Alamosa Christmas

Over the holidays we spent many hours in the car, one driving over Lavita Pass in blinding snow, and many others looking out the window at the huge overcast skies of north Texas, New Mexico and Colorado. We had a bit of a disappointment in having a non white Christmas, while back in Texas they enjoyed an unusual snowy one. BUT, we made it to Alamosa and had a wonderful time with our family. There was ice skating, lot's of good food, deer in the yard, bowling (I am really really good :) and even some charades! What was most fun, was just hanging out with everyone and watching the children be their usual cute selves. Thankful to be home safe and looking forward to the next time we all get to be together. Family is pretty awesome, even the messy parts.
ps. did i mention that my daugher Katherine loves to take photos? The only family photos now have cats included. Many cats.

It's the Holiday Season

Coughing and hacking my way into this beautiful time of year brought a new perspective on priorities. Being sick for almost a month left me without the usual prep time for Christmas cards, gift buying, packaging and mailing. After the usual freak out feelings of guilt and anxiety for not getting everything done and on time, I just let it all go. Really. Gone. If I can bring some New Year holiday cheer to some family and friends later, well, that will be fun, but if it doesn't work out, they will still love me. (yes you will) So I am thanking God for this peace over not being the perfect friend and co-worker and extended family member. This one day or few weeks does not define me. And,though it is fun to share and bless people and use pretty wrapping paper, I am able to move on and get to the more important, the priority of priorities... a few days with my family, coughing and hacking all the way.
Jesus really is the reason for the season.
Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Wish

Please sing along....

A......

New job for Deanie

Yellow lab for Julie

house built in the twenties

and the grandkids sitting in our laps.

Mountain Momma

My daughter Izzie is one strong pack mule of a woman.

I want to be more like her when I grow up.

Enjoying New Life

I was honored to be able to go to Seattle last month to spend some time with Mollie, Kendall and new baby Finnegan.

We were also blessed with another new baby in the family, my nephew's son, Finn Fry (he is in the hat).

Double the trouble, double the fun, Finnegan, Finnegan, Finnegan Fun.

The Servant

I want to be a servant

Even if it hurts

With all my prayers so fervent

When the pain gets worse

I want to say to this mountain

Away with you to the sea

Because this has been a long climb

But I still believe

Chorus:

But when I go meet Jesus

He'll know it's me

His good and faithful servant

And I'll be lifted from my knees

It's nice to see you Jesus

I have finally seen

The good and faithful servant

Who gave his life for me

I'll be home; I am home

(this song was written by Tyler Hook for his friend Chris Olson who went home to be with Jesus

November 12, 2009)

Can you imagine?

I love to just sit and think about heaven. Do you remember the movie that Robin Williams was in about heaven and dying? I really didn't like the movie, but there were scenes of the colors of the plants and flowers being so lush and deep and real that the colors blended when someone walked through them. Those scenes inspired me to think about what I can't even imagine. The reality of a perfect unspoiled place. Heaven. Can you imagine that there will be colors that have never been seen by human eyes? The brilliance and delight of crystal clear waters? Just light itself. Never imagined light.
Well, my sweet friend Chris knows this now. He is seeing it and loving it! Thankful for his short life on earth and now imagining him sitting with the apostles talking about Nick's game on Saturday against UT. He is in Heaven!
Wouldn't today would be a wonderful day for the Lord to come?

Praying for life at Medical City

Our good friend, Chris Olson is dying. That is what the doctors say. He is 20 years old, has leukemia and they have done all that they can do medically. There is no other treatment. Now he is at Medical City Hospital with pneumonia and not expected to live much longer. So...the body of Christ at Lake Highlands Church decided to go to battle. We have been gathering at the hospital each night to glorify God and ask him to heal Chris. Then, because we were there, we began to meet other patients on his floor, young children who are diagnosed with incurable diseases. Their parents long to have hope and have been thankful that we are including their children in our prayers and fight.

Lord, you can do this. We can ask this in confidence that you are able. Come Lord. Heal Chris. Heal Cohen, Michael, Issac, Anthony, Cutler, Joseph and the many others. We won't stop asking Lord. You are mighty. You are Holy. You are their strong right hand. This is war!

Chris is not a saint. He is just a regular awesome young man of God who believes that no matter what happens, he lives.

http://chrisolson20.blogspot.com/

Pray.

What have I been doing the past month?

Well, thanks for asking...

Went to my nieces's wedding in Boerne, Texas.

Congrats Tabitha and Brock!

Stayed at a beautiful resort thanks to Jaime and Amy. There were goats! Got to see both of my sisters, Diana and Amy and their husbands. Met Amy's grandson, Wyatt, the cute son of the bride and groom.

stay tuned, there is more...

Thirty three years ago...pretty in pink

I was a bridesmaid in my friend Paula's wedding.

Did I mention that this was 33 years ago? It would explain alot of things in the photo (we don't need to get into wrinkles and flab)
Congrats to Paula and Ralph for keeping the love alive!

Mermaids and boats "Oh My"

Mere in the hammock, Clint in the chips...

Family gathering for a fast labor day splash...

and a baby boy on a boat.

It was alot of fun and went too fast.

It was fun to spend time with a mermaid and a snuggly little boy smurf.

Okay, I am just a bit excited....and I'm not alone

It amazes me that these two tiny people could bring such eager anticipation, multiple conversations, staring and restaring at old photos, and a flurry of shopping for the perfect princess sleeping bag. Come on down family and let's get the squeezin started!

Keekball

Today I gave one for the team, allowing two of my kickball team mates to score, by doing a faceplant in the dirt and distracting the first baseman. It was a good move and would have been even more awesome if I had actually planned it. Too bad there was no camera.

JOY

Bumper Stickers and Yadda

I don't got nothin.
(but we did take a box of change to the coin machine and turned it into $80! )

My first Danish - American Wedding

I know a few men who have a firm belief that wedding ceremonies should not last longer than 20 minutes and who would be really uncomfortable with some of the weddings in our body at LHC that last an hour or more with lots of praise and worship as part of the ceremony. Well, they would have really been out of their comfort zone this past weekend at the wedding I attended. Martin -Danish and Lynsey -American got married in Durango Colorado.

Danes love weddings!

They enjoy getting together for days and spending alot of time together before and after as part of the celebration. The wedding ceremony itself (Donny Martin preaches a great mountain wedding service!) was not overly long, about 30 minutes or so and we had the usual visiting and snacking while photos were being taken for another 30-40 minutes. THEN the fun began. The Danish custom (or so I am led to believe) is to have many toasts, skits, photos, sharing, eating, drinking, sharing, toasting, skits, photos, toasts, eating... you are getting the idea. The ceremony began at 3pm and when we finally left at midnight, the dancing had just begun and I am sad to say, the cake still had not been cut. (that could be a whole blog in itself... I do love me some wedding cake) Children ran playing outside, roaming and enjoying the freedom of grownups being occupied, cats carried in rats, the DJ slept on his equipment while waiting, and many words were spoken full of laughter and tears. The event was intended to be experienced as a whole, not in parts. A true celebration of life. Reminded me of what it might have been like when Jesus went to the wedding in Cana in Galilee. I could see the same experiences of people sharing and laughing late into the night and then finding they had run out of wine, Mary went to Jesus...

The Americans were of course uncomfortable with the length, the lack of someone keeping everything running smoothly and of course, they all wanted to eat cake and go home! But, after you had sat and visited and eaten and had a bit to drink and let the time issues go, it became an experience, not just an event. I think we could use a bit more of this in our own American lives, let loose a bit on our controlling natures and live a little. Have us some fun and stay up late.

(then we wouldn't miss out on the cake!)

Sometimes

you just have to focus in on what is important...

The Uss Constitution (or Dean's choice)

On our trip to Boston last month we made a visit to see The USS Constitution, which is a wooden-hulled, three-masted heavy frigate of the United States Navy. Named after the Constitution of the United States of America by President George Washington, she is the oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat in the world.

The Uss Constitution which is nicknamed "Old Ironside" because ...well, I know because I took the tour, but if you don't know I am going to make you look it up because it is good for you and I am tired of googling.

Katie and Dean in line.

It was a pretty interesting tour which I probably wouldn't have taken on my own volition, but since I am married to Dean Dawson and this was his choice of activity on the trip, well, off we went.

We did wonder as we stood on the boat listening to the young men and woman who are on active duty in our nation's navy, giving the history of the boat and it's battles, what it actually means to be given this assignment. Is it a "plush" assignment? Is it punishment? They must get tired of telling the same story over and over and over again. I mean really, they could be on a huge ship following other huge ships around North Korea wondering if they were carrying bombs. So.. I googled and looked it up.

thus...

The Constitution's mission today is to promote understanding of the Navy’s role in war and peace through educational outreach, historic demonstration, and active participation in public events. As a fully commissioned US Navy ship, her crew of 60 officers and sailors participate in ceremonies, educational programs and special events while keeping the ship open to visitors year-round and providing free tours. The officers and crew are all active-duty US Navy personnel and the assignment is considered special duty in the Navy.

So, still a bit confused what "Special Duty" means. I mean really, would you want to wear the poochy panted uniform?

Need An Answer?

Wandering around Harvard Square in Cambridge last weekend and found this kiosk. There were instructions to fill out a card with your question and tack it up on the wall of the kiosk and then check back in a few days for "the answer" on their website.
Wonder what big question Katherine was posting?

I am a bit worried about Pete's pony. Hope it made it home safe.