Tomorrow I'm headed out on a business trip. Ok, if you know me, then you know my job would really never require a business trip, but for the sake of this blog post, that's what I'm going to call it :)
I'll be gone for a good 36 hours on a camp out! Me and a few other leaders are basically taking the 3-5 graders from church who completed an AWANA book during the school year on a week-long session at camp condensed into 2 days! It should be a blast. There will be boating, swimming, biking, games, food, camp fires, devotions, praising Jesus and the like!
Again, if you know me, you know that this is RIGHT up my alley. VBS was two weeks ago and it energized me so much and now my "business trip" is less than 24 hours away and I'm SO excited!
My kids will be lovingly cared for by my dad on Wednesday, and will all be split up on Thursday to three different friend's houses.
I best be wrapping this up. I have some more things to prepare for my business trip... Like, I have to solidify the rules of the game "Mighty Mighty Scoop Noodle Challenge 2000 Duct Tape Ultimate Frisbee Style", I haven't played it since I was a youth director and need to brush up.
Toodles!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
it was only two months
It was January of 1999. I was sitting in the Orlando airport waiting for the family who I was to be nannying for while on their Disney vacation, to arrive (a few hours after I had arrived). I had already decided that taking the city bus around Orlando was not necessarily what I should be doing as a tourist that day. After a few young gentlemen yelled some very unkind words at me while walking by myself in a part of the city that wasn't so nice, I made my way back to the airport to sit and wait for a few hours in safety. While in the airport I picked up a book at a little shop there, entitled, "I Kissed Dating Goodbye." I bought it immediately. Now why I would buy this book is a little beyond me as I look back because I really hadn't dated all that much prior to this. Like pretty much only a tiny bit. But nonetheless I was boy crazy at this point in my life and decided I needed to get a handle on it and start really putting God first.
I read the entire book while I was nannying at Disney after the kids would go to bed and on my plane ride home the next week. The idea was definitely for me. Putting God first in your life, and persons of the opposite sex on the back burner. This way, God could continue to be number one until I was actually ready to open my eyes the way He wanted me to in hopes that I could see clearly who He wanted me to be with for the rest of my life. The idea was to not date, but be friends with guys first, prior to getting involved in a relationship in hopes of finding a potential spouse without having to go through the rigmaroles, ups, downs, and loopdeloops of emotions that many relationships can take a person through.
So by the end of January 1999, I was resigned to no dating for an indefinite time. I was excited to see what God was going to do in my life over the next long while (which, at the time, is what I was expecting and looking forward to). I knew that God had big plans for Him and I to be together without boys being on my mind.
That supposed "long while" wasn't so long after all.
Fast forward about two months. The day was April 10, 1999. I met the boy (my affectionate name for Jeremiah) while hanging out with my bff, Mandy.
Fast forward 2 1/2 years. The day was November 2, 2002. I married the boy in front of our family and closest friends.
Fast forward 2 more years. The day was November 14, 2004. I made the boy a dad as Jonah James Kruger came into the world at a whopping 5 lbs 4 oz!
Fast forward 6 1/2 years. The day is June 19, 2011. The day is Father's Day. The boy is Daddy to our three beautiful lovies. The boy is amazing as he fathers our children. The boy is devoted to raising his children to love Jesus and to love others. The boy looks into the eyes of his offspring and tells them he loves them. The boy grabs a hold of his children and draws them close when their knees are scraped, toes are stubbed, fingers are cut, heads are bonked, feelings are hurt, or hearts are broken. The boy raises his sons to be respectful and loving towards girls, so that they will love and cherish the future wives they will have. The boy raises his daughter in security so that she will be secure in her relationship with the future husband that she will have. The boy loves his children's mommy and holds her close so that they can see their love and know that all is well in their family. The boy... is a father. A father who makes it easy to picture God as Father.
On this Father's Day, I celebrate the boy whom God chose to be the father of my children.
God knows what He is doing. He knows that I don't like to wait long for most things. I told Jesus that He'd be my number one guy while I waited for Him to show me who would be my guy. He only made me wait 2 months.
Happy Father's Day Jeremiah John. You are an incredible Dad.
I read the entire book while I was nannying at Disney after the kids would go to bed and on my plane ride home the next week. The idea was definitely for me. Putting God first in your life, and persons of the opposite sex on the back burner. This way, God could continue to be number one until I was actually ready to open my eyes the way He wanted me to in hopes that I could see clearly who He wanted me to be with for the rest of my life. The idea was to not date, but be friends with guys first, prior to getting involved in a relationship in hopes of finding a potential spouse without having to go through the rigmaroles, ups, downs, and loopdeloops of emotions that many relationships can take a person through.
So by the end of January 1999, I was resigned to no dating for an indefinite time. I was excited to see what God was going to do in my life over the next long while (which, at the time, is what I was expecting and looking forward to). I knew that God had big plans for Him and I to be together without boys being on my mind.
That supposed "long while" wasn't so long after all.
Fast forward about two months. The day was April 10, 1999. I met the boy (my affectionate name for Jeremiah) while hanging out with my bff, Mandy.
Fast forward 2 1/2 years. The day was November 2, 2002. I married the boy in front of our family and closest friends.
Fast forward 2 more years. The day was November 14, 2004. I made the boy a dad as Jonah James Kruger came into the world at a whopping 5 lbs 4 oz!
Fast forward 6 1/2 years. The day is June 19, 2011. The day is Father's Day. The boy is Daddy to our three beautiful lovies. The boy is amazing as he fathers our children. The boy is devoted to raising his children to love Jesus and to love others. The boy looks into the eyes of his offspring and tells them he loves them. The boy grabs a hold of his children and draws them close when their knees are scraped, toes are stubbed, fingers are cut, heads are bonked, feelings are hurt, or hearts are broken. The boy raises his sons to be respectful and loving towards girls, so that they will love and cherish the future wives they will have. The boy raises his daughter in security so that she will be secure in her relationship with the future husband that she will have. The boy loves his children's mommy and holds her close so that they can see their love and know that all is well in their family. The boy... is a father. A father who makes it easy to picture God as Father.
On this Father's Day, I celebrate the boy whom God chose to be the father of my children.
God knows what He is doing. He knows that I don't like to wait long for most things. I told Jesus that He'd be my number one guy while I waited for Him to show me who would be my guy. He only made me wait 2 months.
Happy Father's Day Jeremiah John. You are an incredible Dad.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Here We Goooooooo!
Ahhhh, sweet summer... Here at last!
I always thought that it was only the kids who ever got excited that summer break was finally here, while all the moms dreaded the day with the look of agony in their eyes. However, as a mom, I think I was just as excited for Jonah to be done with school for the year and the days of summer to begin. I'm excited and pumped to have him home for three months!
And then there was this morning and I was about ready to ship him to summer camp for the entire summer. He was picking on his sister, whispering antagonizing, mean things to her, not listening to me, being extra roudy, the list could go on. I have a LOT of work to do between now and Monday when VBS starts and this was NOT helping the process. My to-do list was not going to be very happy with me today if this continued.
So I sat us all down to have morning devotions with a kid devotional I got for the summer. And wouldn't you know it, the devo. was all about throwing out the "plans." It was called, "Take a Break with Me" and how Jesus wants our soul to rest, let him take charge and let him be in the details. Hmmm, it was like he saw what was going on in our house this morning and just what I needed to hear. Funny how that works out when we actually sit and listen and are intentionally with the Lord. We had a little chat about inviting God into our day and how as a family we are a team. Teams work together and just as they do, our family needs to work together- loving, respecting, and listening to one another.
So we look forward to summer once again as the day has gone remarkably well since our morning rumble tumble. We spent some time at church so I could work. We came home and had lunch together. We played outside on our swingset, in the pool, on our bikes (while I mowed the lawn), inside playing Barbies and Uno and now enjoying an afternoon popsicle. THIS is how summer is supposed to be. THIS is how the Lord wants me to utilize the days he has given me with my children.
Both of the kids want to earn money this summer for different things (Jonah- a DSi and Aphia- a Barbie house) and so I've made a loooooong list of extra chores (outside of their regular ones) that they can do to earn money. They can choose to do them and make money or not do them and not make money. They are excited at the idea of being able to work and make money. We'll see if that lasts.
I feel like this summer will be so different from last summer when Isaiah was a babe and I was so very tied down with him. This year, he's just one of the fam! So watch out summer because here we goooooooo!
I always thought that it was only the kids who ever got excited that summer break was finally here, while all the moms dreaded the day with the look of agony in their eyes. However, as a mom, I think I was just as excited for Jonah to be done with school for the year and the days of summer to begin. I'm excited and pumped to have him home for three months!
And then there was this morning and I was about ready to ship him to summer camp for the entire summer. He was picking on his sister, whispering antagonizing, mean things to her, not listening to me, being extra roudy, the list could go on. I have a LOT of work to do between now and Monday when VBS starts and this was NOT helping the process. My to-do list was not going to be very happy with me today if this continued.
So I sat us all down to have morning devotions with a kid devotional I got for the summer. And wouldn't you know it, the devo. was all about throwing out the "plans." It was called, "Take a Break with Me" and how Jesus wants our soul to rest, let him take charge and let him be in the details. Hmmm, it was like he saw what was going on in our house this morning and just what I needed to hear. Funny how that works out when we actually sit and listen and are intentionally with the Lord. We had a little chat about inviting God into our day and how as a family we are a team. Teams work together and just as they do, our family needs to work together- loving, respecting, and listening to one another.
So we look forward to summer once again as the day has gone remarkably well since our morning rumble tumble. We spent some time at church so I could work. We came home and had lunch together. We played outside on our swingset, in the pool, on our bikes (while I mowed the lawn), inside playing Barbies and Uno and now enjoying an afternoon popsicle. THIS is how summer is supposed to be. THIS is how the Lord wants me to utilize the days he has given me with my children.
Both of the kids want to earn money this summer for different things (Jonah- a DSi and Aphia- a Barbie house) and so I've made a loooooong list of extra chores (outside of their regular ones) that they can do to earn money. They can choose to do them and make money or not do them and not make money. They are excited at the idea of being able to work and make money. We'll see if that lasts.
I feel like this summer will be so different from last summer when Isaiah was a babe and I was so very tied down with him. This year, he's just one of the fam! So watch out summer because here we goooooooo!
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Randoms & Memorial Day Weekend
Life has been busy with many things on the agenda.
*Vacation Bible School is coming up and thus my job has been extra demanding. However, I love it! It's my favorite week of the year and I love the preparation for it!
*I had a garage sale with 3 other friends and it would seem that we have a prime location for garage sales, as we all seemed to do rather well and are even opening back up one day this week to try to sell off the rest!
*Jeremiah has had softball, "Men's Night," and other random side jobs (fixing/maintenance on small engine things for people) keeping him busy.
*Jonah started t-ball a couple weeks ago and seems to be enjoying it a little more than last year. But we'll see if that continues when they start to do coach pitch and the games get super long (and boring!!!!).
*We are wrapping up the school year and I'm finding it hard to believe that next year I'll have one child in first grade and one in pre-school.
**We had a great Memorial Day Weekend!
Jeremiah's mom came on Friday and Saturday to do projects with us!!! Friday night the two of them put on the storm door that I had wanted for Mother's Day. I LOVE being able to have my front door open and a breeze going through the screen! Then on Saturday we were able to move the swingset from the neighbors yard to ours (Grandpa Rob and Grandma Bonnie bought it for the kids for Christmas). We were so thankful to be able to get a really nice one that was already assembled and only needed to be moved from the people who live behind us!
Saturday night we celebrated with my brother Michael and sister-in-law Susie who recently graduated from St. Thomas University with their Master's Degrees! They had a big 'ol grand party and it was lots of fun!
Sunday we took it easy after church and I napped for 3 hours!
Monday we headed to Shoreview to spend the day with Grandma Judy, Uncle Josh, Auntie Stephanie, Hannah, Emily, Auntie Becca, Ryan and Addi. On Monday night I was EXHAUSTED from a busy, but very fun weekend!
Here are the cousins on the slide, oldest at the bottom, youngest at the top!
Cousins on the bridge!
*Vacation Bible School is coming up and thus my job has been extra demanding. However, I love it! It's my favorite week of the year and I love the preparation for it!
*I had a garage sale with 3 other friends and it would seem that we have a prime location for garage sales, as we all seemed to do rather well and are even opening back up one day this week to try to sell off the rest!
*Jeremiah has had softball, "Men's Night," and other random side jobs (fixing/maintenance on small engine things for people) keeping him busy.
*Jonah started t-ball a couple weeks ago and seems to be enjoying it a little more than last year. But we'll see if that continues when they start to do coach pitch and the games get super long (and boring!!!!).
*We are wrapping up the school year and I'm finding it hard to believe that next year I'll have one child in first grade and one in pre-school.
**We had a great Memorial Day Weekend!
Jeremiah's mom came on Friday and Saturday to do projects with us!!! Friday night the two of them put on the storm door that I had wanted for Mother's Day. I LOVE being able to have my front door open and a breeze going through the screen! Then on Saturday we were able to move the swingset from the neighbors yard to ours (Grandpa Rob and Grandma Bonnie bought it for the kids for Christmas). We were so thankful to be able to get a really nice one that was already assembled and only needed to be moved from the people who live behind us!
Saturday night we celebrated with my brother Michael and sister-in-law Susie who recently graduated from St. Thomas University with their Master's Degrees! They had a big 'ol grand party and it was lots of fun!
Sunday we took it easy after church and I napped for 3 hours!
Monday we headed to Shoreview to spend the day with Grandma Judy, Uncle Josh, Auntie Stephanie, Hannah, Emily, Auntie Becca, Ryan and Addi. On Monday night I was EXHAUSTED from a busy, but very fun weekend!
Here are a few pictures from our time at the park on Monday.
This was the best picture we could get of the 5 of us. I guess that's how life is with three small kids... or should I say 4? Jonah and Aphia are looking at the camera, but the biggest and littlest kids aren't :)
Here are the cousins on the slide, oldest at the bottom, youngest at the top!Hannah, Emily, Jonah, Aphia, Addison, Isaiah
Cousins on the bridge!Monday, May 2, 2011
Better in Buffalo
I grew up in the suburbs. I like the suburbs. I like that we could be in Minneapolis within about 10 minutes. I like all the "burbs" had to offer.
But...
Now I like it better in Buffalo. Before JJ and I got married, he was looking at buying a house, in the suburbs. I was good with that! Then... He started looking at homes in Buffalo. Um, where? You want me to live way out where?!
Well he bought a house and I moved out here after we got married. For a long while it was not home. I only lived here. I actually really didn't do much else here, not even grocery shop or fill my gas tank or go to church. But then I started working out here, started meeting more people, had a baby and met more people, got a different job, joined MOPS, had more kids, started going to a new church, going to ECFE all the while meeting more and more amazing people.
Today as I was driving Jonah to school and then the littles to my friend Jessica's and then back to work, I saw several friends that were also out and about going hither and yon. I loved waving and blowing kisses to my amigas! I LOVED the fact that I could drive around town and see people that I love, going about their daily business and we can connect through a smile.
I'm a people person and I love seeing and being with people I love. For some, this wouldn't be the right fit. Some people like the anonimity of where they live. Not me. I love to see and be around others. I love Buffalo, it's just better here.
But...
Now I like it better in Buffalo. Before JJ and I got married, he was looking at buying a house, in the suburbs. I was good with that! Then... He started looking at homes in Buffalo. Um, where? You want me to live way out where?!
Well he bought a house and I moved out here after we got married. For a long while it was not home. I only lived here. I actually really didn't do much else here, not even grocery shop or fill my gas tank or go to church. But then I started working out here, started meeting more people, had a baby and met more people, got a different job, joined MOPS, had more kids, started going to a new church, going to ECFE all the while meeting more and more amazing people.
Today as I was driving Jonah to school and then the littles to my friend Jessica's and then back to work, I saw several friends that were also out and about going hither and yon. I loved waving and blowing kisses to my amigas! I LOVED the fact that I could drive around town and see people that I love, going about their daily business and we can connect through a smile.
I'm a people person and I love seeing and being with people I love. For some, this wouldn't be the right fit. Some people like the anonimity of where they live. Not me. I love to see and be around others. I love Buffalo, it's just better here.
Friday, April 29, 2011
I'll Toot My Kid's Horn
Since he doesn't really know how to do it himself, I'll toot Isaiah's horn for him today.
We went in to the clinic for his 18 month well check. The kid did amazing. Seriously incredible. Rediculously phenomenal.
He's in the 97th %ile for height and about 80th %ile for weight. Always consistent on the growth curve my boy is!
Anywho. We got in to the room and I stripped him down and of course he just giggled at being nakie (except for his diaper)! He layed perfectly still as nurse Mandy weighed him, measured his length and his head circumference. Nurse Mandy continued to check him out a bit and then said that there was a student in today and asked if it was ok if he came in also. This frequently happens and I'm ALL too happy to help people learn. So the P.A. student came in and checked out Big Man. Isaiah's ears were so incredibly filled with wax that he couldn't really see in. So then Dr. Nelson came in and checked him out, he continuing to smile and "chat" with them all. Dr. Nelson asked Mandy to do an ear wash on the right ear since after picking out a LOT of wax, she still couldn't see much. So Mandy proceeded to do the ear wash. I had to hold him sideways over the sink while she shot warm water into his ear with this little do-hickey contrapation. He, again, didn't even bat an eye. Just sat there in my arms, didn't even twitch his head. After seeing the really gross products in the sink of the ear wash and seeing how great he did, we did the other ear too. Nurse Mandy finished up by saying to the P.A. student, "That was the easiest ear wash I've EVER done, and it was on an EIGHTEEN MONTH OLD!" She then proceeded to give him 4 shots, to which he got a BIG pouty lip and said, "Owie Manny (Mandy)! Owie!" And then I picked him up and said it was time to go, to which he replied, "Shoes! Shoes! Ouside, Ouside!"
And we traipsed out of the doctors office all smiles! And then we played "ouside" since it was so nice out this morning!
Happy 18 month Birthday Mr. IJK! You are loved!
Monday, April 18, 2011
The Lodge
(My apologies that this is one big huge long paragraph. Blogger is being dumb and won't let me make new paragraphs) Whatever. ONWARD WITH THE POST! ...After MUCH anticipation we were finally able to use our gift certificate (that my mom, dad & brother Richie gave us for Christmas) to go up north to The Lodge- hotel and indoor waterpark! It was one of the most fantastic weekends I have had with the kids on any type of vacation! Isaiah got to stay at Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Rob's house while Jeremiah, myself, Jonah & Aphia jonted off to the north woods. Now don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Isaiah-baya-boo, but man was it nice to go do something like this without the constraints of a one year old! We actually got to do stuff we wanted instead of chasing him around. We also got to spend our weekend with some of our best friends- the Pack family (Taylor, Jessica, Julia & Jillian). Jonah is just a titch older than Julia and Aphia is just a titch older than Jillian. They had so much fun together playing and playing and playing! Some of my favorite things were: *Going down the waterslide with each of the children (separately). *Hearing how quiet the kids were in the next room and seeing their priceless faces when I came in to check on them. They had taken a whole bag of jellybeans, divied it up into 4 cups and were ferociously mowing on them. I didn't really care, they had been eating candy all day long, what was another bag of jellybeans?! *Following Aphia around, just letting her set her pace and what she wanted to do in the waterpark. She's quite a little fish. Her favorite thing to do was swim in the plain-old-swimming pool part of the entire place. *Watching the children play "Tangled" on the huge king/queen log bunk bed that looked like Repunzel's castle/tower thingy. Jillian would wrap a long blanket around her head and drop it over the side, while Jonah would climb up her hair aka the bunk bed ladder. SO CUTE! *Letting the kids stay up several hours past regular bedtime because we were ON VACATION!! *Spending great, quality time with great friends! *Relaxing, vegging out, and playing. This really is the summary of the weekend. I cannot emphasize how awesome it was to actually do a vacation with the family. I usually feel exhausted after "vacations" with the kids. This time was quite different and I'm so refreshed and rejuvenated!
Aphia and Jillian on the little green slide together.
My sing-song girl, singin' a made up song about the pool while in the pool!
Jones loves his goggles so he can swim underwater! He's also somewhat of a fish.
My little fishies sitting on the side of the hot tub.
Here are some pictures from our adventure. I didn't take too many, I was busy having fun myself instead of being the photographer!
Jones and Daddy coming down from the tube slide
Aphia and Jillian on the little green slide together. 
My sing-song girl, singin' a made up song about the pool while in the pool!
Jones loves his goggles so he can swim underwater! He's also somewhat of a fish.
My little fishies sitting on the side of the hot tub.
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