Telluride

On the way home from Durango, we took a side trip through Telluride. We just happened into Telluride the day of the re-enactment of the bank robbery by Butch Cassidy and his gang. It was a quaint little downtown with a small festival set up along the main road.

Downtown Telluride Ready for the Festival

Butch and the Gang Heading in for a Drink

Amazing Indian Dancing

Three of My Babies Watching the Dancers

Lunch at a Local Burger Joint

Still Not Too Big for Momma's Lap

The Fam Walking Down Main Street

Stagecoach Rides

Our Drive Home through the Storm and the Rainbow

Durango Trip

Pictures are worth a thousand words!! We had a blast in Durango. Here are a few pictures to enjoy!!

So Much Excitement for a Long Car Ride

Steam Train from Durango to Silverton

Old Technology Meets New (IPhone, ITouch, DS)

Lunch at The Bent Elbow in Silverton

Carson's Almost a Man

My Babies and I Eating "Texas" BBQ - NOT!!

I Love My Man!!!!

A Hat Shop in Durango

Jia with a Flamingo on Her Head

Sheik Carson

The Brewster!!

TOMORROW......Telluride!

Happy Father's Day!!

My Prince Charming

When I was dating, I was looking for someone who would love me with all of his heart, who would take care of me, and who would never leave me. I knew that I wanted to have children and that I'd like to be a stay-at-home mom, but I never really considered what kind of daddy I was looking for for my future children. Thankfully, God had that taken care of for me.

Rowland is an amazing father. The joke around here is that he's Mr. Mom, and that if I'm to win Mom of the Year, I'll have to beat out my husband! He spends time with each one of the children, whether it's teaching Carson a new guitar lick, taking William to a Rockies game, having breakfast with little Kitty, or taking Jia to Mark Pi's for her favorite lunch. No matter how tired he gets, he always has the extra energy to tuck the kids into bed when I'm on my last leg. He talks to the kids and knows what's important to them, then shows them through his actions that those things are important to him as well. Rowland is very sentimental when it comes to his children. Those moments that move a momma to tears get him crying before the tears fill my eyes. He truly cherishes each child, and each child knows it! He affirms them; he hugs them; he spends time with them; he teases and laughs with them; and most of all, he ALWAYS sacrifices for them!

The Kids Watching the Father's Day Video from Church

Rowland and His Children

A New Corvette Clock

A Portable Hammock

Happy Father's Day to a True Daddy!!!
We love you with all of our hearts!!
(William's Hands Spread out in the Background!)

Still on the Journey

I'm plugging along with my diet and exercise routine - not doing as well with the exercise portion, but still working ahead. I'm also spending time finishing up a little of my unfinished Beth Moore and have been reading about peace.

While I have many areas that God still needs to work through me with His Spirit, peace and self-control seem to be the biggest ones for me. Last night, I was reading about Jesus as He was taking His men through the Valley of Kidron to the Mount of Olives. He, of course, knew exactly what was to happen that night, that He would be taken into custody. He knew that one of the very men who was His closest friend was going to betray Him. As I thought about betrayals I've experienced in the past, most of them have been by the people closest to me. In fact, some of them have been by family members. I thought about the woundings, the overwhelming sense of sadness and anger that I have felt when I have been betrayed by those closest to me. Did I experience peace? Hardly! Unlike Jesus who knew that His close friend was going to betray Him in the most horrible way, I would have chosen to put MAJOR distance between myself and my betrayer on the front end had I known of the tremendous hurt and disappointment that I would experience. In a few cases, I would have rather never had those friendships had I known how they would end. Jesus, though, continued to keep Judas close to Him, in His inner circle, knowing exactly the outcome.

As Peter whacked off the ear of one of Jesus' pursuers, Jesus healed the man's ear. Now, that's true and immediate forgiveness! For me, forgiveness has taken years, and in some cases, I can't honestly say that there is not pain that wells up inside of me as I think of my perpetrators. I still have to ask for God to help me forgive in those instances. And do I experience peace? Perhaps I do after a period of time and distance, but not always.

As Jesus was led away, He knew that He was not in the hands of the soldiers or the religious leaders as the situation appeared. Instead, He accepted that He was in His Father's hands. He walked away with those men with a supernatural peace. That's the kind of peace that I want, the kind that comes not from comfortable circumstances, but the kind that can only come from the Holy Spirit. My prayer last night and today is that God would fill me with that peace that makes no situational sense at all. I want to be filled with the peace of the Holy Spirit living AND being allowed to work inside of me. I realize that that only comes from my surrender to Him. May I surrender myself each day to the Spirit's working inside of me and experience TRUE peace!!

Two Weeks - I Promise

There's a group called Priority Living at my church, and I think that it's a national program. I haven't really wanted to participate because I just feel like I'll fall short in all of the areas in which you set priorities. They're things like personal priorities, home priorities, spiritual priorities, etc. It is a God-centered group, and at the end of the group time, you divide up with a partner and pray for each other, specifically in the priority areas. When you meet again, you share those areas you fell short in and put them back on your priority list while making new priorities in the areas in which you succeeded. I beat myself up constantly so I think that it would just be another place for me to realize how short I often fall. I just don't think that I can handle the pressure with all of the other things going on in my life.

I have determined, though, since we just returned from a trip to Durango, that I must gain control of my weight. A cruise, a trip to Boston, and this most recent trip have added pounds!! I lost four, and I've probably gained back a couple.

My time spent in the Word is best accomplished when I'm leading a Bible study. The leader can't show up with half of the work completed! Now that my Bible study is off for the Summer, and the kids are out of school, I've fallen short once again in feasting on God's Word, Life to my Soul!

So...for the next two weeks, I'm going to bust my tail to accomplish two priorities. I want to lose 10 pounds. (No, I don't expect to lose them all in two weeks, but I do expect to get started well!) I'm going to accomplish this first priority by eating smaller portions and working out at least five days a week. I'm even considering getting up early and going to Jazzercise. Regardless, I'm making this a public priority, and I'd so welcome your words of encouragement and prayers over the next two weeks.

Secondly, and most importantly, I'm going to spend time in the Word five days a week as well. I'm going to finish the last chapter of my Beth Moore study, the Fruit of the Spirit, then move on to one of the Gospels accompanied by journaling. I'll share some of the ways that God speaks to me personally here as well. Once again, your encouragement and prayers would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for being my support group during these next two weeks, and I'll definitely give you updates. I'll also share pictures and precious memories from my trip to Boston with my husband and Carrie and Dave, our traveling friends from California. And, of course, I can't wait to share about our family trip to Durango!

Surely, I could eat worms for two weeks. That's nothing compared to what I'll have to do! And my time with God will be a joy! Two weeks....I promise!

Happy June 5th Birthday, Handsome!!!

Our Family Minus Carson Celebrating Together

Rowland turned 47 this past Friday, and in keeping with our family's tradition, the celebration lasted two days! On Friday morning, Rowland took little Kitty and our neighbor to a car show and breakfast. That afternoon, we saw "Up" at the theater with our good friends. Great movie! And very nostalgic!!

Our Precious Friends

Kitty and Her Birthday Daddy in the Hot Rod

The Ski Country Special Mustang

Carson flew back in town so we picked him up at the school and enjoyed hanging as a family the rest of the evening.

Saturday was celebration day 2. Mostly, we just hung around the house, working in the yard and working on the cars. (I actually injured myself raking! My arm hurts so badly that I can barely type with my left hand. Note to self: No Yard Work!!!) That night, we went to Benihana's for dinner and had a great time watching the show.

Daddy with His Girls

Our Japanese (???????) Chef

Fun Memories!!

Happy Birthday, Handsome Love of My Life!!!!

Last Dance!!

Ms. Lisa and Jia - Certificate of Kindergarten Dance Completion


My beautiful Jia had her last dance class of the year this week, and parents were allowed to attend and take pictures. Sweet Jia wakes up each Thursday and asks, "What's today?" When I reply, "Thursday," she sighs, "Ooooohhhhhh, dance day...." She has completed this entire year just so that she could be in the recital. In fact, the only reason that she even signed up for dance this year is so that she could be in the recital at the end of the year! Obviously, the girl is tenacious! She'll do anything to get on the stage - except smile. While the teacher reminds the girls over and over again to smile, Jia refuses. She explained to me that she didn't want to smile while everyone was watching. She only smiles when they're in the class without people watching - and that's her plan for the recital as well! Go figure!

Jia in Her Ballet Dance

Almost a Smile - But Only for the Picture

Pose with Her Parasol (For Tap Dance)

And surprise of all surprises - She's not signing up for dance next year! Too much work!