Halloweener Dogs All Dressed Up

Happy Halloween! I just wanted to send out pictures of the pups dressed up. We decided to dress them up as two foods, not on purpose though (like Tiger isn't already a weiner dog). We just couldn't pass up either costume at the store and so we had to get both. Don't they look like they are being punished. : ) With Henry's chicken legs sticking out from his costume, it looks like he is about to take off running. While Tiger dreads looking like a lobster is squashing his little body...HEEHEEHEE. The costume was a little big for him, imagine that.

My travels

Since my travels, Mike has been swamped with tests and will have his first surgery next week. He has anesthesia for the first surgery and he keeps saying he is going to put the dog to sleep. He is SUCH a drama king! He is also halfway through the fall semester, that is hard for me to imagine. But each day brings us closer to graduation, thank the Lord!


I made it through my travels to Salt Lake City and St. Louis and had a great time at both. Salt Lake City was beautiful surrounded by the mountains and I even got to go have lunch up in the mountains at a little lodge with the group at my training. It was such a beautiful day. I also saw my only glimpse of fall foliage while I was there. So sad, somedays I just miss New England. Kansas just isn't the most colorful place to be in the fall.

Salt Lake City pictures

View from my hotel window

This was the view from where we had lunch the last afternoon. Isn't that beautiful?!

My fall foliage for the year The 2002 Olympic torch

This was me saying good-bye to Salt Lake City as I flew over the Great Salt Lake.

St. Louis, MO pictures

This was the gang that I hung out with for the week. Sad to say we were not able to go up in the arch because it closed at 5 in the afternoon.

It was cool watching the sunset on the arch and I was glad I got to see it even if I couldn't go up.

This was the moon telling us our adventure was done and it was time to head home.

Since I have been home, life has had its ups and down. My family has had a lot of medical concerns and last week we lost two members, one to a heart attack and one to a car accident. I've also had more pain with my knees and will find out next Friday what is next for me to do, the brace has only bought me some relief. I've made it through physical therapy will no relief and now we'll see what the orthopedist has to say. Whatever it is I'm hoping to get it done as soon as possible in order to have some relief before Christmas when we have to make the long drive home to PA and DE;, my knees just won't allow me sitting in one place for more than a couple of hours right now and in a confined space it is even worse. But I know God is the ultimate physician and he will take care of me.

I must tell everyone how excited I have been over the bible study that I am in right now. I am doing Beth Moore's "Daniel" study and it is phenomenal. I highly recommend it to everyone!! It has been speaking multitudes to me and God is truly opening my eyes to what his Scripture has to say about the world that we live in. We are halfway through and my walk has been growing closer to him, I wasn't where I needed to be and God is using this bible study in so many ways. He is also growing our group closer together and I am only excited for what is still to come. I thank God how he provides for us and brings us into groups that can help share our burdens and pray for us! God has been blessing my prayer time and I can see reflections of it in how he has been using others around me. We don't deserve so many of the gifts that God gives us but we must always be thankful. In closing I want to share the most recent thing I've learned from this bible study and the group that I haven't fully been aware of before (besides hash browns must be frozen in order to fry them)...

We always think of the hard things we go through but how often do we think of the ones we don't. When we go through trials we think we are going alone, however, God is going to deliver us through them. But how many times have we thought of the trials that God has delivered us from that we don't have to fully experience. Our lives could be so much harder, but God has planned our lives and is directing us through what he feels we need. God is taking away all of those trials that we are delivered from and we'll never know the magnitude of what He has done for us. We need to be thankful every time we are going through something and remember that there could be more, but God loves us enough and knows what we can handle! How great is that!!

What a better note to end on then to say THAT GOD IS GOOD...ALL THE TIME...AND ALL THE TIME...GOD IS GOOD!!!!

On the road again...

I am writing this blog from Salt Lake City, Utah. It is beautiful to be surrounded by mountains on all sides. It gives you a new perspective of the world when you travel to new places. I'll have to post pictures later. I'm traveling for business this week and next week again. It gets tiring but I have to remember this can only be good for my career and our future. Mike is busy working towards our future as he is preparing for his first two tests this coming Friday and Monday, while I have abandoned him to work for our present. I just can't wait until May 15, 2009 when his schooling will be done and we can move on with our lives.

Since August, I have now finished my first quilt and have started on my second plus purchasd enough fabric to last me for a few months. Here is my first patriotic rag quilt that I sent to Christian Leetch who was born early this summer.



Lindsey and I went into Topeka at the end of August and I bought enough fabric to keep me busy for many months to come, of course, I will have to think of what they will be first. But it will all come together. Lindsey and Cherry have started an addiction that is slightly out of control (it is a good thing that Mike doesn't keep track of our money = ) ). While we were in Topeka for girl's day out to get our wedding rings cleaned, shop at craft stores and Kohls, and of course to eat at Olive Garden, we discovered my dream car. I couldn't resist taking pictures to share this with all of you. You will all see why I fell in love with it!




Who doesn't need a pimped out pink PT cruiser? You can't really tell, but the inside of the car has a pink interior and seats. Believe me, we definitely spent some time checking this baby out.

The family is doing well and Maggie is getting more used to the animals. She does believe the world revolves around her however. Of course, in the bottom picture I have no idea what her face is about but I couldn't resist posting it.



Once again it is football season...we have picked our fantasty football team...bought the greenies for the dogs for the Eagles' games and we are no longer messing around. Can't you tell by Tiger's face that we are ready for football season? Heck, we are even getting new furniture tomorrow (which I am excited about) and I didn't realize until now that it is very close to Philadelphia green. What a coincidence?!?

The only way I know how to close this blog out is to say...

GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Time is passing rather quickly these days. I have a lot to get caught up on since the middle of June. Let's see... (I'll try to keep it short)

Since then I have almost finished my first quilt, made a trip back home to surprise Mike in PA, done more reading than usual (thanks to Cherry's library), taken many vacation days to spend time with Mike, and now Mike is trying to prepare to start third year. Let's just say that he is tired of school so it is going to take more to mentally prepare to go back to school.

I surprised Mike and his family on Father's Day. It was priceless to see Mike's face the first time he saw me at the restaurant. He was even speechless and for any of you who know Mike rather well, know that once he gets to know you he doesn't really shut up. I was glad to be able to spend that time with my family and then we headed off to his family's house. We had a good time hanging out with them and spending a few days with his niece, Angela. We even got to be together on our anniversary, which was nice. This definitely could not have happened without the help of some awesome friends and a lot of prayers...thanks to all of you!!!

As for the summer traveling, Mike and my brother made it back to KS with no car problems this time and we had a nice visit with him. We were able to have nice weather and the chance to go and do something every day, Jim lucked out from having to experience a KS summer.

Maggie has definitely become one of the family, even though she can be a bully. However, she had her day of pay back. Maggie lost her womanhood at the end of June and she even had to wear a plastic cone around her head afterward. None of the animals would go near her. They must have thought she was Frankinkitty. However, as soon as that thing came off, she was back to normal. Frick (Hammy) and Frack (Maggie) are back at it as you can see in the pictures.

Maggie on drugs (after surgery).

This is Maggie and her naked blubber belly at home recuperating (maybe we should have had lyposuction done while she was under anesthesia).

Frankinkitty

FRICK & FRACK PICTURES

Here are Tiger & Henry sporting their 4th of July gear. (I don't know why Tiger is sticking out his tongue but I promise he means no disrespect to Independence Day)

These were our other summer family members (Cleoutus and Marvin) who have now gone to a new home. Frick and Frack are going to miss them the most.

We have had many ups and downs this summer dealing with family health problems and have appreciated all of the prayers. It has been rather stressful especially as Mike's mom has been in and out of the hospital, but we know God is in control. My grandmother's arm has been healing well since her fall and she is not even wearing a cast anymore. My dad came out of his car accident with just minor injuries and has now purchased a new car to replace his. Mike's dad has been doing really well considering what his body has been through these past few months. Mike's mom is still dealing with issues and we are not sure if they are due to the septic shock back in January when she was on the ventilator but we just ask for continued prayers for her health. It seems that every time she goes to the doctor's that she ends up in the hospital for a few days with a new concern. It is easier to be here away from this all at times but other times you wish you could be with your family. God has been good though and Mike and I know that things do happen for a reason and that God can also heal as he desires. I have held on dearly to James 1:2-6 this summer as it seems that there has been one thing after another. We are also still trying to witness to his family especially though all of this, please remember that in your prayers too.

I'm thankful for the good and the bad even though it isn't always easy. Now we look ahead to Mike starting third year and me doing the same as always.

And yet again...

I know I am a slacker, but I'm sure you will all get over it. I'll try to keep this short even though it has been two months. Since I last wrote, Mike finished his second year, PRAISE THE LORD! I won't say it was an easy year by any stretch of the imagination, however, it didn't kill him. We are thankful to have another year done and I know Mike is thankful for the break from having to think too much.

We had a few weeks together before his brother got here to just relax and go out and do stuff together. We just did day trips, saw tons of movies that we had wanted to see, and yet again...we added another one to our family. Yes, we are crazy, but I can handle furry children right now instead of the real thing. On May 29th we took extra food that we had acquired during the school year to the animal shelter and I pressured Mike to look around. Yes, this one is all my fault, he tried to resist but in the end he couldn't either. We made it through all of the puppies, dogs and thenI entered the cat room. I was drawn to her right away and then Mike was a pushover and we brought her home that afternoon. Her name is Maggie and she is ~ 9 1/2 months old. She has some beautiful markings and is so sweet and a lover. If you just walk in the room after she hasn't seen you for awhile she just starts purring. She hung out a few days in our bathroom until we could get her into the vets, but now she is fully acclimated to the rest of the family. If anything she is a big bully, especially with Henry. She has learned the hard way not to mess with Tiger and Cinder, while her and Hammy are best friends. Poor Henry, he is just misunderstood.

A few days after Maggie, Mike's brother, Jason, flew in and visited with us for about a week. Jason was going to help Mike drive back to PA for the summer. They got their video game time in as well as their movie fixes. We also went to the Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure in Salina, KS. We had a good time and the weather was beautiful. But then came the day they had to leave. I don't think the dogs had a clue what was going on, especially when Tiger ran around the entire morning looking for Mike in every nook and cranny of the house. Sad to say but Tiger will not be seeing Mike for awhile.

On the drive back to PA, Mike and Jason spent tons of money on gas and also realized something was wrong with my Jeep. Needless to say, here was the diagnosis from the mechanic...the manifold air pressure apparatus (MAP) burst somewhere in Missouri when the Check Engine light started flashing so the car could of either not had enough fuel being pushed through the engine or it could have had too much. I guess there were angels around Mike and Jason because it kept pushing gas through all the way to PA to a trusted mechanic, however, by that time the gas leaked all over, the spark plugs were all black and covered with carbon and the O2 sensor was destroyed because carbon flakes had gone through the exhaust (which would explain why my Jeep was puffing out black exhaust off and on during the trip also). If you could imagine, Samson really needed a tune up after all of that. So we are hoping that Samson is okay now and will be able to make the trip home in July, if you all can remember that in prayer. So Mike is home now even though a majority of the time he would love to be back in Kansas. He has a lot to accomplish there before he heads off to my uncle's dairy farm. So I also covet your prayers for him back home, there are a good number of issues that have arisen and Mike has his hands full.

Since Mike has been gone I've held down the fort, kept making the money so Mike can spend it : ), started to sew my first quilt (thanks to Lindsey, Jenny and Cherry), and kept myself occupied. I miss Mike dearly but at the same time I know God has a purpose for Mike back home right now, otherwards he wouldn't be there. But God is good and is working on Mike and I...who can complain about that? God has also blessed us with amazing friends who have helped in ways we can never repay. We thank God for the support and love!!

So this is our life right now...