glory."

To all you teachers and moms (who are teaching all the time), be the sun. Leave the "muddy background" to someone or something else.

Who needs Florida?

65 and sunny ... man I love Michigan!

Who needs to go away for spring break?

Highlights of the week so far: The girls getting their ears pierced for the first time, going to see 'Enchanted', (how can Patrick Dempsey be endearing to girls of all ages?), and having a picnic at the John Ball Zoo with good friends. Life is good. (I should create a line of clothing with that tag line huh?) :) Spring is good too ... the Tigers record however, is not.

Do You Remember When ...?

• You wore your hair in a short-poodle permed bob? (My sisters and I are all rockin' it!)


• You would re-do your hair if it didn't turn out just right? I literally would stick my head under the tub's faucet, re-wet, and re-style. Now I just go with my bad hair days.
  
• You could kiss your future hubby for hours? Seriously. I still marvel on the hours we wasted, ummmm, I meant spent just smooching. Now if he leans over to kiss me at night I ask, "what are you after?" ;)
  
• You wore a turquoise green turtle neck dress with a purple scarf tied at your waist? Love my outfit don't ya? I like my oldest sister's pink, roman numeral sweater even better! HA!

What did you used to do that now seems ridiculous & laughable?

I'm all blogged out ...

I don't know if it's because winter won't let go of her icy grip here in Michigan, or my everyday routine has provided few blog-worthy moments, or I'm just truly all blogged out. With this in mind, I'll just give you a few highlights from my last week.

• Hosted book club and realized we talked more about our sex lives than the book.
• Weighed in and realized I've lost 9 lbs. in a month. FYI: Diet and exercise combined do work --- darn it, now I've got to keep it up!
• Joined a gym. (See above to know why.) :)
• Played nurse to all three of my kids who thought they'd keep things interesting by each having a different virus. (double ear-infection, the flu, and a cold with a fever.)

That's it. Happy weekend, happy spring ... and all that crap. ;)

Happy Birthday Zachary Eli

Every child is a miracle.

This child's birth and life just reminds us all of that fact.

Happy Birthday Zach. We love you!

Few Questions for Ya

1. Why do my kids have to wear green on St. Patrick's Day when we're Dutch?
2. Why does the Pope have to issue a statement about when Catholics should party? (Since St. Patty's is during Holy Week this year, he recommends that if you must party, you should have already celebrated last Saturday.)
3. What's a girl have to do to get a pap smear? (After scheduling my "yearly" three times and having my appt. cancelled after I waited for an hour in the waiting room yesterday, I've decided it's time to stop seeing a high risk specialist doc just for my routine exam!)

Wanted Woman

Alright, alright. Enough already ladies. I will play along with your tags! My blogger buddies Dana & Amy have both tagged me. One was to write seven unusual or interesting things about myself ---hmmmm ---- I've done this one before. So, I'm choosing the tag to write the 4 things. Hope that's o.k. Fabes! :)

1. Four Jobs I have had in my life:
Big Boy Waitress
Cashier at a Mission Thrift Store
Camp Director
Varsity Volleyball Coach

2. Four Movies I could have or have watched over and over (I'm not exactly proud of this list, but it's truthful):
Sixteen Candles
Serendipity
Never Been Kissed
Karate Kid (#1)

3. Four Places I have lived:
Mt. Pleasant, MI
Traverse City, MI
Big Rapids, MI
Olympia, WA

4. Four t.v. shows that I watch:
American Idol
Pushing Daisies
Friday Night Lights
The Office

5. Four places I have visited:
Bahamas
Santa Fe, NM
Scottsdale, AZ
Moscow, Russia

6. Four people who email me regularly:
Patti
Jeannine
Stephanie
Julie

7. Four of my favorite foods:
Guacamole
Sour gummy bears
Almonds
Flank steak

8. Four places I would like to be right now:
Now that spring has sprung, I'm good!

9. Four things I'm looking forward to this year:
Watching Paige sing two solos at church and school
Joining a gym and toning this bod
Going camping for two weeks in July
Discerning God's voice in my everyday life

10. Four people who should post four things:
Patti
Julie
Brenda
Bradi

That's a whole lot of Jelly Bellys

Seen at Meijers yesterday (all you folks that no longer live in the midwest can now do a collective sigh and say Meijers in an affectionate and longing tone of voice.)

Subject? Young boy, 6-7 years old, weighing a bag full of Jelly Bellys with no mom or dad in sight.

Weight? 4 lbs.

Price per pound? $7.00

Total? 28 bucks. (In case you're slow at math, I multiplied it for you.)

Boy, would I have loved to see that mom's reaction. :)