One Thing

"When it's all been said and done
There is just one thing that matters;
Did I do my best to live for truth
Did I live my life for you?"
-Jim Cowan

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About the Enlistment...

Now for the facts...

• He joined for 6 years
• He will be a Bomb Tech
• He got a 91 on his ASVAD

• He ships out for boot camp on January 29th

Any other questions, post a comment and I will try to answer it:-)

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"And I'm proud to be an American...

where at least I know I'm free, and I won't forget the men who died, and gave that right to me. I'll gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. Because there ain't no doubt I love this land......God Bless the USA!"

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Photoshoot

John Deere Baby!

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John

Happy 1st Birthday John!

Wow one year already! It seems just like yesterday that I was nervously waiting for your arrival so I could catch you. You have brought so much joy through the year you have been with us. I love you!

A few good quality's we have seen already in John:

• He is easily amused. (I have never seen someone so overjoyed at the sight of a helium balloon. )
• He is cheerful. (unless teething or natural causes, he is all around a very jolly baby)

Give him time... He'll have more.

I Love you "Bonny Johnny" !
Love,
Hillary

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To master The Rubik's cube.

How many of you have tried to master the famous Rubik's cube? How many of you have succeeded? I have tried to master this puzzle for weeks since we got it. Leah has gotten it numerous times in the past few weeks, but I just couldn't seem to get it! Then today I did it! It isn't really that hard once you figure out the formula (just like algebra) :-) Oh the joy of success!




Leah and I showing off our victory's!

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Faith

" To hear with my heart
To believe with my soul
To be guided by a hand I cannot hold
To trust in a way I cannot see

That's what faith must be"
-Michael Card

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True Light

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To eat a piece of Pizza...

John demonstrates how to eat Pizza step by step...



#1 Locate bite



#2 Bring bite toward mouth


#3 Attempt at placeing bite in mouth



#4 Whoops, Missed. Try again

#5 Pause to pat sister

#6 Place bite 2 in mouth

#7 Applaude one's self for ones success

#8 Smile at your fans.

#9 Repeat steps 5-8 until pizza is gone:-)

#10 Tell your friends so they can try it them selves.

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Daniel

Happy 18th Birthday, Daniel!

Well, Daniel, I don't really know what to say. So many things come to mind, I am at a loss as to which is best. I guess I want to say I am proud of you. Of where you have grown and matured. Of the things you have overcome, You are a determined person who is a natural born leader. I am grateful for where you have been a example of what it looks like to be "On fire" for Christ.
I Love you.

A few of the vast amount of Good qualities that Daniel has:

• He is a Leader
  

One humorous example would be the time He was told to take the trash out to the "pit" and burn it. Don't ask me how he did it but there we all were pulling Daniel on top of a sled full of trash through the snow down to the pit and unloading it all for him while he watched. We were all having a great time too!

• He great with Kids

See the above example:-) Some of my fondest memories were of when he would babysit. Making biscuit pizza, Egg fights, picking deer hair off of the raw deer he had bagged... the list goes on!

• He is a Gentleman

Giving up his seat, opening doors, buying Ice cream! (a must) etc..

• He is very loyal

He has stuck by this family during the hard times of the past months, even though he did not have to. His love and Loyalty for his country are quite obvious as he works toward joining the military.

• He has determination

When set on something it WILL happen. Doing his school, Learning to drive, and so many other things that he has pursued to completion.

I love you, Daniel. Keep On

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Yosemite.

El' Capitan





Looking down the valley




Giant sequoia trees





Our dear hikers around the base of one of the sequoia trees



The view from our camp site

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Wedding pictures

From this moment life has begun
From this moment you are the one
Right beside you is where I belong
From this moment on...





From this moment I have been blessed
I live only for your happiness
And for your love I'd give my last breath
From this moment on...




I give my hand to you with all my heart
Can't wait to live my life with you, can't wait to start
You and I will never be apart
My dreams came true because of you...





From this moment as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment on...





You're the reason I believe in love
And you're the answer to my prayers from up above
All we need is just the two of us
My dreams came true because of you...





From this moment as long as I live
I will love you, I promise you this
There is nothing I wouldn't give
From this moment
I will love you as long as I live
From this moment on.
-Shania Twain



Our poor grossed out ring bearer, at the kissing part!

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HOME!!!!!!!!

Does everyone travel like this?!
Yes, that was her boarding pass in her teeth...

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California

Hello from California! We are all preparing for our Aunt's Wedding on Saturday. Timothy is going to be the ring bearer, Mom is going to sing, and I am going to do photography! I will post some of the pictures when I can. We are all doing fine and having a good time.

Alicia, "All went well"

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Am I willing?

"I am willing
to receive what you send
to lack what you withhold
to relinquish what you take
to suffer what you inflict
to do what you command
to be what you require"

-Unknown

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True...

"People may refuse our love

or reject our message,

but they are defenseless

against our prayers"

-Rick Warren ( The Purpose driven life)

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True Beauty

"There is a growing aversion in our culture to neatness, orderliness, and attractiveness in dress and physical appearance. I sometimes find myself wanting to say to Christian women: “Do you not know who you are? God made you a woman. Accept His gift. Don’t be afraid to be feminine and to add physical and spiritual loveliness to the setting where He has placed you. You are a child of God. You are part of the bride of Christ. You belong to the King—you are royalty. Dress and conduct yourself in a way that reflects your high and holy calling. God has called you out of the worlds system—don’t let the world press you into its mold. Don’t think, dress, or act like the world; inwardly and outwardly. let others see the difference He makes in your life.
We as Christian women should seek to reflect the beauty, order, excellence, and grace of God through both our outward and inner person."
-Nancy Leigh DeMoss (Lies women Believe)


(The picture was obviously NOT taken be me. I think it was her father (also a photographer (a incredible one at that)) who took this lovely portrait of this lovely young lady. )

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Our Mighty God

" Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard and said:

"O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven?
You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you.
O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?
They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.'
"But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.

He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'"

2 Chronicles 20:5-17

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Just plain WEIRD

Ooooook, Thomas.

(Yes, that was his own arm)



(Thomas, thank you for giving me such a amusing "photographic opportunity":-))

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Weird...

How many does it take to hold down the Ravioli grinder?
Looks like Trina got the 'Under dog' spot!

Our star Rosie was so sad that our friends the Millers had to leave after their visit, she decided to stage benefit rock concert to raise money so they could visit again. This is a picture of her preforming. (Just kidding:-) )

Totally cool, John. Totally cool.

"We've got the bouncing bears and the juggling jaguars,..." (too long in the car)

The Great pillow fight.

Timo decides he would look nice with a handlebar mustache.

"Ok, so that was the freakiest thing I've ever seen"

Yuck, Yuck, Yuck!!!!!!

BUG EYES!


And the grand prize winner...















"Families are like fudge mostly sweet with a few nuts."

Lets just say, we were a nut batch!

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