Hillary's Blog

>> Sunday, August 17, 2008

It has been a while since Dad had a 'good' picture of him taken so this afternoon we went outside and shot a few. Any favorites????

>> Saturday, August 16, 2008

We went to the Air show today, and it was pretty cool! (that is about 3 up from 'cool')

Here is a somethingerether black thing that was really neat!

This is from the top...

John got the hang of when to cover his ears pretty quick and even fell asleep while the bombers were ripping the sky with their unbelievable noise.

Leah Broke the Marine booth record for the longest any female has ever hung in flexed pull up position; 95 seconds! They gave her a shirt AND a water bottle...

I hung for 61 seconds when I lost my grip and fell off :-( I still got a water bottle :-)

Thunder by the River

A few of us went on Friday night to Thunder By the River, the biggest tractor pull in the Midwest..yeehaw (or does that go with rodeos?):-)

It was 'cool' in my opinion...

This was the most interesting part of the whole thing.... Michael's twin sitting right behind us.

No, I don't usually mug pictures of random guys at farm events, but I had to take it since you rarely run into someone who bears such a striking resemblance to Michael!

Hmmmmm

>> Thursday, August 14, 2008

I thought this was really funny...

Marriage

>> Tuesday, August 12, 2008

"A great marriage is not when the 'perfect couple' comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences" -Dave Meurer

I found that quote interesting...

Timothy

>> Monday, August 11, 2008

Happy 10th Birthday Timo! (one day late)

Timo's birthday was yesterday, but I was in Columbus with mom so we celebrated it today. Happy birthday ,Timo, you are a smile in my day that can't be lived without. I love you!

Timo's Birthday verse was: 1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins"

Happy Birthday!

Pardon the water on the shirt; water is a necessity to wash sand out of your hair...:-)

Well...

>> Thursday, August 7, 2008

Mom told me my blog was getting boring of late, so I thought I would make a quick post to show you what I've been doing with my faithful little helper...

Great faces, Great places!

Elizabeth: This is for you... I've gotten quite a bit better with vegetable trays since that time with Sam, haven't I?! :-)

Summer

>> Thursday, July 31, 2008

Summer is here and with it fun family traditions, goofy kids, and exciting competitions! aka. Dad's famous salsa, John, and the county fair!

Pictures for the fair

Dad's famous salsa

Guess who!?

My new Favorite quote...

>> Sunday, July 27, 2008

"Good people are wonderful to have, but a person who makes you laugh can not be lived without.

Remember that when you think you bad things about yourself."
-Sarah Hutchins

This is what I have chewing on ever since the Rebelution Conference.

I’ve been thinking a lot about doing hard things in regards to my attitude. How does the attitude I maintain portray my life as an element of God’s kingdom, and a Rebelutionary in my generation? Am I truly rejoicing in the life I have been granted by God? Or do I gripe and fuss because. ‘Hey, face it, life is not always easy’? Or am I straining ahead to what might be in the future instead of enjoying and making the most of every day in the place God has me now? Having a godly attitude is hard, let me explain….
My current situation has me staying at home watching my younger siblings, trying to keep the house clean and doing all the laundry for a family of 11 people. As of current I have virtually no options to do what I used to call ‘important’ hard things.
If you went to the Conference or read the book you have for sure heard about the ‘important’ hard thing that are getting done by your fellow Rebelutionaries, they are raising millions for orphans, writing books, producing films, and digging wells in Africa. Now if you are anything like me you looked at them and thought, “Man, if only I was somewhere else; that could be me”
I have often asked the question: “ God, why couldn’t you have given me a hard thing that would make a more significant impact in the big picture”. For me, making my bed, doing dishes, folding laundry…all that is normal expected actions I have done all my life, but doing it with a joyful and grateful attitude, now that is HARD! I mean who is going to know or even care for that matter that I held my temper with my sister today. Honestly 99.99999% of this world is not going to give a rip if you kept from losing your cool or not, and even if they notice you can be sure you will not hear about it. I say 99.99999% because your sister is sure to care if you blow up at her; you might even hear something from your parents if you really got heated. But, letting it go and being patient is not going to see the president hanging the Best Teen medal round your neck and giving a speech on how well you controlled your temper.
Which is exactly why it seems so much harder to cheerfully wash the dishes, patiently amuse your baby brother for hours on end, or say no to your temper and turn the other cheek instead. No one is going to pat you on the back and ask you to come speak to their youth group because you did your chores with a good attitude. In fact it will seem at the time that no one cares at all whether you make the effort to have a good attitude.
But, God does! He sees, He cares, and it is for Him and His glory that we do hard things in the first place! It may seem like it is not really important to have a good attitude wherever God has you today but, this is part of God’s training camp for your future; the clearing of your launching pad so to speak.
It is just as hard of a thing in God’s eyes for my to rejoice in folding laundry and changing dirty diapers, as it is for Alex and Brett to travel country wide ministering through the conference, or for ‘Hoops of Hope’ to go world wide in its endeavor. God has me in one place and them in another. All three are equally important.
The hard thing God has given me to do for today is to rejoice, be content, and to mirror my life after His. Right now that mirror reflects mountains of laundry, whiny kids, a messy house, and a joyful spirit. My heart attitude is my hard thing!

How about you?

What is your “Hard Attitude”?

My Comfort

>> Friday, July 25, 2008

"Your hands made me and formed me;
give me understanding to learn your commands.
May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,
for I have put my hope in your word.
I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous,
and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
May your unfailing love be my comfort,
according to your promise to your servant.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight."

-Psalms 119:73-77

The Rebelution

>> Sunday, July 20, 2008

Alex and Brett Harris in action! Well, this is what they looked like most of the time:-P

Alex talking with people during the break

The security guards; awesome!

Alex signing their book. (sorry most of the pictures are of Alex; Brett was to swarmed with girls to even get close:-P you can see him in the background talking to...a girl)

All of us forum people.

The conference was awesome. I would highly recommend it to anyone in a heart beat. I wish I could hear it all again today, it was so good.

July photo shoot

>> Friday, July 18, 2008

Twin Kim

I never told you I was a twin did I? Well I am not. I am actually one of a set of Triplets! Well, in a way that is. You see, I met Kim about 6 years ago and we realized that we were exactly the same age, give or take a few hours. So we decided that we must have been twins who were separated at birth or something. I mean how many people meet someone who is exactly the same age as them?! Much less two people who are the same age as them!
That brings us to Mackenzie; Mackenzie's mom knew my mom from an Above Rubies conference that mom attended in the 90's. In browsing through an ancient Above Rubies magazine I saw that the Evan's daughter had the same Birthday as me and I knew she was around my age... Mom asked Mrs.Evans and lo and behold Mackenzie shared the same year and Birthday as I did. So there you have it, my last secret... I am a triplet who was separated at birth.

PS mom doesn't know about this yet...
:-P

Got Smile?

>> Tuesday, July 15, 2008

:-)

Listening

>> Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Emily and I thought it would be a good idea (or was it me and I roped Emily in to doing it with me) to take both of our CD towers and starting at the top of one listen straight through all our CD's from top to bottom. So far we have heard way to much Andrew Peterson ( why did we have to organize our CD's by artist?), and some little kids CD's. Tomorrow we get the marches:-P Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all...:-)

Trina

>> Monday, July 7, 2008

Happy 15th Birthday Trina!

Well, Trina, this is it. It's all down hill from here. Just Kidding! Yes, life will seem to get harder and more complicated, but it still gets better. Don't give up, and don't get bitter! I love you!

Trina's Birthday Verse is: " I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine" -John17:9

Happy Birthday, Trina!

You, I love!
:-)

Fourth Of July With Uncle Ben

>> Saturday, July 5, 2008

Uncle Ben's amazing trunk. (better than any on the fridge!)

Ben and Cheyenne tell each other jokes while Cheyenne is bathed.

Leah and I milk Corny in the school parking lot while we wait our turn in the parade.

Hipps & Hic make the talk of the town... AGAIN!

The "Brothers"

Saluting our flag

The ceremony honoring our veterans

Last but not least...

An absolutely spectacular fireworks show.

Never Let Go

>> Wednesday, July 2, 2008

"And we've been handed these moments forever.
But I'm reassured there's another way.
You don't have to close your eyes.
There is room for love again.
Ease the pain to realize
All that love can be.

Forced apart by time and sand.
Take a step and take my hand.
And don't let it go.
Never let go.

Broken, once connected,
We were so strong and so blessed in a simple way.
So don't let me go it alone.

Turn your head up to the sky.
Nothing down below but me.
Face the truth to realize
All that we could be.
Torn apart by rage and fear.
Hold onto what brought you here.

Don't let it go.
Never let go."
-Josh Groban (Closer)