Trek Again

A good friend of mine gave me a picture CD with pictures she had taken on Trek this summer.  So I'm sharing.  I think Jaden and McKenna are pretty adorable pioneers.  Pretty sure that if we were "real" pioneers, Jaden would have made us all laugh along the way, done more than his share of the work, slept every chance he got, and found ways to make his flour into cookies.  McKenna would have worked her tail off (just don't talk to her), taken care of anyone who needed her, eaten grass before touching a dead squirrel, and looked stunning no matter how dirty or frizzy she became.  I LOVE these two.

Thank goodness for the Hekkings!  They make EVERYTHING more fun for Jaden and McKenna.

Jen's Pictures

Every Fall, my sweet sister takes our family pictures.  She has given us our greatest material treasures.  Just the other day, I was changing the pictures in some frames and I was transported back to the time when Garner was Channing's age and my heart just filled with gratitude for the gift she has given me.  I tell her all the time that I picture myself an old lady with a book of photographs held to my heart.  I know that we take these precious people and memories with us, but I can't help feeling like the time I have with them is falling through my fingers like sand.  The tighter I hold on, the faster they go.  I don't know if anyone has more photo albums than we do.  But they're all I really care about, materially.  I love you, Jen.  Thank you for giving me something to hold on to.  And thank you for taking the time and making the effort year after year, for our family.  I thought I'd post a few of my MOST favorites, because they're ALL my favorites.

From us.

Merry, Happy Christmas 2011

Living here in NY, I've gotten into the habit of saying "Happy Holidays!" instead of "Merry Christmas!"  I guess it never dawned on me that less believe in Christ than do.  I believe in Him.  And I love thinking about His birth, especially, at this time of year.  Last Christmas, I was less than a week from giving birth.  I mostly thought about Mary.  This Christmas, I held a chubby, loving baby boy.  You can probably guess my thoughts and my heart.  It was a very sweet Christmas.
Having Brian to ourselves for a WEEK was probably the highlight of the whole holiday.  He is so adored by everyone.  We all wanted to cry when it was time to go back to work and to school.  But what sweet memories we are left with.  And gratitude.  So much gratitude.