Vacation..road trip!

Tuckered out from a day at the beach.

Lovin' the sand
The only thing she wanted to do in the water was pick up rocks and throw them back in the water. :) She certainly isn't afraid of water though.

Way too cute! She knows when she has someone wrapped around her little finger. ;)

A beautiful unpopulated beach. I'm spoiled..I can't stand going to the beach with half the country...This is perfection!

Nag, Nag, Nag!!

Well..people keep bugging me to update this blog. Sorry it's been such a long time, but quite honestly, there hasn't been much going on in my life. Work, and..um work..a little family, oh..and work! Just kidding. Well, since May I have been focusing a bit more on work. I finally wrote an exam that I put off till the last possible exam date. I spent quite a bit of time studying for that. I have been put in a new position at work that has given me more responsibility, which is good. In July we celebrated with Tim and Val as they exchanged vows. Nat and Candice finished building their house and Mom and Dad moved out when I bought their house and they are now enjoying a different house too. Since then I have been pretty much kept busy with taking care of things around here and paying the bills. I had the lovely experience of standing on the top rungs of a ladder while trying to unplug gutters in the pouring rain. I got used to mowing the lawn and picking up apples; pulling weeds and picking up more apples; picking apples and peeling them; making apple pies and eating them. :) Now since the snowfall I have been muscling snow off of my driveway. It has been a challenging year, but a good challenge. I enjoyed the company of a roomate for several months and am now enjoying solitary confinement. Again, just kidding. I love living on my own too. Well..Chloe has been growing like a weed and we have been spoiled to be able to see her so frequently since she was born. She is a bundle of curious energy! I think we have a second curious george in the family. She certainly does take after her daddy!
Tim and Val have started their own little family (or zoo) with a cat named Denny, and a dog named Laney. Their little house is full of energy too.
The guys have been 'getting serious' about their music and so the highlights of my social life have been going to see them play at various venues.
I have felt so blessed this year to be able to get to know my sister's in law better. They have become close friends and it is always fun to have an excuse to get together. I still seem to spend a lot of time at Mom and Dad's place as Dad frequently asks "where's Bird?".
So that's where my life has been lately.

I'd like to share some thoughts and scripture as well.
2 Corinthians 3:7-9
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.

So.. I had a conversation with a couple of people recently about how this world seems to be 'brain washing' people. I know that's a general statement, but lets look at Divorce as an example. The way that the media and entertainment portray divorce makes it seem "normal". It is becoming such a common thing that people almost seem to be going into marriage with a thought in the back of their minds "how long will this last?". Kids have gone through several relationships by the time they are 20. This is just one of many examples that I could give. Homo-sexuality, drugs, premarital sex. All of these things are being passed off as "normal".

Now these verses show huge commitment to Christ. No matter what..we will be strong. A question that I have been asking of myself is "how am I being an example that shows that I value my relationship with Christ and with others?" Am I going to pass on to my children the value of commitment to Christ and to his body? Each new life that we come into contact with can be an opportunity for us to share the sure hope that we have in Christ. Each life on earth creates an impact. As Christians we have an amazing opportunity to impact others. How many people do you know? or have met? If you make an impact in one person's life and they pass that on to several people they know..in essence one person can change the world. God got it started.. are we going to pass it on?

So just some thoughts. Maybe they'll encourage you or challenge you.
I guess that's all for now. Till next time..(it may be awhile) haha