Shuttle Launch - March 15, 2009

This photo is from David's phone camera.  The colors became distorted when it went to our photo account.

A 2nd pic from David's phone camera

My camera.  If you look closely, you can see a small light dot close to the tree on the left.  That is the rocket booster.

Here it is again.  This photo was taken 1st - so the rocket booster is more centered in this shot.

This was one of the few evening shuttle launches where we were actually home.  We live approximately 50-60 miles from Kennedy Space Center.  When we are aware that a launch has gone off during the day, we will wander outdoors and hope for no cloud cover.  If all is well, we can clearly see shuttles and rockets.  Daytime lift offs are unfortunately not the best opportunity for good pictures, so this was exciting!  

Evening launches are an amazing sight to watch!  We knew this would be the case, but didn’t even think to bring our camera with us when we went outside to look at the latest launch.

Once we could see the shuttle approach the top of the tree line, I thought about the camera.  David had his camera phone with him and took a couple of photos with it, while I ran inside for the camera.  By the time I got back, the rocket booster had separated from the shuttle and was aiming at the ground.   

Happy Easter

A Rainbow - One of God's promises to us.  Together, this rainbow and the wording behind it are fitting reminders of another promise He gave us when He sent us His Son.

He is Risen ~~~ He is Risen Indeed!


I love a good Christmas Eve church service, the dimmed lights, decorations, candles, music...  It is all quite charming and beautiful.  There is excitement in the air, knowing that our children will soon be receiving wonderful gifts to celebrate the memory of the birth of our Savior.

Yet an Easter service, even without all the bells and whistles that a Christmas service has ~ is by far my best loved .  The significance of knowing that our Lord and Savior chose to return to earth, after facing a sacrificial death to show us our redemption was solidly in place, just can’t be surpassed.  We could never ask for more.

Can we fully understand that gift?  I’m not sure if I can completely, at least not on this side of heaven.  I do more as I grow in my faith, but I’m not there yet.

In my new favorite book, Bruchko,  Bruce Olsen explains to his friend "Bobby" and a few other men from the Motilone tribe, that God is so big and powerful He had to come down and experience what we do, not so that He could understand who we are, but rather that we could begin to understand who He is. 

Many have rejected Him, mocked Him and denied Him.  But yet He in all of His greatness chose(and still chooses) to look past that, love us unconditionally and give us, as believers, eternal life.  Why?

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – And this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.  Not by works, so that no one can boast." 

It is simply this:  A graceful gift and faith. 

He forgives us no matter how bad we mess up, and the only thing Jesus asks of us is to step out in faith and believe that He is our true Savior.  A totally unexpected way of thinking about love and forgiveness.  But it is His way.  I am extremely grateful for that ~ because I know how much I’ve botched things up!

Here is proof that there is grace:

3 precious gifts that I love, admire, and totally don’t deserve.

A Butterfly Rescue

Well...   There is more evidence that spring is here.

While playing outside, Alexis and her friend noticed a butterfly stuck in the pool.  (This happened last year too, and we ended up with equal amounts of rescued and display worthy dead butterflies.)  Dutiful as can be, Alexis feels that it is her calling in life to rescue the poor creatures if possible. 

Here is a photo of this latest lucky survivor drying out before flight take off:

Keepers Flower and Photography Badges Field Trip

Usually by this time of year, we are swimming in our pool.  Alexis has been in it twice, but both times her lips turned purple and she began shivering within several minutes.  The grass is growing slow, our flowers have barely bloomed, and the cold keeps coming back.  This all has been giving me the dreaded feeling that there may not be a "real" Spring this year.

Or, maybe not! 

Our Keepers Club girls and their moms went on a field trip to  Leu Gardens in Orlando to take photos of flowers.  We did this so the girls could work towards earning their Flower and Photography Badges.  What a joyful surprise to see thousands of gorgeous flowers at every turn of this beautifully landscaped garden.  It was a sunny but cool day, perfect for soaking in all the beauty surrounding us.  Lots of photos were snapped, the girls got to enjoy a day together, the moms had a chance to catch up with each others lives a bit.  I am truly thankful for the chance to have seen that somewhere close to home, the colors of Spring are actually thriving!  It was a rejuvenating day for all!

Here are some flower photos that were taken while at Leu Gardens:

Baby #Uno

David is finishing up his Sophomore year, while Amanda is a Freshman.  David is double majoring in Political Science and Communications.  He is really doing great - and has grown in leaps and bounds this year.  His time management skills are impressive!

David is involved in a couple of volunteer programs – one which includes getting up at 5:30AM to play basketball, or other competitive sports with students at a middle schools in an inner-city area.  The college students look forward to this time each week with the younger students, and are actually able to share about their faith with these children.  David also volunteers to help out with functions on campus for prospective students who are visiting. 

A couple of weeks ago Governor Mike Huckabee was on campus and met with student leaders (David included,) for a breakfast and a Q&A session.  Later he shared a message with the students at one of their chapel services.  Governor Huckabee, (who plays a bass guitar on his Fox News Show with his band The Little Rockers,) took a few minutes to jam with PBA student musicians at chapel service too!  How cool!

David recently had his big 2 0 birthday.  (I don't feel old enough to have a 20 year old!!!)  For some reason, David has spent several of his birthdays very, very sick.  Sadly, this one was no exception.  (Husband) David, Alexis, and i had great plans to drive down to West Palm and take David and Amanda out for a nice birthday celebration.  However, before we left home that morning, we packed our bags to spend the night close to their campus because before we left, David called to let us know that the doctor was sending him for a CT Scan.  Thankfully, it ended up not being too serious.  David had some sort of stomach virus along with bronchitis.  He is fine now, and we will have his birthday dinner on Good Friday when they come home from college for Easter break.  I am even baking a strawberry cheesecake (David's favorite,) for dessert.

I had to have "a" birthday photo here.  This is a healthy David on his #19 at the Cheesecake Factory.  I have no clue why he was holding a lit candle...

This is another birthday dinner photo.  Alexis is next to David.
     
David fishing off a jetty in Cape Cod.  A typical foggy morning.

Playing a card game on vacation.
  
Getting ready to eat "Lobsta"

Okay, what can I say???  (Repeating my mother's words, "I tried to raise them right!")