Another day in our life...

Making Memories

2011-10-01T06:25:00.003-04:00

Todd and Daniel planned a canoe trip for the weekend - a guy's trip. It's sure to water, mud, sleeping bags, campfires, and roughing it.

They made all the preparations themselves except for my attempt at contributing gluten-free pumpkin granola bars - FAIL. I'll have to work on that one. They took them anyway. When you're really hungry, just about anything tastes good!
I'll have to admit that as they were loading up, I was giddy with excitement for them. Making those memories. Sometimes the biggest disasters make for the best memories. Not that this trip will be a disaster. In fact, it will be far from it, knowing those two. But when unexpected things happen, those make for the best stories to recount for years to come.
Off they go into the great unknown. I'll pick them up Sunday - somewhere. They have no schedule, and no goal other than to be in the moment.
Thank you, God, for opportunities to be in the moment...

Sunday morning

2011-09-15T15:11:00.005-04:00

We traveled Sunday and left early enough to enjoy the foggy fields as we drove. I love road trips. There's something about being cut off from outside interferences and just being together.

So much nurturing of the soul happens in our conversations, a time to reconnect, and, even if for a little while, set aside the busy-ness of the outside world.

Like being in a cocoon of sorts.

I love it.

We'll talk soon!

I Stand By the Door

2011-02-23T06:14:00.003-05:00

A few years ago, Todd Jr. shared this poem with me. I've thought about it recently and decided to share it with you. What do you think about it? Where do you stand?

I Stand by the Door

By Sam Shoemaker (from the Oxford Group)

I stand by the door.

I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out.

The door is the most important door in the world -

It is the door through which men walk when they find God.

There is no use my going way inside and staying there,

When so many are still outside and they, as much as I,

Crave to know where the door is.

And all that so many ever find

Is only the wall where the door ought to be.

They creep along the wall like blind men,

With outstretched, groping hands,

Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,

Yet they will never find it.

So I stand by the door.

The most tremendous thing in the world

Is for men to find that door - the door to God.

The most important thing that any man can do

Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands

And put it on the latch - the latch that only clicks

And opens to the man's own touch.

Men die outside the door, as starving beggars die

On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter.

Die for want of what is within their grasp.

They live on the other side of it - live because they have not found it.

Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,

And open it, and walk in, and find Him.

So I stand by the door.

Go in great saints; go all the way in -

Go way down into the cavernous cellars,

And way up into the spacious attics.

It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.

Go into the deepst of hidden casements,

Of withdrawal, of silence, of sainthood.

Some must inhabit those inner rooms

And know the depths and heights of God,

And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.

Sometimes I take a deeper look in.

Sometimes venture in a little farther,

But my place seems closer to the opening.

So I stand by the door.

There is another reason why I stand there.

Some people get part way in and become afraid

Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them;

For God is so very great and asks all of us.

And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia

And want to get out. "Let me out!" they cry.

And the people way inside only terrify them more.

Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled.

For the old life, they have seen too much:

One taste of God and nothing but God will do any more.

Somebody must be watching for the frightened

Who seek to sneak out just where they came in,

To tell them how much better it is inside.

The people too far in do not see how near these are

To leaving - preoccupied with the wonder of it all.

Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door

But would like to run away. So for them too,

I stand by the door.

I admire the people who go way in.

But I wish they would not forget how it was

Before they got in. Then they would be able to help

The people who have not yet even found the door.

Or the people who want to run away again from God.

You can go in too deeply and stay in too long

And forget the people outside the door.

As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,

Near enough to God to hear Him and know He is there,

But not so far from men as not to hear them,

And remember they are there too.

Where? Outside the door -

Thousands of them. Millions of them.

But - more important for me -

One of them, two of them, ten of them.

Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.

So I shall stand by the door and wait

For those who seek it.

'I had rather be a door-keeper.

So I stand by the door.

Radical

2010-03-25T07:29:00.003-04:00

One of the "dangers" of growing up in a Christian/church environment is learning early on the "right" things to say and the "right" way to act without having to make it personal. This certainly is not a new revelation by any means.

Another "danger" is being "comfortable" with certain passages of Scripture and not really searching for the deeper things in those passages.

I am thankful for family and friends that encouraged me to look beyond the surface and work out my faith in an honest, truth-seeking, challenging way. I'm thankful also that the Scripture has grabbed ahold of Todd and all three boys as well, and it is too their lifeline.

I ran across this sermon series from a friend of a friend's blog, and to say that it is challenging is an understatement. I want to encourage you to take the time to listen/watch these eight teachings. They are also on Itunes (search for David Platt Radical).

WARNING: Some of your current thought processes will probably be challenged. I encourage you to be open to what God has to say to you through these teachings. Of course, test them, search them and seek after what God would have you do in your own life.

Todd and I have been stretched and challenged and inspired to live out our faith in a radical way. We're still asking God to reveal exactly what that means for us, but without a doubt, it will be . . . RADICAL. Praise God!

Click on the graphic to get started

My Prayer for 2010

2010-01-01T06:39:00.003-05:00

I've had some verses running through my mind for a few weeks now, and as I was reflecting on them realized these verses are my heart's prayer for me personally, my family and friends. So if you fall into the family or friend category, rest assured this is my prayer for you, especially the section bolded!

Ephesians 1:15-23:

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe.

That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the hevenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and domininion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age, but also in the one to come.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

Christmas 2009

2010-01-01T06:06:00.007-05:00

We spent Christmas in Phoenix this year with LOTS of family. So fun! We are so blessed!!

Todd, Johnny, Kira, Adam, and Daniel:

Todd, Johnny, Grandpa, Kira, Grandma, Adam, and Daniel:

Colin, Todd, Gretchen and Adam trying to find the wild javelina. Adam caught a glimpse, and then it disappeared!

Adam, Connor, Colin, Terry Lee, Daniel, and Connor playing some game that shocks you if you don't push your button first when the light turns green. I wasn't brave enough to try it!

Todd and Joy. Look at all the sahuaros!! So beautiful!

Terry doing what he does best!

Todd, Adam, Colin, and Cameron:

Todd and Joel!

We had a chance to hike at Thunderbird Mountain Park. Adam Daniel, Kira and Todd Jr.

Kira and Kathy!!

Gretchen, Cameron, and Claudia!

Betty looking beautiful in red!

Todd and Grandma sitting by the outdoor fireplace. On the ledge just above Todd's head, a roadrunner made an appearance. They got pictures - I didn't.

It was a wonderful trip! We are SO blessed!

Taking it all in stride

2009-09-12T06:36:00.004-04:00

So Daniel brought home a note from school this week, but not THAT kind of note because Daniel is just not THAT kind of kid. Daniel doesn't make waves, but not because he doesn't have opinions or is "passive" as someone once described him, but because he has a tremendous amount of inner strength and self-control. Sometimes I think he is much more of a grown-up than I am.

Anyway, though, I got a little off track...

So Daniel and Josiah got in the car after school and Daniel announced that he had gotten a note in his locker, but that he hadn't even opened it yet - See, I told you he had self-control.

So I, who have less self-control, said, "Open it, open it." As we were driving away from school I glanced at Daniel's face in the rearview mirror as he read the note - smile, big smile.

Daniel, taking it all in stride, announces, "It's from Audra. She wants to go out with me."

"Oh really?" I asked.

"Yeah, but I'm going to tell her no, because ..."

"You're ELEVEN maybe? " I helped out.

"Yeah, but... (as he is folding the note back up) it's good to know, for future reference, of course."

"Of course."

Big Smile, pink face, red face, REALLY red face...

"Wow, my face feels really hot!"

Giggle, giggle, giggle from the back seat - They are only 11 after all...

Game day

2009-09-11T08:30:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday, Huntington University played IPFW which is a division I school in Fort Wayne. It was a great game!

IPFW scored in the first minute off of a penalty kick resulting from a foul being called on the Huntington keeper shown in the video below.

Also in the video is a shot taken by Adam (#11 in green). Every time I've watched it, I've held my breath to see if he scores. Remarkably, it never changes... It's a great shot, nonetheless.

At the very end of the video up in the stands, you can catch a glimpse of Todd, Daniel, Rachel and I. When the clip ends, if you move the little slider to the left just a tad, you can see us. Todd's in a baseball cap, Rachel is in a brown T-shirt, and I'm leaning forward just next to our friends who are standing up. We're just above and to the right of the center of the shot.

Huntington played a great game, but came up short 0-1. Adam had a good game - the first game back after his broken nose. Daniel and Adam both have games on Saturday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA8DvqJ1NEU

School and Soccer Season

2009-08-29T18:21:00.007-04:00

Well, school is in full swing again for Todd and Daniel, and Adam's classes start Monday. June seemed to go pretty slow, but I don't have a clue what happened to the rest of the summer. It's always a little hard when the kids go back to school. It's so quiet around the house during the day. I do have company, of course, but she's not very energetic or enthusiastic, and she really doesn't contribute much of anything. I even tried to hire her to catch up my filing for me, but you can see how that went!

We've been doing some traveling to Adam's soccer games which started last week. The team looks good this year!!

Fort Wayne has a national soccer showcase every year, and this year Huntington got to play against Cincinnati Christian College Thursday night. Adam scored the first goal of the game!

Towards the beginning of the second half, however, Adam's face had a collision with an opponent's head. We knew it must be bad because as soon as the ref got over to Adam, he stopped the clock.... then the trainers came running out.... then they put on their gloves. So as we watched from a distance we tried to figure out where the blood was coming from - nose? teeth? gash in head?

It was the nose... Thursday night...

Friday morning.... Profile shot - Check out the goose egg between his eyebrows!

Saturday morning.....

He didn't lose consciousness (Praise God), and the doctor on-site at the game said there was no indication of a concussion. He came home with us (obviously) after the game, and I woke him up during the night Thursday night just to check on him. An ENT doc checked him out on Friday and said everything looked okay. No need to come back unless he's unhappy with the cosmetic appearance after the swelling goes down. He feels a lot of pressure in his face and eyes from the swelling and has a slight headache, but is recovering pretty well. Thank you, Lord!

As a side note, as he was being driven off the field to go to the training room, the players on the bench from the other team told him they were praying for him, and after the game, the player that he collided with came in the training room and apologized (even though it was accidental) and said he'd be praying for him! That speaks volumes to the quality of character of those players!

Just so I don't leave you hanging, we won the game 2-1, and the Huntington players filed through to check on Adam as they were leaving and said, "We got it for you!" Such a great thing to be part of a great team! I'd be proud to have any of them as my son!

That's it for now. Take care!

Zoo fun

2009-06-23T22:23:00.006-04:00

A week or so ago, we made a trip to the Fort Wayne Zoo. The African Exhibit was completely revamped and definitely worth a visit. The weather was beautiful, but the sun was a little hot on Adam's newly shorn head. His hair ended up being a little shorter than he had planned on, but he now knows the error of his ways and has taken note for future self-haircuts. I think he looks awesome with or without hair! Here are pictures for your viewing pleasure:

The Monkeys were Adam's favorite!

I think Rachel is practing her monkey face!

I don't know what these flowers were, but they were BEAUTIFUL!

And THESE too!!

It's Indiana Todd!!

Sorry, I'm too tired to rotate this one...

Jelly Fish!!

Just yesterday

2009-06-18T13:17:00.004-04:00

Phoenix Arizona, 1992 ***It truly feels like yesterday

Daniel just looked at the picture and said, "I remember that chair; I was just sitting on it." :)

You've just gotta love the mauve from the 80s/90s. The color's not so great anymore, but the chair is still going strong. Random, I know...

I'm just missing a certain someone who's not home this summer...

Small Town Life

2009-04-29T08:02:00.002-04:00

Small town life has its disadvantages, sure, but there are also advantages and things that just put a smile on your face, like this message on our answering machine yesterday:

"Hi, it's Tyler from Pizza Hut. I just found out yesterday that we're getting an ice cream machine, and I thought to myself 'First thing Tuesday morning, I'm going to call the McLaughlins,' so I just thought I'd let you know. Have a great day."

With just a handful of eating establishments in our small town, when Pizza Hut took over the neighboring storefront and went from carry-out only to adding a small dining room, we along with many other residents were quite thrilled. Wednesday night is buffet night, and we've been pretty regular in our attendance. They have the best salad bar!

Anyway, Tyler is one of the managers, and a great one at that. You just know that if Tyler is there, the buffet will be fully stocked and ready to go. For the past year or so since the dining room opened Todd has commented upon leaving that as good as the food is, it would be better with a little ice cream to top it off.

Well, after much begging, the ice cream machine is a reality, Todd's happy, and I think I even hear the Cheers theme playing in the background.

Grandma's visit

2009-04-04T14:33:00.005-04:00

Mom came to visit over spring break, and we had a wonderful visit. She got to see all of our family and Mark and Jeni's, squeezing in a visit with Calvin before we left for the airport. Poor Calvin had to spend spring break in Destin, Florida... Here are some highlights of her visit:

Sunday, we headed up to South Bend to catch up with Todd Jr who was leading worship at a new church and got to spend a couple hours with him after church.

Tuesday we headed out shopping with Jeni and Kelly and ended up at Olive Garden for lunch. Can you say "Unlimited Soup, Salad and Breadsticks?" Mmmmm...

Wednesday evening we met Adam and Rachel for dinner in Fort Wayne.

Thursday evening, Mark, Jeni and Kelly came over for dinner.

Saturday, mom and I went to Adam's soccer tournament at University of St. Francis. It was a ccccold and wwwindy day!! We were able to spend quite a bit of time with Adam in between the games which was really nice!

We had a great time while she were here, and it went way too fast, and YES, everything we did involved eating (and I have the pictures to document it!) :)

Cruise to Cozumel

2009-01-11T21:04:00.003-05:00

It seems like just a dream already, and we haven't even been back a week yet.

We left early New Years Eve morning and drove to New Orleans where we hopped on the Carnival Fantasy for a four-day cruise to Cozumel. It was a lot of fun, and the sun felt great! Lots of food and lots of laughter!!! We arrived back home at 3:00am Tuesday morning. It was a great trip, but as always, it's great to be home!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Christmas Rundown

2009-01-11T19:03:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe the holidays are all wrapped up and in the history book, so to speak. We kept it very simple this year and just enjoyed the time with family and friends.

Mark, Jeni, Calvin and Kelly came over Christmas day. We had prime rib, ham and all the fixins, ate too much and then played. Tom and Josiah came over for the evening, but Kerrie had to work, so we were missing her. We played video games and euchre and laughed and laughed and laughed some more...

We decided to switch it up a little bit this year and made the guys do a little "treasure hunt" to find their gifts. I don't know how much they enjoyed it, but we sure enjoyed watching them!

Kelly, Mark and Daniel

Mark and Jeni
Look at how much I'm enjoying playing XBox 360

Adam's smile is a result of watching Jeni's attempt at Pacman.

Smile, Mark!

Crafty Kelly!

Daniel, Kelly and Todd

Tom and Todd!

Photo Catch-Up

2008-11-10T09:44:00.007-05:00

All of the photos in my digital camera have been screaming to get out and be published, so here it goes - a rewind from the past couple of months...

Over Daniel's birthday weekend, Adam had a game up at Moody in Chicago, so we packed up and headed up to Chicago for the weekend... We left early and captured the sunrise...

Adam scored the winning goal of the game...

Huntington's homecoming game...

The next weekend, we headed up to Mishawaka as Todd was helping lead worship in a church up there and got to hang out with Todd for the day. We went to a corn maze and pumpkin patch...

I had the privilege of accompanying Daniel's class to Mississinewa for the re-enactment of the War of 1812. It was quite fun...

Look at the sea of kids waiting for the re-enactment to start...

Senior night for South Adams football... Yeah, Calvin!

More soccer...

November 1 Todd played the piano for Lara Sprunger and Mike's wedding. It was a beautiful, God-focused wedding! Ashley got to come spend the weekend with us, too!

Last Friday night was homecoming for Bethel. Todd was nominated for the Junior Class court. We got to go watch the "pageant" and hang out at Starbucks for a little while...

And now I think I'm all caught up, for now :) ...

Soccer Saturday

2008-09-07T23:36:00.010-04:00

Daniel had his first soccer game of the Parks and Rec season. The team looked great and won 7-4. Daniel played so well. We were so proud! He played most of the game as forward and then relieved the goalie for the last few minutes of the game. Off to a good start, five more games to go...

Right after Daniel's game we packed up the SUV and headed straight over to Bluffton, Ohio, where Huntington U was playing Bluffton U. We knew we were only going to see the second half of the game because of travel time and walked in just after halftime and Huntington was down 0-2. The game was intense and HU was playing well, but we couldn't get the ball in the goal. With ten minutes left in the game, I leaned over to Rachel and said, "Adam's got ten minutes to score two goals, minimum."

With about five minutes left in the game, HU scored making the score 1-2. So the excitement was building... With one minute left, Adam was taking the ball to the goal. The goalie rushed him and he kicked the ball, it bounced off the goalie towards the goal, Adam kept charging... and... and... and... (how do you like the suspense?) was fouled BIG TIME just before he could put it in the goal. Well, the guy who fouled him was red-carded and sent off the field, and we were given a penalty kick.

We tied up the game with the penalty kick and 1 minute left to go. The game ended in a tie, and after a 10 minute break, they came back on the field for a 10-minute tie-breaker "golden goal" which means the first one who scores, wins.

About 5 minutes into the tie-breaker, Adam got tangled up with one of the Bluffton players and fell as the other guy was kicking and Adam got kicked square in the ribs. Stop the time clock, bring out the trainer, Adam thought he broke a rib or two. After a few minutes on the ground, Adam walked off and play resumed without him. Within just a minute or two of Adam's injury, he was running on the sidelines assessing whether he would be able to return to play. As Adam was running, HU scored. Adam missed it because he was running the opposite way. Rachel missed it because she was watching Adam, but Todd and I saw it, and it was SWEET! So HU won 3-2 in overtime! It was a good soccer day. The game was so good that I ended up putting my camera down and missed all the action shots, so only one of Adam this time, but doesn't he look like a man? Seriously, baby number two has grown up!

Friday evening at the lake

2008-09-07T23:13:00.009-04:00

Todd, Daniel, and I took a trip to Celina Friday evening for dinner at Bella's overlooking Grand Lake St. Mary's and then hiking around the lake. When I say around, I don't really mean around the entire lake - It's huge - 13,500 acres huge, and incredibly the entire thing was dug by 1700 German and Irish immigrants for the whopping wages of30 cents per day. Legend says that they also received a jigger of whiskey a day to fight off malaria... right, for the malaria... It took six years to dig the lake, and all the dirt/mud was hauled off by wheelbarrows and especially built one-horse drawn dump carts. It has an average depth of only 10'. I just had to share all of that because I thought it was fascinating.

Anyway, after dinner we explored, rock climbed, caught falling leaves, hiked, chased birds, took pictures and dreamed of fishing. The fish were actually jumping out of the water and taunting us - not just little fish, either - big fish. We have plans to go back Friday evening to fish and hang out - can't wait! I love to fish, and more so, just love to hang out with the guys. Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.

Todd's a junior, Adam's Freshman Orientation, Daniel and the Dunes

2008-08-24T16:32:00.004-04:00

Well Todd left on Wednesday morning to go back to school. I can't believe he's already a junior in college. I'm just simply not old enough to have a son that old! I've been caught in a time warp somewhere. I'm 29 and have a 20 year old. Actually, though, I'm happy to be my age because hopefully along the way I've gained some experience and wisdom - but seriously, when did I get to be 41?

Todd (Sr) and I went to freshman orientation/dedication at Huntington Friday night for Adam. It was a neat service. The worship time was awesome, and then everybody said prayers for everybody else (students, parents, staff) and then it was time to say our goodbyes. Since Adam's already been there for two weeks because of soccer, it wasn't as hard to say goodbye, besides we'll get to see him at soccer games fairly frequently. Speaking of soccer, he's had two games and scored two goals. One game was a friendly alumni match, and the other was a scrimmage against Defiance College. Their first season game is Saturday, Aug. 30 (Adam's 19th birthday). As part of the freshman "initiation," the freshman are not allowed to shave their moustache until a freshman scores in a season game. They are all hoping someone scores on Saturday because none of them are too thrilled with their cheesy looking upper lips.

Yesterday, Daniel, Todd (Sr) and I took Darcy and went to the Indiana Dunes State Park. The water was beautiful and we were able to hike quite a bit. We played in the water for a while and just enjoyed a day away. It helped to get out of the house for a while. I'm just not quite adjusted to having so few at home. I've gotten really good at freezing half of the meals that I cook. Todd says I need to quit cooking as much, but I haven't been able to do it yet. It always looks like it's not enough, so for now anyway, the freezer is filling up with quick and easy frozen meals. That's a good thing too!

Preview

2008-08-19T08:18:00.003-04:00

I thought I'd give you just a preview of what's to come... I'm working on putting together a slide show of some of Adam's pictures from Kenya, but I thought I'd give you just a preview of one of my favorite ones. If you click on the picture to enlarge it, you'll get a closer view. Apparently the giraffe REALLY liked Adam!

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Weekend Fun

2008-08-19T07:07:00.004-04:00

Well... Todd (Sr) and Daniel headed off to Huntington and the Little Turtle Campground at Edward Rousch Lake for a weekend of guy stuff - camping, hiking, fishing, being one with nature :), etc. They had a great time. I'd show you pictures if I could, but there aren't any, so just insert your favorite camping pictures/memories here.

Todd (Jr) and I stayed home and had some time to hang out together which was fun. We made a trip to Logans Steakhouse (our favorite) and did a little shopping on Friday night.

Saturday Todd and I and Rachel headed to Huntington and picked up Todd (Sr) and Daniel at the campground and went to watch Adam don his Huntington jersey for the first time for the team versus alumni game. The team won 2-1, and Adam scored the first goal of his college career. We had a great time!

After the game we along with Josh (Adam's roommate) and family helped move the rest of the guys's stuff into their dorm room. It's a brand new dorm, not even completely finished yet. They've got it configured for maximum leisure space complete with a small couch, and it looks like home. (We left before all the stuff was put away, but at least the beds were made.)

After we unloaded the stuff, we headed off to Don Rafael's Mexican Restaurant for a wonderful meal. I envision many more trips there after soccer games. I have three words for you - Arroz con Pollo. I didn't get it, but Daniel did, and Todd, and Adam, and Tyler (Josh's brother), and I wish I did! Next time...

After dinner, we dropped the guys and Rachel off at the dorm. Rachel and Adam hung out for the evening and then he brought her home, so we got to see him at home for a few minutes too. Then we dropped Todd (Sr) and Daniel off at their campground, and Todd and I headed back home. We ended up watching the Obama/McCain question/answer time with Rick Warren, which I'm glad we did because it was a great forum to compare and contrast the two candidates (and confirm what I already knew).

Sunday, the guys came back and we had some family time, went walking on the River Greenway in Bluffton (3+ miles) and ate at my favorite (fast food) place - Wendy's. For some reason, I am hooked on Wendy's these days and can usually talk the family into it once a week or so.

And so, Sunday marked the end of summer vacation for Daniel... and us... Here he is eating his breakfast before school Monday morning. His first day of fifth grade went well. We're off to a good start!

Summer ReWind

2008-08-11T08:05:00.013-04:00

Here I go again... I have such big plans for keeping this thing updated, and then life happens, and happens, and happens. So, in an effort to keep this from being novel length, I will hit a few highlights of the past few weeks...

Todd did come back from Myrtle Beach and had a wonderful time with Ashley and her family. It was the dream vacation that we didn't take this year (or last year, for that matter)...

Adam was home from Kenya for a few weeks and left yesterday for college. My heart hurts... but more on that to come.

Daniel came home from came and had a wonderful first experience, and yes, indeed, did feel a little more grown up upon his return. This is the last week of summer vacation, and he starts school next Monday. Where did July go???

Here are some of my favorite summer memories, complete with pictures...

Here comes Adam... Back in the U.S. of A!

In lieu of vacation this summer, we had a family fun weekend complete with eating out at some of our favorite places, bowling at Crazy Pinz, watching Prince Caspian at the $1 (and I really mean $1 theater), and arcade games where Adam won an Ipod Shuffle (knock-off) which works like a charm and is great for running. It was a lot of fun. Josiah got to go with us one of the days and Rachel the other.

When we weren't out having a totally fun family time, here's how the guys spent some of their time at home...

What is it, you might ask?? Think back...no farther back... a little more...Are you in the 90's yet? From the original Sega - Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. I used to like to play those games with them when I actually had a chance at winning once in a while. And now, the competition is just too stiff, and I'm happy to be the photographer, or if I do play, comic relief. Win-win for me...

Summer has gone by way too fast...

The Revolving Door

2008-07-25T12:12:00.007-04:00

Todd Jr - Gone to Myrtle Beach with Ashley and family

Adam - Back from Kenya

Daniel - Off to camp (but back this afternoon)

And so it goes... Life is changing in so many ways... but good ways!

As Daniel was getting ready to leave for camp on Monday, he was contemplating the significance of his first trip to camp for five days and said, "You know, Mom, I think I'll feel older after this trip." Me too, Daniel!!

It's been a quiet week around here. Adam has, for the first time in his life, felt what it was like to be an only child. His comment on it, "Really weird, kind of boring." My sentiments exactly!

Adam had a wonderful time on his trip and is glad to be back home. He's been training for soccer season and catching up on his sleep. I'll post pictures soon.

I've been trying to make the most of my work time and doing some spring/summer cleaning. I'm trying to squeeze everything I can out of each day of summer - so far, so good!

Todd and Darcy continue their daily walks, which is truly all that Darcy lives for. Todd enjoys it too, but Darcy does more.

I guess that's it for now. Stay tuned for Adam's Kenya pictures!

P.S. Todd Jr just called, and he and Ashley are on their way back from Myrtle Beach. Ashley starts classes on Monday, so they're headed back to get her settled. It sounds like they've had a wonderful week in Myrtle Beach, good weather, good food, lots of fun!

A couple of links

2008-07-08T08:19:00.002-04:00

I have two links to pass along to you. I'll put them here and also on the side. The first one is the blog for the Kenya team that Adam is a part of. They are sending daily updates and posting pictures. What a far cry from days gone by when hearing from missionaries took months instead of minutes... http://www.fmckenyateam.blogspot.com/

The next one is for a friend of mine from high school who is currently in Ethiopia adopting a beautiful baby girl. Her blog has journaled the adoption story from the beginning, and if you have a lot of time on your hands you can read the whole thing from beginning to present.

A prayer note: They were supposed to leave Ethiopia Friday to come home, but there was an error on the adoption papers, and they cannot leave with Zoie until this is corrected. Please pray for speediness in this correction so they can bring their daughter home and that God will give them peace through the waiting process. http://www.zoiegibson5.com/web/do/site/home?ID=226921

Fourth of July Fun

2008-07-05T20:54:00.010-04:00

We had a wonderful holiday weekend! The weather was wonderful, and we had a relaxing weekend...

Ashley came to spend the weekend with us (YEA!). Friday we grilled and ate out on the back patio under the umbrella that we've had for two years and never put up (I'm not sure why), and then Todd Sr mowed, and Daniel I weeded five of our seven flower beds and replanted four hostas we had transplanted from the front yard.

We rounded out the day with fishing at Fellowship Point (Nobody caught a thing - Todd Jr was sure it was because we weren't using live bait) and a campfire complete with S'mores (We replaced the Hershey bars with Reeces p-nut butter cups - sooo good!). Since we had already set off all of our fireworks with Adam before he left for Kenya, we sat by the fire and had a panoramic view of all of the neighborhood firework sights and sounds.

Saturday was pretty laid back as well. Todd, Ashley, Daniel and I went garage sale-ing in the afternoon and came up with a few finds. Todd got a DVD, Daniel found a Super Nintendo game he didn't have, and I walked away with a grill pan. Cost of items - $4. Memories - Priceless.

We again attempted fishing at Fellowship Point (this time with live bait) and scored a few (tiny) fish. Ashley, Todd Jr, Tom Sprunger, Todd Sr. and I each found success. I even touched a worm and baited my own hook, only to promptly lose it while casting it into the water.

We had a great weekend, but it wasn't the same without Adam... Keep him in your prayers!

Click on the picture for a slide show!

July 4th Weekend

Adam's Kenya Trip

2008-07-05T20:32:00.010-04:00

Adam left Wednesday for Nairobi, Kenya, on a missions trip. After a 22-hour trip, they arrived in Kenya Thursday at 2:16pm Eastern time, 9:16pm Kenya time. They traveled from Fort Wayne to Chicago, London, and then Nairobi. All of their bags arrived with them - Praise the Lord!!

The team will be teaching Sunday school, leading a VBS, putting on puppet shows, and visiting at least two orphanages. They visited the Huruma Children's Home and will be returning there next week. Today, they had an "outreach event" in Robyn's (the missionary who they are staying with) complex. Apparently there was an "intense" soccer game by one report...

Please continue to pray for safety and health for the team as they minister to the children of Nairobi, so many of whom are orphans of HIV and/or victims of this disease as well. I'll continue to post updates as I receive them.

By the way, you can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them...

Busy Weekend

2008-06-22T07:13:00.005-04:00

This weekend was registration weekend for Adam at Huntington. He's got his classes, and he's got his books, and he reports August 10 (early for soccer) to begin his collegiate career. I must admit I had some teary moments during some alone time adjusting to what is to come. I'm so excited for Adam, though, because he, like Todd, has chosen a wonderful college to go to. I'm so excited to watch as God shapes and molds their futures!

Last night was a jazz concert in the park sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. Todd Jr played keyboard as a fill-in for Mike Wilson, who normally does it. It was a nice evening for it, and we enjoyed the concert very much. Some rain had gone through earlier and cooled it down a bit. We came home and had peanut butter pie and coffee. It was a nice way to end a busy day! I'll try to post a little snip-it of the concert I recorded on my camera just for fun.

Summer...

2008-06-20T12:11:00.011-04:00

I'm thinking maybe I should rename my blog. "Another day in the life" was way too ambitious. Maybe it should be "Another month in the life..." or "Another year in the life..." and then maybe I wouldn't feel quite so guilty about not keeping it up...

Summer is here (big smile)! Since last update, we have finished school, graduated Adam and finished club soccer season, and another month has gone by.

The events around Adam's graduation were a lot of fun. Dad and Mom and Betty were able to fly out from Phoenix and stay with us. The party went very well, and we were blessed to have so many friends stop by.

Wednesday was our end of the season soccer party, and I'm sad that it's over. This was a new team for Adam this year, and we really loved all the guys and their parents. Since 14 of the 18 players were seniors, the team is officially disbanded. They finished up their season winning the Fort Wayne Invitational U19 division.

Adam is second from left on bottom (no more curls, shaved them off at 11:00pm the night before). Josh, his roommate for Huntington, is second from right on bottom. Josh will also be playing soccer for Huntington, and we were fortunate to get to know his parents during the season.

Looking ahead, Todd Jr is home much of the time which has been really nice. He and Ashley are trading off spending weekends here and in Twinsburg, and Daniel is getting to hang out with Josiah a lot which is always fun. Adam goes to CDYC June 25-29 and then is home for two days and then off to Kenya July 2, returning on July 19. **Please keep him and the whole team in your prayers for safe travels and a wonderful trip.

Todd and I are working on projects around the house and enjoying a little less hectic life (okay, not really, but I can hope, can't I?) God is so good and so faithful! We are blessed!

Lilyana

2008-05-14T22:42:00.003-04:00

I just wanted to draw your attention to a new link on the right. It's for Lilyana. She's been in the hospital for a month now this time around. She is getting stronger, but has a long way to go. I'm so proud of her parents, Chris and Jenna, and their love and unending faith and hope for this precious little girl. Please keep Lily and her whole family in your prayers. God has huge plans for all of them, and prayer support is definitely needed and appreciated!

Graduation Season

2008-05-14T22:12:00.008-04:00

It's that time of year once again. Sunday, May 4, we traveled up to Mishawaka for Ashley's graduation from Bethel. We had the pleasure of meeting her parents, siblings, and several extended family members. They are such warm and genuine people, and I felt like we had known them our whole life. It was a really nice day.

Here is Adam, Jim and Taylor's graduation party invitation. We had a sunny day in between all the rainy ones to snap a few pictures. This was our favorite!! My plan is to have announcements and invitations in the mail by Friday. We'll see how it goes...

What is YOUR Jericho?

2008-05-13T08:02:00.003-04:00

We were at a conference this weekend, and someone shared an interesting perspective about the story of the Israelites marching around Jericho that I hadn't thought of before.

In Joshua 6, before the Israelites ever marched around Jericho, the Lord declared that He had delivered Jericho into their hands. Then He told them to march around the city once for six days, and then on the seventh day to march around Jericho seven times and then when they heard the long blast from the priests' trumpets, they were to shout, and the walls would fall down.

I had never really thought about why they marched for seven days. Did God need seven days to prepare to make the walls fall down? Not a chance. Perhaps the seven days were for the Israelites, so that day after day as they were walking around they could see the enormity of their problem, and that by day seven, they would know without a shadow of a doubt that if the walls were going to fall down it would have to be a supernatural act and not one of their own doing.

On day seven, then, after marching around seven times, what was next? Did God say charge the walls? No, He said, "Shout! For the Lord has given you the city..." In other words, praise, celebrate, worship, let the party begin!

I think we can apply the story of Jericho to our lives. What Jericho are you marching around? Finances, family relationships, job situations, school situations, church situations... Is God just wanting to let you suffer where you're at, or perhaps does He want you to realize how big the situation is and that you can't do it on your own?

And then on the seventh day, what did He have them do, He said, "Shout!" We already know the victory is ours, just as he promised the Israelites that He had given them the city. We know that He desires for us to live abundant lives, not victims of our circumstances, but to rise above them.

So, turn on your worship music and shout and praise Him for the victory to come! It is the enemy of our souls who strives to take away our hope. We have EVERY reason to be hopeful as children of God, and if we are feeling without hope about a situation, then we are listening to the lies of the deceiver.

II Corinthians 10:3-5 says, "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."

So that's what I'm pondering this week. Any thoughts or further insight, please share with me your comments!

For your enjoyment...

2008-04-20T20:41:00.002-04:00

Home again

2008-04-19T12:41:00.002-04:00

We're back from Phoenix and returning to a "new" normal life. We were blessed to spend time with so many family members from the McLaughlins as well as we were able to spend some time with my parents and brother John and sister-in-law Kathy. The funeral and surrounding activities were ones that truly celebrated Bruce's life, his love for his family, people and God. We realize the days and weeks to come will have their challenges, but we serve an amazing God of peace and comfort and lean on Him for strength.

I'll post pictures later, but I want to put our a prayer request for our great niece Lilyana. She was born February 29 with three major heart complications. She underwent open heart surgery within days of her birth and has suffered a set back. She has been taken back to surgery today for another six to seven hour surgery. Lilyana was at the funeral and spent the evening with us at Betty's house. I was able to hold this precious little girl and pray words of life over her. Would you please pray along with me for her? She is a very sick little girl. Her parents are Chris and Jenna, and she has two big brothers. They can all use our prayers as well. And while you're praying, please pray for Betty and the rest of us McLaughlins as we adjust to life without Bruce? Thanks so much for your prayers, and may God bless you richly.

I'll be in touch...

Home in Heaven

2008-04-08T22:37:00.002-04:00

I know, it's been a long time, and I'm sorry for that. I promise I'll catch you up on all the latest happenings soon.

It is with a heavy heart that I'm sharing the sad news that Bruce McLaughlin, Todd's dad, suffered a fatal heart attack at home last night. The news is sad for us, of course, but we rejoice that Bruce is celebrating his first day of eternity in heaven with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We'll be joining our family in Phoenix this weekend and would appreciate your prayers for Betty and the rest of the family that God's comfort and peace would envelope each one. Thanks!

Announcing...

2008-02-09T19:50:00.000-05:00

The latest addition to our family, of the four-legged variety.

Meet Darcy... She's a 3-year-old labradoodle, and we love her already! Kerrie and I picked her up yesterday and after a very thorough cleaning, she's adorable and smells a whole lot better. She loves to go on walks and is way past the whole puppy stage, which is really good for my mental well-being.

She came from a home of ten children and had to find a new home because she wouldn't stay out of the neighboring pay-to-fish pond. She's easy going and is a quick learner, and we're happy to have her!

Super Bowl Sunday

2008-02-09T19:06:00.000-05:00

We love Tom and Kerrie!

Get him, Kerrie!

Smile big!

I actually knew who was playing this year, but didn't watch a single play. For that matter, I didn't even see any commercials. Don't go playing any violin music yet -- I'm not complaining. I guess what I'm trying to say is it's all about the people and the food for me (in that order).

Kerrie and Lara

Happy B-day, Lara!

Kurt and Katie, Wedding date 03/08/08!

We spent the evening at Tom and Kerrie's and had a great time. Todd and Tom watched the game, and the rest of us just hung out. It was Lara's (Tom and Kerrie's daughter) birthday, too, so it was even more special.

Rah, Rah!

Girlfriends!

About halfway through the game, Adam and I had to leave for a soccer game at The Dome in Fort Wayne. As we were driving up, I made the comment that at least the weather was nice. Adam then informed me that he thought we were under a weather advisory, which we were.

By the time we were ready to head home, the driving conditions were horrendous. Our 1-hour trip home took over 1-1/2 hours. We made it home at midnight, and I think we both fell into bed (and I didn't even play a soccer game). I'm so ready for spring!

Thank you

2008-02-09T18:59:00.000-05:00

Thanks so much for your prayers for Todd's dad Bruce. He is doing well and continuing to gain strength. Todd and Adam were so thankful that they were able to make a quick trip to Phoenix to visit. Betty took wonderful care of them, and she made meatloaf and mashed potatoes! If you've ever tasted Betty's meatloaf, it needs no further explanation. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Comfort food at its best!!

Prayers needed

2008-01-25T20:05:00.000-05:00

Todd and I covet your prayers for Todd's dad Bruce. Bruce is in the hospital with several issues, the biggest one at this point being his heart. He had a heart attack, and we are awaiting the results of the echocardiogram to determine the extent of the damage to his heart. It is a possibility that if he regains enough strength they will put in stents.

I spoke with Betty (Todd's mom) this afternoon, and she sounded pretty good, but of course is wondering what lies ahead. Please pray that Bruce will regain the strength that he needs to get the best treatment for his heart, and that he and the doctors will have wisdom as they determine the best course of treatment. Please also pray for strength and rest for Betty as she spreads her time between home and the hospital.

Todd and Adam will be flying out to Phoenix for a few days next week to spend time with the family out there, so pray for safety for them as they travel as well. The Bible says that the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective -- Let's prove it right once again! Thanks so much!

Patience and prayer

2008-01-22T09:03:00.000-05:00

My women's small group just finished up "The Power of a Praying Woman." In the last chapter Stormie Omartian writes a wrap-up letter of encouragement and inspiration. There were two paragraphs that jumped out at me.

"Don't be discouraged if things don't happen as far as you would like them to. They never do. God wants you to learn patience. Our perspective is temporal. His is eternal. So don't be concerned if your are not seeing all that you want in response to your prayers. You will. If you draw close to God and do what He asks you to do, if you worship Him in spirit and truth, if you love others and give of yourself to them, if you speak God's Word in faith and pray, you will see God's blessings poured out on your life.

I believe that we are denied certain things for a time because God wants us to fervently pray and intercede for them. That's because He wants to do something great in response to our prayers. Do you remember how Hannah prayed long and fervently for a child (I Sam. 1:1-28)? When God finally answered her prayer, it wasn't just any child who was born. Samuel was one of the world's greatest prophets and most influential judges in Israel's history. If she had not prayed so fervently, that might not have happened. There may be things that won't happen in your life unless you are praying that long and fervently too."

So once again the "P" word (patience) crops up. I wish I'd hurry up and learn all I'm supposed to learn about it so I can move on... :)

Amazing life

2008-01-21T08:23:00.001-05:00

I am blessed. Every time I think about posting an update, my mind is full of ideas and wonderful things to share. Is everything always wonderful? No, of course not, I'm still human (though not forever!). I choose to focus on the things that bring me joy and peace, and here are a few of them.

Todd Jr. was home for Christmas break, which was wonderful. Now that he's gone back to college, the house is a little quieter and a little bit emptier. I miss the frequent piano concerts, the long talks, and the "perfect" cup of coffee. I find great joy, though, in watching him live out his faith each day as he seeks after God's direction for his life. Ashley came to visit for a couple of days while Todd was home which was really fun. She is a wonderful young woman with a quiet confidence. We went to Bella's together, played Blokus, and shared her with our friends. Can't wait to have her visit again!

Adam is in his final term of high school. He's counting down the weeks. He is on two different indoor soccer teams that start this week, so we'll keep busy with those. He's working on his fundraising for his Kenya mission trip and looking forward to college life. He makes me laugh, sometimes way too hard, especially at myself, and I love our talks about serious things or nothing much at all. He went to Stardust last Saturday which is a girls-ask-the-guys dance with Lindsey who is a close little sister kind of friend. Our families know each other well, and so it was quite funny to show up to take pictures with Marc (Lindsey's dad) decked out in his camo attire with his shotgun. Lindsey is, after all, a freshman, and this was her first "date." Camo, shotgun, enough said. We had document it with a comical picture.

Daniel... If you haven't already, you just have to meet him and spend 10 or 20 minutes talking to him to know what a remarkable young man he is. His wisdom is beyond his years, and he keeps us all on the right track. He has the capacity to love so deeply and unconditionally and has a heart for his classmates that get "left out."

Todd. Where would I be without Todd? He gives me such love and encouragement. He loves to play Blokus (NOT), and has found a new best camping friend (ask him about him). I love to just spend time together, working on projects or just hanging out. He's a man's man and tackled that 250-lb oil tank in the basement this weekend and it is now in pieces on the driveway waiting to be hauled away. We now have a new place for coats and shoes (probably not too exciting for you, but it doesn't take very much to get me excited!). I am blessed to be his wife of 21-1/2 years!

Family... The more I live and speak to other people, the more thankful I am for my extended family. Wonderful parents, in-laws, brothers, sisters. God is so good!

Friends... We met Tom and Kerrie 12 years ago when we moved to Berne. We've shared times of joy and times of sorrow. It's so nice to have a friendship that it solid and secure. There is such freedom in our relationship to be who we are, together or apart, and know that there is always who is praying for us! I have acquired a whole new set of girlfriends over the year and a half who are in my small group. We just finished up "The Power of a Praying Woman," and are having a pajama party this week and then will be starting "Battlefield of the Mind" next week. It's a wonderful group of ladies, young and old, that God has brought together for this season. We laugh, we eat, we cry, we pray - we're women, what else do you expect?

Thank you, God, for my MANY blessings!

The Gift of Life

2008-01-11T12:40:00.000-05:00

I just have to share this amazing testimony! We have had the privilege of praying for Owen for the past year and a half. Owen turns 1-year-old this month, and is the grandson of the children's director at our church.

Owen was diagnosed with spina bifida while in utero, and the doctor's prognosis was discouraging. He was also diagnosed with a cleft palate and possible genetic issues. From the day of the diagnosis, Owen's parents rallied the troops in prayer and learned as much as they could about his condition and treatment options for him. Over the past year, Owen has been through many surgeries and hospitalizations, and the doctors have admitted that he has far surpassed their expectations for him.

I had the privilege of seeing this precious little boy on Sunday, and his smile lit up the room. He is a living, breathing miracle!

Now for part two...

I received this e-mail from our children's director yesterday:

Our daughter received this email today and when I got done crying (I) just had to pass it on. God even works through little babies.

Subject: you helped me make the right decision

my daughter was diagnosed with spina bifida last friday. i was leaning towards terminating the pregnancy, but was very unsure. in a moment of desperation i did a search for spina bifida on youtube. i wanted to see what these kids really looked like. your video of owen 0-6months popped up and i watched the whole thing and cried my eyes out. then i watched it again, then made my husband watch it with me. i just want you to know that you and your beautiful little boy have inspired me and have helped me to see that my baby is not a freak of nature. she is a perfect little girl. and i am keeping my baby. god bless you and owen.
lola

Here is the link to her ultrasound video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXUuGsNLjWA
How cool is that! You never know what God will use.
Jen (Owens's mom)

We serve an amazing God!

December Wrap-Up

2008-01-06T21:24:00.000-05:00

I realize it's been far too long since I have posted. December just kind of got away from me. So I've decided not to belabor the issue and get back on track with a top-10 list for December, from where I left off on my last post, in chronological order:

10. Todd Jr turned 20. I know, it's so hard to believe, especially since I look 29, but yes, it's true! Where has the time gone?

9. Adam signed his letter of intent for Huntington College. He will be playing soccer with possible majors in Youth Ministry or Recreation and Sports Ministry. He also found out that he has enough credits to graduate after three terms, so he'll be done with high school in March and then will work, and then graduate with his class on June 1st. http://www.huntington.edu/athletics/msoccer/0708/0708Results/McLaughlin_sign.htm

8. Daniel's on again, off again middle school Christmas program. The weather kept us guessing, but we finally caught a break and got to see it. My favorites -- the recorder band and the 12 days of Christmas - 4th grade style.

7. Todd came home from Bethel. The piano has had a work out, and the house has been filled with music. I've enjoy heart-to-heart talks and shopping trips.

6. Mom was able to come and spend two weeks back here. She arrived on Christmas Eve, and left earlier today. It was a wonderful visit!

5. Christmas was, of course, wonderful! If you haven't played Blokus, go get it. It's fun and addicting!

4. Bella's Restaurant on the lake. Come visit us, and we'll take you there!

3. Jigsaw puzzles. I helped mom with one at our house. I think she did about four over at Jeni's. She's a pro.

2. Not being a public speaker by nature, I survived presenting a 3-minute update on our prayer ministry at our church without passing out! Don't tell anyone, but I kind of enjoyed it!

1. New Year's Eve at home. Rachel came over to hang out with Adam, and Tom, Kerrie, Josiah came over to hang out with us. Although I did doze off briefly around 11:00, we decided to bring in the New Year with communion, and thanksgiving for a blessed year. Then we watched the ball drop... and were in bed by 12:10. We are party animals!?!

And so wraps up 2007. God is good!

Heat and a friend-filled week

2007-12-09T17:55:00.000-05:00

Praise God we have heat - not that we didn't have heat before, but now we have new efficient-gas boiler-reliable heat. Yes, I'm not even the least bit sad to say that our 1940 coal-converted-to-oil, monster-sized boil now sits in pieces in the driveway waiting to go to scrap metal recycling. Thanks to a lot of hard work by Todd and Tom (where we would be without Tom), it is finished. I laugh when I think about the "adventure." It began on e-bay (yes e-bay), where we found a smokin' deal on a top of the line boiler, and now we have every-room-of-the-house heat.

Enough about the heat... Todd and I attended a small group leader Christmas party Friday night at the Rock office, and that was a lot of fun. We had a white elephant gift exchange, which is always exciting. I eventually ended up with a mini toy motorcycle which Daniel is thrilled to have, and Todd came home with a remote-controlled electronic whoope cushion. If I only had video of him playing with it (by himself) and cracking himself up, I'd post it. I'll see what I can do... He's going to take it to work tomorrow and have some fun with it, and then he's returning it to (Pastor) Jeff. I laugh more at him playing with it than the toy itself.

Last night we had the opportunity to go out to dinner with (Pastor) Jeff and Linda. It was so nice to have them all to ourselves! It made us realize how much we miss hanging out with them on a regular basis. Instead of sharing them with 30-40 other people from the church launch team, now we have to share with about 400, which is a wonderful problem to have, but we miss it just the same.

Daniel spent Friday night and all day Saturday with Josiah, some at their house and some at our house. Josiah turned 10 on Saturday and they celebrated with a group of boys. A good time was had by all!

Adam and I went to Huntington University on Wednesday and talked to Coach Russ. It's official (pretty much, unless God changes the course), Adam is headed off to Huntington to play soccer next year with a possible major in Recreation and Sports Ministry. Hard to believe - where has the time gone? He's ready - I'm not quite, but I still have a little time.

Todd had the opportunity to meet Ashley's parents and grandmother on Friday night and it apparently went well. They ate at Logan's (We ate there last night with Jeff and Linda) and had some time to talk. Todd said that I would get along well with Ashley's mom (Joy also) - we can't wait to meet them!

Weather-wise, this week we've had snow, rain, freezing rain, sleet, ice, lightning and thunder. Is it time for spring yet? By the way, with all of the rain, snow, melting snow, etc., we discovered that when we had our sewage drain replaced this summer, it disrupted, uncovered, created some cracks in our basement wall, so that was Project #1 for Todd today. He has almost everything patched but a small area. He went to the hardware store in town which is usually open from 2-4 on Sunday, and it was dark (you've got to love small towns!), so that will wait until tomorrow...

Famous Dave's and a Christmas Concert

2007-12-03T13:30:00.000-05:00

Saturday Todd, Adam, Daniel, Rachel and I traveled up to Mishawaka to visit with Todd Jr and had the privilege of meeting Ashley. Todd and Ashley have recently started dating, and it was wonderful to see the two of them together. Ashley has a sweet, gentle spirit and a beautiful smile. As we pray for them and their relationship, we, in agreement with them, pray for God's best in their lives.

We met at Famous Dave's which is about the best BBQ you'll ever find. In fact, we've already talked Mark and Midge Hinshaw into attending the Christmas concert with us next year after a stop at Famous Dave's.

The Christmas concert put on by the Bethel Music Dept was beautiful. The acoustics were amazing, and the whole concert was outstanding, at least all that I remember. Picture this - A big meal at Famous Dave's, an afternoon concert in a warm, dimly lit concert hall, angelic music - I think Rachel was the only one who made it through without even a snooze. She's my hero! Daniel was asleep before the concert even started and we woke him at intermission. He takes after his mom. The lady in front of me dozed and must have had one of those "falling" dreams and nearly threw her program across the auditorium.

After the concert we said our goodbyes and headed out. There was a winter weather advisory and we wanted to try to get most of the way home before dark. The roads were a beautiful solid sheet of ice from Mishawaka all the way to Fort Wayne. We spent much of the way going about 30 mph. I was so thankful Todd was driving. People were crazy. I guess there were over 50 accidents reported in Fort Wayne alone Saturday afternoon/evening.

Anyway, praise God we made it home safely and with a wonderful day tucked safely in our memories. God is good!

Pie with the Pastor

2007-11-27T08:23:00.000-05:00

Sunday night was pie with the pastor. Once a month there is a signup, and for the 14 people who get their name on the clipboard first comes the privilege of going to Jeff and Linda's house for pie and fellowship.

Jeff and Linda - we've known them for three years, but it feels like a lifetime. When God tugged at our hearts three or four years ago to get involved with the church plant in Portland, we jumped in with both feet, not really knowing what we were getting into, but knowing it was going to be good because God was in the lead. We figured it would be hard, and it has been much harder than we imagined. We figured it would be good, and, like only God does, He has blown our socks off. We knew we would meet new people and make new friends, but we had no idea how treasured our new friends would be and how God would weave us altogether.

Back in the planning stages, as God revealed His plan for the Rock, the "theme" started out as being "out of the box church" and eventually we just said "what box?" Church is the people - wonderfully imperfect and quirky, yet created in God's own image. Think of all the facets of God that we are all created in His image. I'm so thankful that He has allowed us to be a part of the Rock!

So back to pie with the pastor - We introduced ourselves and shared what we would like to find under the Christmas tree this year. Todd said tools - go figure. I was thinking maybe a new mattress for our bed - Jeff said if you cut away enough branches on the bottom that anything would fit, so who knows... but truthfully, I am blessed beyond measure and need absolutely nothing. Thank you, Jesus!

Adam - Senior picture

2007-11-26T11:54:00.001-05:00

Adam - Senior picture
Originally uploaded by Joy McLaughlin

More to follow...

Catching up

2007-11-25T13:48:00.000-05:00

It's time to play catch-up... Adam's soccer season finished up in the first round of regionals. They played exceptionally well and far surpassed expectations for the season.

Adam is ranked sixth in the state of Indiana among high school soccer players for overall "points" which consists of goals scored and assists. He has four colleges interested in having him join their soccer programs and will be making a final decision within the next month or so. We're so proud of him. He is an overall terrific young man who loves the Lord and loves others. He will be going to Kenya, Africa next July for a two week mission trip. Preparations have already started with paperwork and fundraising. Shots begin soon - and there are several!

Todd Jr. was home for Thanksgiving and just left a little while ago. It was wonderful to have him home. I've missed hearing him on the piano and chats with a cup of coffee. I know he enjoys coming home, but at the same time he feels a little out of place here because his life is up at Bethel. He also has a deep passion for knowing God and spending time in his presence. I wait eagerly but patiently to see God shape his future.

Daniel is almost as tall as I am. For starting out so small, he's made up for it and then some. On the way to church this morning, he informed us that he was having "spa day" in his room today. Todd and I went to the spa, and we were pleasantly surprised to be treated to a heated massage chair, foot rubs and back rubs, and background music. He is a 10-year-old, but also an old soul. His teacher Mrs. King commented that he is a "deep thinker" and she is amused by the way that he looks a life and contemplates issues. He has a tender heart and is a problem solver.

After about eight years of being over the road, Todd is now working fulltime for CR Designs here in Berne. He has a normal schedule, no nights and no weekends, and it's wonderful. We are so thankful that we can actually schedule family and friend time, and he's looking forward to co-leading a men's small group again.

I am so blessed to work at home and be able to be involved in family, church and friend activities. Although scheduling can be crazy at times, I am so very thankful for my life and my God who loves me in spite of all my imperfections. God is so very, very good!

The Rest of the Weekend

2007-10-07T15:27:00.001-04:00

To finish up what I didn't tell you in the post below... Todd Jr came home for the weekend. He was home briefly over Labor Day, but this was the first full weekend he's been home since school started. Great to see his smiling face and catch up on what's going on with him. He brought me a present - laundry - lots of laundry. If you get a chance, ask him what "mix and match" means... I'm sure you'll be enlightened.

I didn't mention much about the celebration after the soccer game. I thought I'd give you a visual instead.

Can you say "dehydration and heat exhaustion?" Adam and Marcus Hoover succumbed to the heat and opted for the ambulance ride to the hospital instead of the celebratory fire truck ride that their teammates were taking.

Adam literally left it all on the field. After giving him two bags of IV and glucose (his sugar was 58), and cooling him down, he was free to leave feeling somewhat like a pin cushion. He was so dehydrated that they had a hard time getting his veins to cooperate with them. Oh well, it makes for an interesting story... He's feeling much better today with orders to drink, drink, and drink some more. At least Wednesday's game is in the evening. Right now the forecast says it should be about 60 degrees with 40% chance of rain. I think we'll pass on the rain, but the 60 degrees will be great.

So Todd is heading back to college, and I'm a little lonely once again, but I'd much rather have him where God wants him than home with us.

Soccer sectionals

2007-10-07T15:01:00.000-04:00

Wednesday (10/3) was the first round of soccer sectionals. We played Union City and won 9-0. Adam had 4 goals and 2 assists. South Adams has only had a high school soccer program for six years, and this marked our first victory in round one of sectionals.

We went on to play in the sectional finals yesterday at 11:00 a.m. at Blackford High School. Now, this is October in Indiana, when the leaves are changing, and fall is in the air ... NOT! The temperature was near 90, and the humidity was high. We all worked up a sweat cheering on the sidelines. The guys on the field ran for 80 minutes of regular play, and then being tied 3-3 at the end of that, ran for another 14 minutes of overtime play. Adam scored two goals during regular play, and then the winning goal in overtime. We beat Jay County 4-3. It was so exciting - Another first for the South Adams Soccer program. We go on to play in the first round of regional playoffs next Wednesday at 7:30, again at Blackford High School.

Excitement is in the air... I'll keep you posted.

Time Flies...

2007-10-07T13:53:00.001-04:00

It's been a while since I've had time to post. So much has happened, so I'll try to get all caught up.

Daniel turned 10. We had celebrated with his friends before school started so on his actual birthday we spent some time together at home. He hit double digits this year...time goes by so quickly!

Last week Todd Sr and I and Adam and Daniel went to Fort Wayne for the day. We ate at Flat Top Grill, which was wonderful, saw the movie Game Plan which was actually worth seeing and totally appropriate for all ages, and then we went and drove some go-carts. We weren't sure if Daniel would be able to drive his own car or not. Last time we went, he didn't meet the height requirement so he rode with me. This time, he was just over the 58" requirement, so he got to drive his own. Of course, Todd and Adam, being extremely competitive, lapped Daniel and I twice. I decided to stay in the back and look out for Daniel, which I then took a lot of flack for from the guys. Once a mother, always a mother.

As we were leaving, Daniel was walking a little taller, quite proud of his newly found freedom. He shook his head a little, and remarked, "I suddenly feel older." Older...it's all relative. I feel "older" too, just in a different way.

Todd Sr. also had a birthday. He may be 41, but he's a kid at heart. It's a lot fun watching him interact with Todd, Adam and Daniel. Under all of the joking and teasing is a father's love that wants to teach, train, protect and inspire. He does all of those things in a wonderful way.

Soccer season

2007-09-02T15:44:00.000-04:00

Soccer's in full swing at South Adams. Adam is a senior and was elected by his team members to be one of the two captains. So far, the team is 2-2-2 (wins-losses-ties). This past week Adam scored six goals and had two assists. Thursday's game was against Leo High School. They won 2-1, the first time in the history of South Adams Boys Soccer that they defeated Leo. Adam's freshman year, Adam left the Leo field in an ambulance after taking a cheap shot from one of Leo's players. Thursday was a sweet victory indeed. Adam scored the two goals on penalty shots after being fouled both times on the way to the goal. By the way, it was also Adam's 18th birthday - nice birthday present!

Watching Adam play soccer is much like watching a car race. Sit down and hold on because it's going to be good. When Adam leaves the field at the end of the game, he has nothing left to give - he leaves it all on the field.

We're so proud of Adam. He is a wonderful athlete, but more importantly, he is a young man with such a deep love for his Heavenly Father which translates into love for those around him. He teaches us much about walking in faith and standing strong in a world full of compromise.

More to follow...

Daniel's early birthday party

2007-09-02T14:51:00.000-04:00

The Crew

Josiah, Daniel, Xavier, Dexter

Jesse and Sam

Well it seems that every year when Daniel's birthday rolls around on September 21, we are full speed ahead with school and soccer season and have a hard time fitting in a proper birthday celebration, so this year we decided to be proactive and celebrate early. Daniel decided to take five of his friends to BearCreek Farms to the Swimmin' Hole for a cool and refreshing kind of celebration.

It was hot and humid outside as it is in Indiana in August, but it nice and cool in the water. After swimming for a couple of hours, we headed outside onto the patio for cupcakes and ice cream. Daniel agreed it was one of his best birthdays ever!

College prep

2007-08-22T22:10:00.000-04:00

Todd Jr and I went shopping recently for dorm room/college stuff. Shopping, yes, but more importantly time spent together. It seems as though summer arrived and departed this year without even so much as a nod in my direction. We managed to squeeze in all of our errands and a quick lunch. Mission accomplished, and then on to play catch up at home with work. I've had twinges of sadness thinking about Todd heading back to college, but I'm so thankful that he is so excited about going back. He has wonderful friends and a bright future ahead of him.

Jake (roommate) and Todd

At Swiss Days the last Saturday of July, Todd put on a half-hour concert on the main stage which showcases local talent. He sang and played some original songs as well as some praise and worship music and my all-time favorite song "Changed." It was so much fun. Many friends were there, and it was a good day!

God, thank you for the gift of this young man. Continue to train, teach, guide and bless him. Thank you for your faithfulness and your hand of protection. Guard his heart and his mind, for he belongs to you.

More to follow...