A Mess In the Making

See my Tabblo>

Baptism Cannonball!

Wouldn't you just love to see how our Pastor would handle this?!!

Learning to Swing

See my Tabblo>

The Concert Post

First....
Blogger, if you were the only blog host out there, I'd pull the plug on this blog right now. Are you willing me to move this circus to another host? Blogging mommies have little time to waste, especially with irregular blog service. There.

Second....
There are three of you who have heard the concert ticket story, so if you're reading this, skip to "Third" now.

The prelude to my concert ticket story is about rodeo tickets. Here goes....

Back when sis was just a newborn, we took her and her big bro to see the rodeo (nutty, I know). We sat in a line of traffic for over a half hour, only to park in a muddy field and trudge our way to the ticket booth. We then waited in line for another half hour, only to be informed (three people from the booth) that the rodeo show was sold out. We didn't know how to explain to Bud that we couldn't see the rodeo. We were told by passers-by that people were walking around selling tickets they no longer needed, so off Steve went to hunt down some tickets.

I knelt down next to Bud and asked him, "should we ask God to help us find tickets?" He nodded, and so we prayed for just that. I no sooner stood back up, the crowd dispersed, and there in the grass were 2 tickets for that night's show. I'm still amazed to this day. Steve walked up soon after, and handed me the single ticket he was able to buy. He was shocked when I told him what had happened. Pretty cool huh?

Last Friday, Steve & I took off for the Cities to see the Lord of the Rings Symphony. This required time off from work, 2 different sitters, and various other arrangements. So, we're two-thirds the way there and I feel compelled to look at the tickets. I wish I could admit to looking at them before, but it was the first time I'd taken them out of the package. This, in retrospect, was dumb with a capital d. I really should have inspected them when they arrived in the mail. What I saw, made me curse. Yes, curse. Ask Steve, he'll confirm it. I then started shaking, and tearing up. The tickets were for the Saturday show, not Friday. Not only did we have the wrong day, but the tickets were non-transferable, and non-refundable. This would have been a big chunk of change, g-o-n-e. I called the box office on the cell and talked to "Ingrid", who informed me that the show was sold out, and that the only hope for us to see the show was if there were cancellations. She said to come to the box office and wait and see.

We did check with the box office once we got to orchestra hall, but to no avail. We decided to go have a bite to eat and wait it out. As we walked to the restaurant I said, "please Lord, could you give me tickets again, just like the rodeo?" I felt pitiful asking that of Him again. I felt so selfish.

We ate our supper and headed back to the concert hall. I had a knot in my stomach and I was weak in the knees. This was such a bummer! I had looked forward to this concert, had worn out my LOTR cd's. We were standing right there, in the concert hall, with no way of getting in the auditorium. It was awful.

So, we checked with the ticket desk, one more time. Still no chance, except.....
The box office manager happened to be walking past the booth as I shared my story, for a third time. He stopped, listened to our plight, and asked Steve & I to come over to his desk. He tapped away at his keyboard for what seemed like eternity. Then, from out of nowhere, he handed me 2 tickets, muttered something about "problem seats", smiled at me and said, "enjoy the show." As Steve & I walked away from the counter Steve said, "you sure are spoiled." All I could do was grin. It was either that or sob with relief.

The tickets were for seats on the main floor, less than 20 rows back! Steve took the aisle seat, which was great for him and his long legs. I could see every musician, their facial expressions as they played, the details on the soloist's gown. It was unbelievable! These were NOT problem seats with an obstructed view. They were perfect seats.

During intermission we went and found what would have been our original seats. While not as bad as some, they would've been very cramped for Steve, and the view was obstructed by the balcony wall. I was just in awe of God's blessing!

Some people would hear this story and say, "oh you just got lucky", or scoff about God playing any part in it. I say God knew how much this meant to me. Such a minute thing in the grand scheme of things, yet He knew it was important to me. The Bible says:

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

I am a walking-talking testament to this. You probably are too! Stop for a moment and think... how many times have you been blessed by the grace of God? I bet it was today. I bet it will be tomorrow. You know what? It's every day if you're a Believer, who's put their trust in Jesus and His sacrifice on the cross! How awesome is that?! Don't you just want to shout it from the rooftops! His love for us comes down from above in infinite measure, and if that doesn't just make your heart swell up, well, what would?!

He is an awesome God!

By the way... the concert...WOW! Goosebump-inducing, heart-racing, tear-shedding, standing ovation-worthy WOW.

Third....
Last Saturday I had another opportunity to paddle with a new-found friend. Jodi & I paddled upriver from her house to the bridge near RL's Shopko store (for you locals). It was 1-1/2 hours of pretty constant paddling. There were sections that you felt like you were paddling for all you were worth just to maintain your current position, much less move up river. It was fun, and I can't wait to paddle with her again. We're hoping for a snowy day for our next trip. If you would have asked me if I'd be doing this 5 years ago I would've thought you were nuts. Now I'm pretty sure you think I am.

Here we are BEFORE & DURING. We are without an AFTER shot. I think we were too cold to think about getting one.



This concludes my marathon post. Have a super weekend!

Apple Orchard 2006

We were blessed with beautiful weather, and the orchard all to ourselves!  The kids enjoyed pulling three bushel baskets of apples off one tree!  Then we enjoyed fresh-baked apple cookies on the way home.

... See my Tabblo>

Love Is.....

Hubby letting me get a pony for myself the kids.
And even though I feed/water him, brush him, and clean up after him (pony, not hubby) the pony likes hubby better!

Love Thursday photo pool here.

Impromptu Invite Follow-up

I have to be totally honest! I really expected this to be too late of notice to get anyone to go. I am SO excited that you're going to make it!

This is a much-needed girls night out
See you tonight!

Impromptu Invite

Would any of you moms care to join me for 1/2 price appetizers tonight (Tuesday) at 9:15 pm?
leave your RSVP in the comments. I sure hope you can come!

I found this at Jodi's and it looked fun.

If you want to try it, copy and paste it to your blog- then put each one you have done in bold. Comment at the bottom to let me know you played along!

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you” and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea (does Lake Superior count?)
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment (high school English class)
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children - still raising!
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a raft trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

Three Words.

ladybugs.
Good. Grief!