Shaka Sunsets and Family Moments

So, I'm all 'Let's go see the sunset...'
I knew it was going to be a problem as soon as I took out my camera....
They giggled the whole time as I was like 'enough already!'
Then we all busted up laughing......
This, my friends, is a typical family moment for us

I LOVE MY FAMILY :)

Shaka!!

5.5 Down wind....

Five and a half hours being down wind from these two....If your the mom of teen boys you know exactly what I'm talking about.

I will sit upwind on the way home (and give the people down wind apologetic looks when we land)

 

I LOVE MY BOYS!!!

 

p.s. Molly C. this blog post is dedicated to you!

 

The Choice

In Jan. of 2013 I wrote the following words in the blog post titled Flipping It Around For Second Chances: (Click link to read post)

'God allowed a certain season to come into my life that seemed overwhelming- To be quite honest, I could not believe the intense feelings of anger that started washing over me shortly after this season started.  In my mind it was supposed to be a season of 'dreams come true'!  I thought I had prepared my heart in a Godly sacrificial way for the season and just needed to sit back and reap the fruit of my Godly preparation and obedience.

I had done no such thing but instead had prepared my heart in 'Stephanie's Ideal Land'.......
I was looking to 'receive' in 'my way' and felt entitled to my expectations- Nobody could tell me different'.

God has used the eye opening conversation I had with my dad that January day to set a foundation for a view change.  My view that used to have reflective glasses on that just showed 'me' was stripped away and a bigger picture was before me.........

The biggest realization was that life, while it includes me, is ultimately not even about me....
For the 'what makes me happy' motivated society that I had taken a drivers seat in this was a pretty devastating thought- It was depressing, at first, to realize that my happiness (or at least the pursuit of) was not going to make me happy at all but instead make me miserable in my own self absorption.

When the Lord allowed the stripping away of those self reflective glasses, I was left with the amazing gift of seeing the world through a different perspective...through 'THEE' not 'Me'.  I was not in the drivers seat any longer, choosing the road based on happiness but instead a passenger whose driver choose the road based on salvation.....my salvation and the salvation for all who would believe (John 3:16)
It was really overwhelming at first too- I saw so many areas in my life that I have failed in............so many situations that I had chosen my happiness at an unhealthy cost instead of God's way... Along with the overwhelming realization of failure was God's unshakable love (Jer 31:3) and truth that there is no condemnation in Him (Rom 8:1)- He did not allow my eyes to be opened so that shame and guilt over the past would rule in my life but instead for restoration, healing, and ultimately a closer walk with Him.

The choice is mine every second of every day-
will I make it all about me- what makes me happy....Will I chose the drivers seat
or will I say 'Lord Jesus it is all about Thee'....Thy road and Thy will....choosing to be a passenger

'Heavenly Father thank you for the gift of sight- A sight that looks beyond self to you...the ultimate giver of happiness- I love you Lord Jesus'

'I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.' (Isaiah 48:17)

'

  

This and That is SO NICE!

A little of this and a little of that- kinda what life's a lot about...

• Thanks to my Ryan, I had a pedicure today- The gift certificate was from Christmas of 12'- It's the first pedi I've had in almost 3 years....it was SO NICE- Thank you Ry!
• Ellie is completely potty trained- She started potty training herself right at New Years and finished up last week- we are starting our second week diaper free (even at night).......This, my friends, is SO NICE!
• Eli had to write a paper about honesty for school- He didn't know I read it (he saved it in documents and I came across it)....This is verbatim:  'My belief in honesty was formed at a young age. When I would get into trouble by my parents I would try to lie to get out of whatever was going on. This idea was quickly shut down, and I would be disciplined. My parents would always tell me if I was honest I wouldn’t be in so much trouble. This is how I learned that being honest is the best way to do things.'   As a parent, you don't always know how much of what you try to instill in your children 'sticks'- It's SO NICE when you get glimpses
• We had Costco pizza for dinner tonight- the meat combo one.....It is SO NICE that no prep and virtually no clean up is involved.  From the freezer to the oven- left overs into a zip lock- paper plates to serve.......wouldn't want to do this every night (I love cooking for my family) but once a week is divine

Happy Friday!

hee hee hee hee hee................

Never a Dull Moment

There's just never a dull moment around here- Between the cows, horses, and riding the fields (on 4-wheelers) to check fences there is always lots going on.  Late last week, we had quite a bit of rain- Ryan was out in one of the cow fields riding when we got the call.....'I need a pull cause I'm stuck'....I grabbed my camera as Matt and I headed out the door to help.

Stuck.....

If this picture could speak you would hear Matt saying 'QUIT taking pictures and come over here and sit on the front of this 4-wheeler!!' (He said my weight helps pull the other one)

Finally Unstuck :)

My handsome Ryan....Mama loves you Ryno Chase!

A Prayer for Malina

Back in January I ended a blog post with the following prayer request:

'My last sentence carry's 3000 miles across the Pacific to the oncology ward in one of Oahu's finest hospitals..............Malina WE ARE PRAYING- May you feel God's presence wrapped around you and your family and may your healing come quickly- Praise God for the news you received today (that her Leukemia went into remission).  For my prayer partner buddies please join in praying for Malina as she overcomes Leukemia.'

As most of you know, my family and I were able to live in Hawaii for a couple of years (09'-11').  We lived on the island of Kauai where my husband Matt was the manager of a recreation ranch (the ranch was a vacation destination for family and extended family).  During our stay on Kauai, Ryan met his friend Isaiah at school- when they started spending more time together we were able to meet Isaiah's family and extended family.  Both Isaiah's family and extended family were so gracious to our family- inviting us over to family gatherings and BBQ's.  When you have moved to a new state, feeling a bit homesick, and trying to meet new people these types of gestures go A LONG WAY!  Isaiah's dad is named Eli (we call him big Eli when we are referring to him at our house- not because he is physically big but because he is older than our Eli- it get's confusing when you have 2 same named people- distinguishing is a must).  Eli's little  sister is named Malina- Malina is part of Eli's extended family that we were able to spend time with while we were on Kauai.

Just after New Years I received a text from my friend Dionne.  Antone and Dionne were the first friends we made after moving to Kauai- I met Dionne at church.  Dionne's brother Kimo had recently moved from California to Kauai- After moving, Kimo met Malina....those 4 period marks between the a and t represent Kimo and Malina starting to date, having their daughter Mahiehie, and then recently getting married.

Just for confusions sake:
Big Eli is Malina's brother
Dionne is Kimo's sister
Eli's son Isaiah and our Ryan became friends at school- Malina is Isaiah's aunt
My family started hanging out with Isaiah's family and extended family because of the boys friendship
Dionne and I met at church and became friends
We met Malina through spending time with Big Eli (Julie- Eli's wife....well...almost wife...smile) and Eli's extended family
Kimo and Malina met fell in love and got married
Kimo and Malina would be at the extended family get togethers that we would go to....
This is how my family met Kimo and Malina- It really is a small world :)

Dionnes text was asking for prayer for (her sister in law) Malina- She was very sick, had been medivaced from a hospital on Kauai to Straub Hospital in Honolulu....the diagnosis was Acute Myeloid Leukemia type M4.

The local paper on Kauai picked up Malina's story and explains even further what Malina has gone through since getting her diagnosis- Click HERE to read.

In the last couple of weeks, Malina was released from Straub so that she could fly to Stanford to receive a bone marrow transplant.  Malina's brother Alika was found to be her perfect match. 

Malina's facebook update page said this today:

Today Malina begins her preliminary appointments before her actual transplant. Today she will have her pulmonary function test, echocardiogram to check her heart and another bone marrow biopsy. Please keep her in your prayers for favorabl...e results and comfort during the biopsy. Biopsies are extremely painful and each one has been increasingly more painful for her. Malina continues to show an amazingly positive attitude in everything she does. Her smile shines daily. Kimo is there every step of the way. And Alika will stay with them until they complete his stem cell collection. Actual transplant will be March 27th.

I would ask that when you think of it, you lift Malina up in prayer- She's a young mama, she's newly married, she's strong and incredibly courageous.  Praying for Kimo as he stands by his wife's side and for Alika as he is privileged to be Malina's donor.  Also praying for Mahiehie.....

God Bless you and we are praying!!

 

 

'Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.' Joshua 1:9



Malina you are STUNNING!

Malina, Mahiehie, and Kimo

Beautiful!

Malina and her brother Alika

This pic is of Isaiah and Ryan- Isaiah and his family spent this past Thanksgiving with us here in Oregon.
 

Chris and Heather's Baby Evelyn

Our Birth mom Heather and her fiancée Chris were expecting a baby at the beginning of August.  They knew that the baby would be a girl and they had chosen the name Evelyn.  It was important to both of them that the baby girl they were having had a name that complimented Ellie's name- That is part in how the name Evelyn...Evie (EV) for a nick name, was chosen.  This past Monday (2/24) Heather experienced complications and baby Evelyn, at 17 weeks, went home to heaven.

The sadness that Heather and Chris are feeling is enormous...........

I would ask, when you think of Heather and Chris, that you would lift them up in prayer- That they, in a very real way would feel the peace and comfort of the Lord as they grieve.

Baby Evelyn is in the arms of Jesus...Her short life here on earth will go on forever in eternity and will be remembered always by her family.

We love you and are so sorry....




Heather with Ellie's half brothers Caiden (L) and Joshua Justice (R)