Wedding weekend

We had a weekend filled with wedding festivities for our special friends Mark & Tamra. I went to a lingerie shower on Thursday night, we attended the rehearsal and dinner on Friday, and the focus of Saturday was the wedding.

Daddy, Preacher Mark, & Lindy at the rehearsal...

Lindy & Mia at the rehearsal...

Preacher Mark loving on Lindy and enjoying yummy Mexican food...

This was the second wedding Lindy has attended. The first was in May of 2006 not long after she had come home. She really enjoyed the fun and was so excited about Miss Tamra's "princess dress" and the prospect of "lots and lots of black cake." That's my girl--into chocolate!!!

Pretty girls...

A RARE family picture...

Lindy was especially excited to blow bubbles as the newlyweds made their exit for their honeymoon. Really does it get much better than a pretty dress, chocolate cake, and bubbles???


We wish Mark & Tamra all the best as they begin their new life together!!!

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday!!

Today I am thankful for several little things...

• Dinner with my "big sisters" on Monday night. It is inevitable hot flashes and hormones are part of the discussion but I take great comfort knowing these ladies will help me through the change when it is my turn.
  
  
• A day at home on Wednesday. Truth be told, I like having time to stay at home with my girl. I intentionally try not to be out too often because it infringes on our time to play together. I know we can't or shouldn't be in all the time but I do cherish our girl time.
  
  
• For significant rain on Monday. Ironically, that was the day I chose to do LOTS of errands. So I looked a bit goofy running around from place to place with a two year old but oh the sense of accomplishment!
  
  
• The Texas Primary is over and so are the phone calls. John, Mike, Hillary, Barack, Rick Perry, Michelle Obama, John Cornyn, Joe Blow for Sheriff, and all their buddies have stopped calling. We received easily a dozen calls a day and of course it seemed like most were during Lindy's nap. Really, how was a girl to sleep???
  
  
• I overcame a silly fear this week--giving myself a shot. I am not afraid to get shots but I just never wanted to be the one to administer it. I was the girl in biology who didn't want to prick her finger to get her bloodtype. One of my commitments this year was to get back to taking medicine to treat my rheumatoid arthritis. I've been off for 10 years and have paid the price for it. I am now officially up and running on a course of treatment and just pray that it will be more beneficial than adverse (you know, those little things called side effects).
  
  
• Mark & Tamra's big day is on Saturday!
  
  
• A good talk with my sister-in-law and friend, Dani, this week. We hadn't had a chance to talk in weeks. Yikes!
  
  
• For the very special night my friend Linette and her family experienced at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert. You can read all about it on her blog. Thanks to Steven Curtis Chapman, they are a lot closer to bringing home their daughter, Hope.

What are you feeling thankful for today?

Happy Birthday, Jill!

Today is my friend Jill's birthday. She's the beautiful one pictured above with her darling babies. Jill is a family girl through and through who delights in being with her children, her husband, her parents, siblings, and nephews. She is creative and bright and will beat the pants off of you in most games!

I am glad God placed you in my life, Jill, and I wish you a very happy day!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am resorting to a little asparagus, known as Junior, for my Thankful Thursday post. Lately, Lindy and I have been listening to a lot of Junior from Veggie Tales as we drive around town. She knows almost all the songs by heart and really belts them out. I love it! Sometimes it makes me laugh. Sometimes it makes me cry. Anyway, this simple little song she's been singing has stuck with me and I thought I'd share it with you:

I thank God for this day,

For the sun in the sky,

For my mom and my dad,

For my piece of apple pie! (My words would be CHOCOLATE)

For our home on the ground,

For His love that's all around,

That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

I'm glad for what I have,

That's an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,

'Cause He listens to my prayers,

That's why I say thanks every day!

It is really easy to get caught up in what we don't have, what we want, and lose sight of our blessings. I fall victim to this CONSTANTLY and need to work harder on correcting this matter in my life. Reflecting on the words of this simple song is just a starting point...

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday! Just sitting here in the stillness of the morning to reflect on the many things I have to be grateful to God for.

• Special friends, Andrea & Jean who celebrate a birthday today! Sorry I didn't get cards to you. I'm really slipping!
• Having the chance to catch up with dear friends via the phone this week. There are some weeks where it doesn't seem like I have the time to even look at the phone. I hate that feeling and am glad there was some breathing room this week to visit.
• Mentoring Moms on Monday night reminding me of the importance of taking time to nurture friendships and special relationships.
• Ladies Bible Class on Tuesday reminding me to work harder at making prayer a HABIT and to keep my prayer life fresh.
• Hearing Lindy sing and sing and sing.
• Hearing/watching Lindy express unsolicited and unprompted emotion, affection, and gratitude.
• Sweet friends, Ellen & Erin who celebrate a birthday on Saturday.
• Grandpa did great during some recent heart tests!
• Dad is feeling better after a stomach bug (and hopefully Mom, too).
• For our young friend Sam whom God protected in a big way on Sunday night.

"Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life." Robert Louis Stevenson

Are you awake in life??? If so, what are you thankful for today?

A day late but the results are in...

Well you are ALL winners but Jill and Kimberley won the Random Acts of Kindness drawing. My lovely assistant drew your names out of the teacup. I tried to photograph the moment but it wasn't worth posting it because you can't read the names. So you'll just have to trust the mother/daughter auditing skills of L & L.

Thanks for sharing your memories of the kindest thing that has happened to you! I will send something your way very soon!

Spread the kindness!

A little kindness...

“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” Mother Teresa

I learned this is National Random Acts of Kindness Week. Did you know there was such a thing? I sure didn't...Or maybe I did at one time but it didn't make a permanent impression on me.

I can honestly say I feel like I receive acts of kindness more than I give them. I truly don't mean for it to be that way but sometimes that's just how it works out. I mean to bake muffins for my neighbors for no reason but I haven't. I mean to encourage the sick or the lonely, but I don't often get to it. I mean to...I mean to...I mean to. Know what, unfortunately, the thought DOESN'T count.

In honor of National Random Acts of Kindness Week, I am going to do something nice for two of my readers. Honestly, not sure what yet but something...

To get in on the kindness, you have to work quick!!! Just leave a comment telling me the kindest thing someone has ever done for you by midnight on Sunday, February 17th. On Monday morning I will have Miss Lindy Li-Xiao RANDOMLY choose the winners.

Please note, if you read but don't comment (known as lurking in blogworld) but want to get it on this, it is REALLY easy to leave a comment. You don't have to be a blogger... You don't have to sign up for anything...TRUST ME!

Looking forward to hearing about how you've been blessed in the past and encouraging you to be kind--always.

P.S. I promise I didn't plan this but no sooner did I get to the part about all the things I mean to do, I got a call from my friend and former co-worker, Ann, who wanted to stop by the house with her incredible frosted sugar cookies she knew I always enjoyed so much. See what I mean??? I get kindness more than I give it!!!

Thankful Thursday

"Love wasn't put in your heart to stay. Love isn't love until you give it away."

Michael W. Smith

Today I am thankful for each and every person in my life who has given me love. My life is better because of you.

Happy Valentine's Day 2008.

She's FINALLY 30!!!

Today is my dear, sweet, incredible, friend, Jaime's, 30th birthday. I met Jaime 12 years ago when she was a senior in high school. She was precious then and is precious now. I have had the privilege to watch her graduate high school, meet her husband, get married, graduate college, start her career, and become a mommy twice. She has matured and blossomed before my very eyes and is such a lovely woman of God.

I am A LOT older than Jaime and sometimes I envy her youth and all the exciting things she still has ahead of her. However, I am so honored that she doesn't look at me as her "old" friend. :o)

I am excited to wish her a very special day as she enters her 30s.

Happy Birthday, Jaime! I love you!

"Grow old along with me the best is yet to be." --Robert Browning

Looking upward, instead of all around...

Do you remember the tale of Henny Penny? She was the little hen who got hit on the head and pushed the panic button and thought the sky was falling. She went around telling everyone, "the sky is falling, the sky is falling."

There are some days where it does seem like that--literally and figuratively. If you've watched the news lately, things haven't been really good. The stock market is down. There have been so many terrible weather disasters. The real estate market is awful. Who knows when our troops will get to come home.

It is pretty easy to let the day to day things in life get us down for very real and valid reasons. I read a verse today and it made me think differently...

"My eyes are fixed on you, O sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge." Psalm 141:8

For today, I am trying to not look at the messes and despair around me but look up to God for refuge...

Birthday wishes!

Just discovered it is my friend's birthday today (or maybe it was yesterday). Jenn and I met about two months ago. God blessed me immediately when he placed this fabulous woman in my path. I look forward to getting to know her and her sweet family better.

Happy Birthday, Jenn! Wishing you a very blessed year.

Love,

Lisa

Thankful Thursday

It is Thursday and hard to believe the last day of January! Wow, where does time go?

Today I am very thankful for having a husband whom I COMPLETELY trust with Lindy. In fact, I think it is safe to say he takes just as good or better care of Lindy than I do. Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend our church ladies retreat. I didn't leave the house with a long list of what Don needed to do with her. I just left and didn't worry about them one time. They were in my mind and heart because I love and miss them; however, I didn't fret about the situation because I knew without a doubt they were doing great. He was being her father, not babysitting. (Slight pet peeve of mine when people say that.)

I know this kind of peace is not the case for everyone and I certainly don't want to take this fact for granted. Don's skills as a father are a huge blessing to me, Lindy, and will be to our next daughter.

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for the very special call I received two years ago --January 25, 2006-- and for having a God who knows what is best for me. As I listen to Lindy chatter about all day long following me from room to room, it is hard for me to believe at this point two years ago, I hadn't even seen her precious face. She was a dream. She was a prayer. Although she was real, she didn't yet feel real to me. That all changed at 11:06 when I got a call telling me we had a daughter and within 90 minutes of the call seeing this sweet face...

For some very strange reason, I got to thinking about a line from the Garth Brooks song, "Unanswered Prayers." The line that came to me was, "...Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." In a big way I don't agree with that line because I believe God answers ALL prayers but maybe not how we want them answered. So, as I think about our journey to Lindy I acknowledge how some of God's greatest gifts are through prayers answered HIS way and not ours. If that wasn't the case, I wouldn't have this face to see later this morning...

What are you thankful for today?

Seven random things

My friend Shannon tagged me last week challenging me to share seven random or weird facts about myself. I don't always do these because I'm not that great at coming up with any interesting answers, but here goes:

1. I am afraid to watch horseraces and airshows because I fear witnessing a terrible mishap.
2. You know that LBD (little black dress) every woman is supposed to have? I don't have one.
3. I am extremely disappointed when I attend a birthday party or shower just to find that the cake has whipped frosting, rather than buttercream or cream cheese frosting. No cake for me, please.
4. I have never seen or read Gone With the Wind.
5. I have never made a homemade pie crust (pastry not graham cracker).
6. I tear recipes out of magazines and newspapers but will probably never get around to using them.
7. I am not very fond of the color gold for decorating, wearing (YUK), or team colors; however, I do like it for jewelry. Silver, platinum, and white gold are great, too... :o)

There's a little about me. I tag anyone else who would like to share...

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thursday! This week I thought I'd share an email I received earlier this week that really hit home...

We complain about the cross we bear but don't realize it is preparing us for the dip in the road that God can see and we cannot. Whatever your cross, whatever your pain, there will always be sunshine, after the rain.... Perhaps you may stumble, perhaps even fall; But God's always ready, to answer your call.... He knows every heartache, sees every tear, a word from His lips, can calm every fear... Your sorrows may linger, throughout the night, But suddenly vanish, dawn's early light... The Savior is waiting, somewhere above, to give you His grace, and send you His love...

We all have different crosses to bear. Those crosses--although not pleasant--help shape and mold who we are. We can choose to make the most out of them, learn from them, and become a better person as a result. I am trying to learn to be thankful for the crosses I have and remember that none of my crosses are as great as the price paid for me AT the cross.

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1: 2-4

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

I'll admit, I've been feeling a bit blah and uninspired. I think I have been dwelling more on what I don't have (or all that I want), rather than what I have. I have also been bemoaning who I wish I could be, rather than who I am. It bothers me when I allow myself to get like this and am not actively demonstrating my thankfulness to God or those around me.

Today I needed to spend some time reading some of the words of thanks in the Bible uttered by other men and women. The psalms always have some great words of thanksgiving and praise. Here is one that really spoke to me and I hope it will speak to you, as well.

Psalm 100
A psalm. For giving thanks.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

What are you thankful for today?

Favorite memories from Christmas 2007

Every year there is the same mad rush to get all the Christmas chores done and before you know it, it is over. For me, the end of Christmas is always a bittersweet time. While it is good to get back to a more "sane" (ha) routine, there are some aspects of Christmas I wish would and could linger a bit longer--maybe even forever.

Below are just a few pictures of some of my favorite Christmas memories for 2007...

Watching Lindy with her great grandparents. I have fond memories of my sweet great grandparents and loved seeing Lindy with my dear grandma and grandpa.

Seeing Lindy experience snow for the first time. It was almost like I was experiencing it again for the first time.

Seeing my mom and dad read to and love on their grandkids. I loved this. Seeing my parents as grandparents gives me just a glimpse as to how they must've loved me as a child.

Watching the cousins play together. Sure there was some fighting, some tears, and some meltdowns but what an answer to prayer to see the next generation.


Hearing Don play Christmas carols on the piano and hearing Lindy sing along. Just like her momma, Lindy loves Christmas songs. I was moved to tears several times hearing our little girl sing various songs completely unprompted. She would proudly exclaim, "This is my favorite one!" or "That's my mommy (daddy, grandma, grandpa) singing."

Watching Lindy open her presents and show great interest in everyone else's presents. Many times I'd hear her say, "What is it?" and ooh and aahh with great delight.


Eating yummy meals together and for a few days not worrying about calories, fat, and where the frosting on a sugar cookie will land on my thighs.


Being with family and being a family.

Being with friends.

Sometimes I get frustrated because I know so many moments go uncaptured on camera or on tape. These are the moments I just need to resolve to remember as long as I am able.

I pray your Christmas was filled with joy and that your treasured memories will remain with you all throughout the new year.

Thankful Thursday

Is it Thursday? I think so...I'm still in a bit of a fog after not getting to bed until about 2:15 this morning. Here are some things for which I am thankful for today--this last Thankful Thursday of 2007...

I am thankful for safe travel to and from California. ExpressJet wasn't so express this time on either end but I am trying not to let things like that bother me as much as in the past. It's really all out of my control. I can CHOOSE to let it get to me or let it go. This time I chose to let it go, even though I was traveling with a two year old.

I am so very thankful I got to spend some time with my Grandma and Grandpa before Christmas. I am thankful they were healthy enough to make the drive from southern California to my brother's home. It is truly a blessing to be 39 years old and still have grandparents who are a special part of my life. I am thankful Grandma brought along some of her fabulous homemade peanut brittle. YUMMO! It was also such a joy to see my grandparents as great grandparents.

I am thankful we got to see our friends the Barons, Moores, and that I got to meet Pam & Mani's beautiful new son, Garrett.

I am so very thankful for getting to spend Christmas with my precious family--Don, Lindy, my parents, and Jeff, Danielle, Bryce, & Brendan. That was my best present.

Last but not least, I am so thankful for my brother and sister-in-law's incredible hospitality. They made things so easy for us. We didn't have to rent a car, bring a car seat, bring a crib, booster seat, or anything. We were basically on auto pilot. It is hard work and stressful having a house filled with guests and I am really so thankful for every grocery store run, every trip to the airport, every fabulous meal, every dish washed, every load of laundry done--just to name a few things.

I must get back to all the things I am not so thankful for--unpacking, reorganizing, laundry, etc. However, I just wanted to get this posted.

What are you thankful for today?

Merry Christmas

The Meaning of Christmas

Far away in Bethlehem, a Baby Boy was born;

Born with neither riches nor with fame,

Yet Wise Men came from all around to bring to Him their gifts,

And peace was felt by all who heard His name.

Angels watched Him as He slept, and gently rocked His bed;

Their voices singing softly in His ear;

His Mother and His Father both gave thanks to God above

For the greatest gift of all, their Son, so dear

They knew His life upon this earth would not be filled with wealth,

They also knew He would encounter strife;

But most of all, they knew that He would be a loving Child,

And teach the love of God throughout His life.

At Christmas, as we celebrate this Birth of Jesus Christ,

Let's keep in mind the truth of Christmas Day;

For it's not the Christmas wrappings, nor the gifts that lie within,

But our gift of love to others in every way...

--Poet unknown

Today we're off for California for our Christmas celebration.

May the true meaning of Christmas live in your heart all year long!

Warmest wishes for a happy and healthy Christmas.

Love,

Don, Lisa, & Lindy

Thankful Thursday

Here are some of the things for which I am thankful:

My mom and dad are safe in Kansas City. I was worried about the ice storm and how it would impact them but thankfully they aren't having it as bad as other places. Please pray for those who are suffering as a result of this devastating storm.

Our dossier was officially logged in on November 7th. Check out Lindy's mei mei's blog for more information.

I got my teeth cleaned yesterday and an A+ on my dental exam. Yea!!!

Christmas cards that come in daily from friends and family. It is great fun for me to see updated pictures and read about the events of the past year.

All my Christmas packages have been shipped and most of my shopping is complete.

Lindy is thoroughly enjoying the Christmas season and delights in so many things. I love hearing her expressions of wonder, excitement, and glee.

We've had a couple days of "cooler" weather. When it is foggy and cool, Lindy likes to put on her coat and hat (which shocks me) and she even thinks the mist in the air is snow. Sorry dollface. Keep dreaming!!!

I got to meet Jennifer and her son last week and they were DTC for Karleigh Mei on 12/7/07.

What are you thankful for today???

Menu Plan Monday

I've fallen off the wagon a bit and haven't been as diligent about planning my menus, so I'm going to try to get back on the wagon...

Monday, December 3rd-Chicken marsala, rice, asparagus (Lest you think I'm fancy, I must admit I am cheating. The chicken is a pre-made dinner that I bought from Sam's. Trying to clear the freezer!)

Tuesday, December 4th-Giada's Parmesan-crusted pork chops, broccoli, green salad

Wednesday, December 5th-Out

Thursday, December 6th-Minestrone with Italian sausage, garlic bread

Friday, December 7th-Leftovers

Check out this link for other menus. What's for dinner at your place this week?