Writing Love on My Arm…

Today I wore my heart on my sleeve. Well, my arm really. At 8am this morning I wrote LOVE on my arm in red lipstick and left my forearm exposed for all to see.

Why, you ask? For Dave.

I met Dave in 2006 at a conference I planned. Like the rest of us in attendance, Dave had medical challenges that he dealt with everyday. This was the first time Dave had the opportunity to interact with others living with similar conditions, and when I met him for the first time in the hotel elevator, he was full of life, thanking me for putting the conference together. Because I was busy with event management “stuff”, I didn’t get the chance to know Dave as well as many of the other attendees, but everytime I saw him through out the week he had a 100 watt smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

I would have never guessed that inside, Dave was broken and hurting and had even previously tried to take his own life. Dave and I talked by email a few times after the conference and I tried to keep tabs on him through other friends that had gotten to know him well and had kept in touch following the conference. Then this past June, I awoke to an email the hit me like a freight train. Dave had finally succeeded in ending his own pain.

So today, through the prompting of an event called Love is the Movement, and inspired by an organization called To Write Love on Her Arm, I wrote LOVE on my arm in honor and support of Dave and all of my other friends from throughout the years that have struggled with depression, self-injury, addiction and suicidal thoughts.

Dave, I miss you even now. You left a mark on my heart and a smile in my memory and inspired me to write love on my arm.

For more on Love is the Movement : www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7693997482

For more about To Write Love on Her Arm: www.twloha.com/the_story.php

A Skinny Wedding Shower weekend

Friday night Rob and Adrienne invited us to the Boneyard to see Skinny ( my new favorite local band….http://www.myspace.com/2skinnydorks). They were great! I think I’ll become a groupie like`Adrienne and follow them all over NE Ohio. She’s already got the shows penciled in on her calendar. Dork!
I had a good time people watching (or “checking people out” as Jon would argue ). Unfortunately our spirits were dampened by the flat tire we had on the way home. Many thanks to Jeremy and the Kirtland cop that helped us out.
Saturday was Kevin and Bethany’s shower. Jaidin and I attended and did our bridesmaid and flower girl duties.
After the shower we headed to Amber’s birthday party. Amber is Jaidin’s day care provider, my new friend, and so much more. The whole time I nannied (before I had Jaidin) I prayed that one day, when I had kids, God would provide wonderful people to care for my kids in the future. Amber is definitely an answer to prayer! Jaidin adores her, and I know she loves Jaidin ( and all the kids she cares for).
Her party was off the hook! Well…it was pretty awesome if you were 4 years old. She had a seperate “kids” table set up, all kind of kids games, and….a pinata! Jaidin was in birthday party bliss! And each kid got a ‘goodie bag’ when they left. Guess what was in it? A Snoopy SnoCone Maker! I don’t know who was more excited..me or Jaidin! I ALWAYS wanted a Snoopy SnoCone Maker, but never got one as a kid. Thanks, Amber!
Saturday night we went to Steve and Lindsey’s for a bonfire. Marshmallow and chocolate messes ensued.
We had Father’s Day dinner at Jon’s parent’s, then Jaidin and I headed over to my dad’s for a while. She was pretty upset that we didn’t go in the pool, so I think I know where we’ll be spending my day off on Wednesday She did, however, enjoy ‘saving’ bugs with the pool net. My dad just kept “helping” her, bless his heart!

Keep Peddling: Reflections on GYGIG

I did it…I survived 3 days in the wilderness of upstate NY.
(Ok..maybe it wasn’t really wilderness, but it came close enough for this city girl.)
For all you doubters out there…I went 3 days without “doing” my hair (thank goodness for pigtails), and I broke not a single nail. So And guess what…

I actually enjoyed it. Maybe not the camping part so much ( although I’ll definitely do it again), but the GYGIG ride was an amazing experience. Over 150 riders and crew…each with a unique story about how Crohn’s and Colitis has affected their life, each riding or crewing for a different personal reason, but committed to the ‘corporate’ mission of the ride.

As I watched the riders and crew each day, I was reminded of my own “journey” with IBD, and it can be likened to a bike ride. In the beginning, I was extremely focused on the end…when, where, how will it be over?

But over the years I’ve learned to not focus so much on the destination, but to appreciate the “ride” and the progress I have made. There have been hills; hospitalizations, ostomy surgery, lack of insurance, emergencies, “accidents”. “Hills” that at the time seemed insurmountable, but somehow I made it to the top. There have also been descents and valleys; depression, self destructive behavior, wondering what the future held. Determination and perseverance allowed me to keep peddling and eventually reach flat, even ground; acceptance. And all along the way, there have been rest stops and cheering stations; a WOC nurse who not only encouraged me but inspired me, my involvement with Youth Rally, working for CCFA, being elected to office with UOAA, and all of the other amazing opportunities I’ve been afforded because of my journey with IBD. But most importantly, there was the crew; the people that I met along the way who cheered me on, picked me up when I couldn’t go any further and “swept me along”, those who fixed the broken parts, those that showed me how to “ride” when I was a new cyclist in the IBD journey, those who “rode” before me and marked my way, and those who believed in my ablity to finish the course, even when I doubted.

My ride is far from over. Each day I get up, I set out along the path. Some days I am the rider…climbing hills, careening down the other side, pulling out of the valleys, and picking up speed on the stretches of even gound. And some days I’m the crew…helping a new “rider” get their bearings, sharing my story and encouraging them to “keep peddling”.
Truth be told, I’m not positive of my destination. But I’ve learned that it doesn’t so much matter- I’m on an incredibly scenic journey and I’m going to keep peddling to wherever it leads.

Here’s a quick recap of the weekend events:
Arrived in NYC on Thursday afternoon. Hooked up with Julielyn and Paul and did “touristy” things like Times Square, met Spiderman, and we visited the World Trade Center site. Checked in for the ride, attended ride meetings, then headed out on the town and met up with a sorority sister I hadn’t seen in about 12 years ( Hi, Laurie!). Then back to the hotel and bed because I had to be up at the butt crack of dawn.
Got the the starting Pier in Tribeca at 5am Friday. Made coffee, set up breakfast, helped unload gear truck and set up bike racks, etc. Opening ceremonies, riders departed. Tore down above mentioned items, helped reload gear truck, then headed upstate to camp 1. Arrive at camp, help clean dining hall (nasty) and bathroom/showers (nastier). Help unload gear truck (again), set up tents with the guidance of the Tent Fairy, got text from friend Julielyn (rider) who was in ER getting breathing treatment next to the rider (Yoni) who got hit by a deer!, passed out towels, took a much needed shower, ate dinner, attended crew meeting, chased tumbleweeding tents across the field (it was a bit windy) , got in my tent and collapsed in exhaustion. Awoke at 1am to the sound of rain. Had to pee (of course!), so walked to bathroom with flashlight in rain with one contact suctioned to my eyeball and other eye barely functional (fun times). Back to tent, wonder if I should pack up my stuff so it doesn’t get wet…should I get out rain gear in case it starts storming and I must make a run for the pavillion. Decide I am too tired to care, try to go back to sleep. Hear scary noises coming from surrounding woods and have ridiculous thoughts of Camp Crystal Lake and the Blair Witch Project.
Get up at 5 in the morning, make Gatorade and icewater for riders, pack up my stuff, help take down tents, clean up, tear down bike racks, load gear truck (again), then head to breakfast at the Elk’s club. Eat, then head upstate to Earllton. Arrive at camp 2. Unload gear truck (again!), set up canopies, tents, bike racks, snacks, Gatorade, water, yada yada. Rest a bit (nice weather this day) and check out campsite. See lots of double wides and garden gnomes.
Riders start arriving, direct them to tents, hand out towels. Eat dinner, listen to Solid Gold ( 4 men, 50+ yrs old, singing 50 Cent…classic..), hang out with riders and crew, talk, collapse in tent exhausted.
Awake at 5am, shower, eat breakfast, tear down camp, load gear truck (yet again), head upstate to Saratoga Springs and Skidmore College. Set up rider holding area, unload gear truck (for the LAST time!), await riders. Riders finish ride, I get teary-eyed several times, take lots of photos. Then closing ceremonies. I address crowd on behalf of UOAA, get teary-eyed again. Barbeque dinner, then goodbyes.
Through out all of this, the reflections from above were flowing through my mind. I just gave you the nuts and bolts of all that happended. But like the T-shirts say …

“It’s so much more than a ride”…

Weekend Fun

Saturday was a beautiful Ohio summer day ( I know, all you native Ohioans are thinking that’s an oxymoron…but it truly was gorgeous), so we headed to the YMCA Outdoor Family Center for their opening Sunfest weekend. Jaidin had a great time in the sprinkler park, wading pool, and “big people” pool with us. She was really mad about not being able to go on the water slides…she needed to be 48″ tall, and she isn’t there yet. She informed me if she keeps eating her “princess gummies” (she has Disney princess shaped gummy vitamins) she’ll definitely be tall enough by the end of summer.

Saturday night we watched the CAVS win the Eastern Conference. Stephen and Evan came over ( and Lindsey ditched me ). While we watched the Cavs tear up Detroit, Evan and Jaidin tore up her room!

Sunday was CCFA Day at the Cleveland Indians, so I had to “work”…I mean, go to the game. I have SUCH a hard job
We took Juliea with us and the girls had a great time kicking the seats in front of us, eating hotdogs and Cracker Jacks, drinking pop (resulting in multiple bathroom trips ) and dropping their 1977 vintage replica batting helmets down three rows of seats. The only tears all day were because they didn’t get to take a picture with Slider. Good times!

Chi-Town, Mom and Me, and Memorial Day

I’ve been wanting to post these pictures for a week now…but time keeps slipping by. So here’s a quick lowdown and I’ll let the pics speak for themselves.I survived my trip to Chicago. We had a good conference planning/board meeting and I feel like I have a much better handle on the “big picture” regarding the conference. I’m very detail oriented and sometimes get caught up in the little stuff and overwhelm myself. But I’m very blessed to working with an awesome group of people who are faithful to follow through on responsibilities. And they’re so kind to keep encouraging me in my new responsibilities. And…I’m very lucky to have a family and friends who are supportive of my traveling all over the map, helping us with Jaidin, etc. And…I’m very blessed to have a husband who sends me flowers while I’m out of town

The Monday after I got home from Chicago, I got to spend the evening with Jaidin at FunTime, an indoor “inflatables” funpark. The women’s ministries at our church meets once month and this month was Mom and Me night out. Jaidin had a great time, and I enjoyed spending the evening with her since I had been gone for 4 days.

Memorial Day weekend was hectic but fun. Our friends Mitch and Heather were in town visiting and we got to spend some time with them.They used to be part of RedHeart with us and Mitch played in Jon’s band, but they moved home to Lancaster, PA about 2 years ago. So good to see them…and find out they’re expecting a baby!
We also got to go to Miss Kelly’s birthday party. Miss Kelly is one of Jaidin’s preeschool teachers, and also the sister of my brother’s fiance. Fun times hanging out with all the RedHeart and church crew.
We had a fun time with family too. Sunday afternoon we spent time at Jon’s parent’s house. They were still in Maui, but Jon’s aunt Vicki was in town to stay with his grandma while mom and dad were gone. I’m so glad I finally got to meet Vicki. Then we headed to my grandparents house. My mom’s stepsister MaryLue was in town, so we went to visit with her. And we had fun teaching Jaidin to play Cornhole…the hokiest midwestern yard game ever!

We spent Memorial Day at Steve and Lindsey’s. Family cookout, t-ball, football, S’mores…what else do you need on a holiday?

Happy Mother’s Day to Me!

I had a very nice Mother’s Day weekend. Thanks to all of you who sent comments and messages (Sorry I didn’t have time to return the love!). Friday night we met Kevin and Bethany at Red Robin for dinner, then came home and retired early in preparation for our big days on Saturday.

Saturday, Jon got up and headed to the studio to record, and Jaidin and I got ready for our day out with my mom, grandma, and aunt. Mom picked up Jaidin and I, and we headed to get grandma. From there, we were off to Unionville, OH for the Unionville Flea Market. Every year they have a a day long flea market and antique show that is city-wide. There’s a park where outside vendors set-up, and people also rent out their front yards to peddlers (or they set up their own wares and antiques to sell). I’d never been there for this event, and I’ve never seen anything like it! We walked around for about 2 hours, until Jaidin got tired and hungry. I saw a few things I would liked to have purchased, but they were bigger (wicker furniture) and I had no room to get them home. So in the end, I bought Jaidin a doll set for $1, and myself some cinnamom roasted cashews. YUMMY! The highlight of the trip for me was seeing the historic homes lining Rt. 84, and the antique car we came across. Long story short, the gentleman that owns the car was inspired by a Grey Poupon advertisement and re-did the finish of his car with red and white checked tablecloth. It took him over a year to line up the checks in the fabric and finish it. He used varnish as the overlay. It really was an amazing site…it reminded me of a huge picnic table!
We left the flea market and headed to Geneva on the Lake, which in the 50′s and 60′s was a quaint little vacation town right on Lake Erie. People used to rent out the little lakefront cottages and escape from all over the Northeast. There’s a strip with arcades, diners, bars and shops that sell knick knacks and other “junk”. Over the years it’s gotten run down, but I remember going there every summer as a kid and riding the rides, eating at the diner, and spending time at the cottage my aunt rented every 4th of July. Fun memories! And my aunt, grandma, and Mom have memories that go back many more years! We had lunch at Eddie’s Grill, which is an authentic 50′s diner. All the cooks wear white tshirts, aprons, and little paper hats. So fun! This was Jaidin’s first time there…now 4 generations of our family will have memories there.
Saturday night we went to Steve and Lindsey’s for Jessica’s surprise birthday party. We had a good time, but I was the oldest person there (this is happening to me ALOT lately, especially at RedHeart events…hmmmm), and really felt it when they started playing Church of God camp games! Big Booty, anyone? And once again, Jeff tried to ruin all my pictures!

Sunday we headed to church, then to Jon’s parents to celebrate Mother’s Day. We had a nice dinner and some good laughs, then I headed out for some R & R ( translation: manicure and pedicure). It was a relaxing day for the most part. Sunday evening, Jon helped me fix a snafu at work by stuffing about 250 envelopes (THANKS!)
On Monday, I left work early so I could attend the Mother’s Tea at Jaidin’s school. It was fun, and the kids were all so excited to have mom there. Jaidin made me a really cute apron with her handprints on it (is Mrs. Zinni implying I don’t cook enough??). When we got home we played outside in the beautiful weather. Anyone else perplexed by this Ohio weather? It’s actually been SUNNY… The icecream truck came by and Jaidin convinced me to buy treats for her, Jon and myself, and Uncle Kevin. Can you believe I spent $8 on a Dora popsicle, 2 Nascar bars, and a SpongeBob treat? $2 a piece! I remember paying $.50 for a popsicle as a kid. Oh lord…I sound like my grandma….

Tomorrow I am off to Chicago for a conference planning/board meeting. Wish me luck…as of today I am not quite prepared and I’m a bit nervous about the whole thing.

Weekend Update

Friday: Wanted to go to Seeker’s Coffeehouse to see Al play, but couldn’t find a babysitter, so…. We settled for dinner at CiCi’s, followed by shopping at Old Navy. I am extremely proud of myself, as I resisted the flip flop temptation (Cheryl, I know you know what I’m talking about ), but I did get a bunch of new tanks and shirts and some new cargo capri’s. Jon and Jaidin got new outfits too, and I think Jon actually ENJOYED shopping. ( Don’t worry honey…I don’t think you’ll lose your MAN card.)

Saturday: I headed to Border’s to get some UOAA work done. I have been overwhelmed with work and UOAA stuff lately, and I really needed to catch up…or at least get organized. And I knew if I stayed home, I’d be distracted by other stuff ( like dirty bathrooms, unfolded laundry, and a needy 4 year old). So I packed up my briefcase and trusty laptop and headed to the bookstore coffeehouse to get some real work done. And I did. 3 hours worth…undistracted, except for the occasional exchange of conversation with Paul ( P. Miller was there studying for RedHeart Equipping school…see what a dedicated teacher we have?) I surprised myself. Bookstores are a big deal for me…I can spend hours there…not working, but perusing the aisles, reading snippets, looking at magazines. If you know me well, you know I’m a bibliophile. So to be in a bookstore for 3 WHOLE HOURS and not pick up a book was a milestone for me. (*pats self on back*)
Saturday night I had to work…sort of. CCFA held an event at The Boneyard (which is similar to a Dave & Buster’s aka Chuck E. Cheese for adults) It was a fun social event, designed to try and get some younger adults more involved with our organization. We had dinner, a short intro to CCFA, then turned everyone loose to play games. I think everyone had fun…I know I did. I beat Jon at skeeball (just like I said I would!), but I got owned on the airhockey table. Oh well…I can’t be perfect at everything.

Sunday: Pastor’s Appreciation Sunday. We had a special speaker at Sunday morning’s service, so Jon’s dad could have the day “off”. I find that funny, because if you have a minister in your family, you know that they never truly ever have a day off. You can leave the country with no forwarding address and SOMEBODY from the church will track you down. Anyway, I digress…
After church we had lunch with Bill and Jenel, and Jeremy. Lots of laughs! Then off to Target and back to Old Navy for some more shopping.

That night was the pastor’s appreciation dinner, which had a luau theme. Yep, that’s right…everyone at Christian Life Church got leid on Sunday night. (I hope my father in law’s not reading this )
Very cool story behind the Hawaiian theme: About a year ago, a couple in our church (that wants to remain anonymous) approached Jon’s parents and said they felt like God was laying it on their hearts to send them to Hawaii. Mom and Dad were skeptical at first, but as time went on, this couple began making arrangements to send mom and dad to Hawaii. The trip almost fell through a few times, and it really looked bleak when mom was diagnosed with cancer this past winter. We had no idea if she’d be well enough to travel, etc. Long story short…she is now cancer free, and this vacation has turned into a victory trip for them. All expenses paid for 2 weeks in Maui…an absolute dream come true for Jon’s Mom and Dad. And the coolest part is that God orchestrated all of it before mom was even diagnosed. He knew that after all they would go through over the past 9 or so months, they’d need this time away to recoup and celebrate.
So the luau theme was kind of a send off for them, and a celebration of all they (and our church) had overcome this year. God is so good! Can I get an AMEN?

The Big Easy

This past Sunday I headed off to New Orleans to do a site visit for a conference I am planning for 2009.
After an uneventful pair of flights (Cleveland to Charlotte, Charlotte to New Orleans) I met Ken (UOAA’s current president and my “boss”) at the airport and we cabbed it to downtown. The Sheraton is located right in the downtown area almost between the French Quarter and the Garden District. We checked in and were informed that we had been upgraded to Executive Suites. Pretty cool! However…of course they upgraded us…the rooms were comped to begin with, and they want us to throw a $50,000 conference their way. Duh! The room was great, but really, if they wanted to wow me, they should have put me in the Presidential suite with the whirlpool tub. ( I am just kidding…I’m NOT a hotel snob. I was quite appreciative of my free executive suite )
We dropped our stuff off in our rooms and then headed out to find some dinner. We ended up at this place called The Gumbo Shop. YUM! is all I have to say about that. I had a traditional Creole meal – Chicken Andouille gumbo, Chicken Espagnole with rice and garlic potatoes, and bread pudding with whiskey sauce. And of course I topped it off with an authentic New Orleans praline that I purchased on the walk home! (I bought a whole box and have been eating them since I got home. I believe I’ve found the newest form of crack! )
Back in the room, I enjoyed the view from my floor to ceiling window, chatted on the phone, answered email and proceeded to pass out. I do believe it was a Creole-induced coma
Monday morning we met with the hotel sales manager to talk business, view all the meeting space, etc. The hotel is beautiful, spacious, and has a full-service Starbucks in the lobby, which gets them my vote!
After our meeting, we consulted with the concierge about things for us to do in the area. I REALLY wanted to take a ghost and cemetary tour of the city, where they show you all the “haunted” spots, and tell stories like that of Marie Laveau ( famous voodoo priestess). But alas, we found out the tour was a 2.5 hour WALKING tour, and since yours truly only brought strappy platform sandals and high heels, we decided against the walking tour.
We did end up on a Super City bus tour that took us everywhere! We started out in downtown and toured all the neighborhoods. We even saw some of the areas decimated by Katrina. We went north to lake Ponchatrain and then came back down via the Garden District, past Tulane and Loyola. Beautiful architecture, magnolia blossoms, and Mardi Gras beads were everywhere ( St. Charles in along the parade route). The tour driver was so knowledgeable about the city, giving us history of Creoles, Cajuns, the cities wealthiest occupants, as well as famous people that have inhabited the city through the years. He talked alot about Katrina and pointed out various landmarks and places of interest along the way. I think the best part was his snippet about the cemetaries and how the plots and tombs are utilized. The tour was a 2 hour history lesson and I enjoyed every second of it!
After the tour we walked over to the famous Cafe Du Monde and had beignets and cafe au lait. WONDERFUL! We sat on their outside patio, talked about love, life and UOAA business and listened to great street musicians play and sing. It was a laid back, relaxing afternoon…and really gave me a nice opportunity to get to know Ken better.
That evening we headed down Bourbon street in search of dinner. After passing Huge A$$ Beers to Go and Big Daddy’s Topless and Bottomless, we decided that we’ll not need to plan any programming for ’09. I mean really…what else do you need for a successful conference? ( I am totally kidding, of course) We ended up in this place called Yo Mama’s for dinner. Yes, it was as hole in the wall as it sounds, but had a really cool vibe…and surprisingly enough, great food!
When we got back to the hotel, I was really tempted to go back out on my own and explore, but I knew Jon ( not to mention my mother and grandmother) would freak out if they knew I ventured out into a strange city by myself…afterdark! Oh the horrors! So I went downstairs and hung out in the lobby and at Starbucks by myself for a while. I chatted with a few nice folks in town for a disaster recovery conference, but mostly I people-watched, one of my favorite things to do. I love watching people interact, imagining the stories behind their lives, wondering about their dreams, etc. I went back upstairs at about 11pm, packed up most of my stuff and went to bed.
Tuesday morning we met with another hotel rep, had breakfast and headed to the airport. It took me all day to get home, thanks to a two hour layover in Charlotte. Jon and Jaidin picked me up at the airport and suprised me with a huge bouquet of brightly colored daisies! I love walking out of baggage claim to find two smiling faces and pretty flowers to greet me!I had a fantastic time in the Big Easy, and I think it’s pretty probable that we’ll be having a conference there in 2009. Now all I have to do is convince Ken that our next site visit should be sometime in mid-February next year. Can you say “Mardi Gras”?

California, A high School Musical, Spaghetti with balls, and a beautiful day

The title of this blog pretty much sums up our weekend!

Friday night Jaidin’s best friend Juliea spent the night with us. I picked the girls up from school and we went to Starbucks (I got coffee, they got strawberry frappucinos), and we headed to the library. I had my iPod playing in the car, and the O.C theme song came on. Jaidin LOVES the OC, even though she’s only seen a few scenes here and there, and will make me play this song OVER and OVER again in the car. She sings it at the top of her lungs. Well…Juliea’s a quick learner, because the second time around, both girls were belting it out. Too cute!
That night,we took the girls to Denny’s for dinner (definitely NOT my choice of restaurant, although I’ll admit that it wasn’t SO bad since Ohio is now smoke free), and I don’t think either one of us realized how loud two 4 year old girls can be.We must have said “use your inside voice” 20 times in our one hour in the restaurant. The good news was I only had to take them to the ‘potty’ twice.
After Denny’s we headed to the grocery store. All I have to say is that as we walked out of the store, Jon and I were both in agreement that we are happy only having one child! We got them home, put them in bed, put a movie on (Mary Poppins), then went downstairs to put the groceries away. 3 hours later ( 11pm), Mary Poppins was still singing and the girls were STILL awake. They passed out around midnight, and Jon and I headed to bed. At 3:30 am, I awoke to the sounds of uncontrollable sobs coming from Jaidin’s room. Juliea was on the top bunka bed (that’s what Jaidin calls them ), and was very much in need of her mommy and daddy I held her for a while, and finally convinced her to go back to sleep, after promising her she could sleep on the floor in Jaidin’s sleeping bag. Whew! Crisis diverted! The girls got up around 9am, and decided they did not want to go to their ballet class. Instead they wanted to make a ‘craft’ for Dylan, the sweet, unsuspecting 2nd grade boy they both have a crush on. Hilarious!

Saturday night, Jon and I went on a date for our anniversary (7 years!). We saw “Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Forum” at a local highschool, and it was really good ( for a high school musical )! Our friend Chris teaches art at the school, and he was the production’s technical director, so we went to support him…and ended up really enjoying ourselves. When we got back from dinner, Jon gave me my final anniversary gift…a really cool DVD that my brother helped him with. They took our wedding video and edited it to DVD, and then Jon recorded himself playing and singing our wedding song as the audio. They did a great job, and it was the most heartfelt and thought out gift I think Jon’s ever gotten me.
Sunday morning was a special church service. Our church is finally paid for! We had a special ceremony where we burnt the mortgage papers. There was a a DVD of pictures playing during the service…pictures from years ago, when they first bought our church property, began building, etc. It was nostalgic. I wasnt around back then ( at least on the church scene), and Jon’s dad was not yet the pastor. Many of the people from the video have passed away, but a few of the men from the pastor’s council back then, and the old pastor were present this Sunday for the service. All of this reminded me of God’s faithfulness to us. These people some 20 years ago had a dream and a vision of building this church ministry, and it was heartwarming to witness them reminiscing about God’s goodness through the years.
After church, Lindsey and I went on our bi-weekly date for manicures and coffee. Jon inquired if this was going to become a regular occurence. I said yes, as it is cheaper than psychotherapy! Lindsey is a great date! She brings me smaller jeans so I don’t have to get dressed and come out of the fitting room…AND she listens to me blab about my crazy life. And then…. she invited us over for dinner so I didn’t have to cook on my anniversary! Who could ask for a better sis-in-law?
Oh…and she makes terrific balls….meatballs, that is!
Today it was back to work, but at least the sun was shining! Spring has sprung in NE Ohio…at least for the week. I even busted out the flip flops! Those of you who know me well know that it is a sad day in the Knipp house when the flip flops are retired for the winter. So, today was a joyous day! When Jon got home from work, we took Jaidin to the park and she had a blast! My mouthy kid told me to quit ‘aggravating’ her by following her around with the camera. I have NO idea where she gets her sassiness from…

Pics are below. Enjoy!