two thousand and twelve

Two thousand twelve highlights:

January

My sister Jenni and my nephews came to visit and meet Cayden. Jenni ended up getting meningitis while she was visiting, so we got to spend a lot of extra time with the boys! It was terrible for Jenni, but we enjoyed the extra time with all of them :) 

Febrary

We began house hunting! After a couple of weekends looking at models (we knew we wanted to build new), we paid the down payment and the building began!

March

Traveled to Jacksonville Beach, FL for a relaxing and fun mini vacation with Emily, Elli, & my mom! 

April

Celebrated Cayden's first Easter & went to San Antonio to celebrate Tyler's Grandpa's birthday! 

May

Moved out of our apartment, went to watch Elli graduate from college, & Cayden's first trip to the zoo!

June

Moved in with our small group friends, the Knops, while our house finished being built & Cayden was dedicated at church :) 

July

First car trip to Chicago, for the year, to watch a dear friend get married. When we returned we closed on our house & moved in right away!

August

Made our second car trip to Chicago to say good bye to our Papa Rog. We were able to arrive in time to say our final good-byes and he passed away September 3rd. 

September

Our fourth nephew, Jacob Brandon, was born on September 30th!

October

First pumpkin patch & first Halloween!

November

Drove to meet our family half-way, in Branson, Missouri! Had a great time at Silver Dollar City and found out we were pregnant with baby #2 on Thanksgiving Day!

December

Celebrated Cayden's first birthday!

As we conclude 2012, we reflect on all of the blessings 2012 brought us! As 2013 starts, I am reminded of fresh starts. I am thankful for new beginnings and new highlights from the year that I will write about next year! May all ya'll have a Happy New Year and a fabulous 2013 :) 

Should all acquaintance be forgot,

And never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,

And auld lang syne!

For ault lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne.

We'll take a cup o'kindness yet,

For auld lang syne.

it is well with my soul

The last few days have made me speechless. Absolutely speechless. So much heartache in a matter of minutes. How could something so bad happen to people so innocent? So many questions that are left unanswered...

Unfortunately, people have choices, choices that are good or bad, wise or unwise. We make them everyday. Adam Lanza made a bad, very unwise choice, that effects people way beyond him. It effected a school, multiple families, a town, and it spread to a whole nation. His sin influenced many. While this situation is dark, very dark, Jesus is the only light that can bring any hint of light to this terrible tragedy...there was some light in this situation. Of the stories that I've read, teachers became heroes, literally putting themselves in the line of fire for their students. Pure light. The school principal and psychologist lunged at the shooter, also risking their lives for many. More light. The fact that the intercom was on during the beginning of the shootings to hint to teachers that they needed to go into lockdown mode, not allowing the shooter to catch their classroom off guard. More light. (via cnn.com) I am saddened by the deaths that occurred, in fact, I spent all day Friday crying about children and adults I had never even met. But though I am saddened, I also find hope in the fact that I think it could have been much worse. Those children are now face to face with their maker, and in that I find comfort.

We live in a very dark, troubled world and the only hope we have is Jesus, the only light in this world. Often times we forget that when Jesus died on the cross paying the debt for our sins, and raised from the dead three days later, he overcame Satan. He overcame evil. He overcame the world. If we have a relationship with Jesus, we too have already gained the victory over evil. "...In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

One of my favorite hymns is "It is well, with my soul". It was a favorite of Dr. Chuck, our friend who was called home in 2011. The words are amazing and the backstory makes the words that much more powerful. The writer of the song was a father and was very familiar with loss. He wrote the hymn around the time of the Chicago Fire, in the late 1800's. He and his wife had five children, one boy and four girls. When their son was four, the couple lost their son. The writer then lost his business in the fire, so he sent his daughters and wife to Europe, until he could meet them there. While crossing the Atlantic ocean, the ship they were traveling on sunk and he lost all four of his daughters. He and his wife were in what I'd assume, was a state of shock and pure chaos, yet he wrote this song; he wrote his thoughts down for many to find promise in.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows, like sea billows roll,
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed his own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, oh my soul!

And Lord haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul!

Reading these words bring tears to my eyes. Amongst chaos, pure horror, and I'm sure the ultimate sadness of losing a child(ren), this man found comfort in the arms of his Savior.

We need to be praying for the families in Connecticut, that they would be covered with peace and comfort from their Lord Jesus Christ...the only light they can find in this dark situation. The light we can have in this situation is when "the trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend.." we will be reunited with those 20 beautiful children that were taken far too soon from their families. We all look forward to that day. Come, Lord Jesus!

twas the night before...

Twas the night before his birthday, and all through the home
neither puppy was stirring, not even to roam
The streamers were hung from the highchair with care,
in hopes that his birthday cake soon would be there.

Cayden and Jake all nestled snug in their beds,
while visions of Lauren's cake danced in their heads,
And mama in her sweatpants, and dad in his shorts,
reminiscing of memories of all the sorts.

From the hospital to apartment, he did so well,
the first time we saw him, the emotions so swell.
This life was so special, our lives had been changed,
so much love for this child, that it was strange.

As the months went by, our little boy grew and grew,
From crawling, to walking, to talking, time flew.
Watching every single day at all he learned to do,
enjoying every moment, even changing the poo.

A year has passed, and somehow I love him that much more,
If you told me that last year, I'd say "shut the front door."
And as he grows, I will love every single part,
this little child holds so much of my heart.

Happy first birthday to my sweet, little baby boy,
mommy and daddy love you, you bring us much joy.
We will pray for you every single day of your life,
and will stand by you through the joy, pain, & strife.


Cayden Lukas,
I love you so much!!!
xoxo,
Mommy

                                           12.15.2011                                                                          12.1.2012

why i love christmas

Everyone always gives me a hard time for loving Christmas. I guess it's not really the loving Christmas part as it is the wanting it to be Christmas in May part ;). I was really thinking about this this week and it came to me that I do indeed love Christmas, I do. I love the lights, I love the music, I love the festivities, I love the fact that the general public FINALLY think it's okay to mention Jesus. But it isn't the idea of Christmas that gets me so giddy, it's the memories that have poured out from the holiday season.

Growing up, the day after Thanksgiving, I would ALWAYS wake up to Christmas music being blasted out of speakers in the front yard (did I mention it was 4:30am), while my dad was out on the roof happily whistling along while hanging up our thousands of lights. Whenever dad started decorating, it was a major clue that Christmas was upon us. Can I get an "Amen" from the Wolds & Unruhs? ;)

My family always did advent. Every day of the week in December we did a family event. We played Masterpiece, a game we all grew very fond of. We would layer on our winter coats and play out in the snow. We even drove around in the car for an hour in our little town of Elburn, looking at Christmas lights, voting on who had the best decorations that year. We made cookies, we went caroling, and oh, who can forget our infamous Christmas shows...Jenni was the director and Elli and I were the actors. My parents would sit for two hours and just watch us perform the show we whole-heartedly put on. 

My dad is a big lover of the 12 days of Christmas so starting on December 12th, we'd all go down to the basement and each pick out one of the presents under the "kid tree" in the basement (yes, we had 3 trees in our house). My mom & dad would buy us each $1 presents for the 12 days of Christmas. We'd of course have to sing the song and then we'd each get to open one present! We'd get gum, nail polish, vicks vapor rub, socks, pencils, etc. They were simple presents, but lasting memories.

I am quite embarrassed to say that my LITTLE sister had to inform me that Santa was all a fantasy...but can you blame me when your dad would put mud foot prints all over the living room and kitchen, making a path from our fireplace to our tree? 

Even though gifts & the idea of Santa can be extra fun on Christmas day, my parents always reminded us of the real reason for Christmas. We had a manger that was set up on our mantel. We weren't allowed to put the baby Jesus out until Christmas morning. The three of us girls argued every year about who got to set baby Jesus out. Before we started the morning festivities of eating & gift opening, we always sang "Happy Birthday" to our ultimate gift, Jesus. Another small memory with a huge impact.

I only touched on my Christmas memories I have with my family, but do you see now why I love Christmas? I do love all that Christmas brings, the joy, the weather (well, when I lived in Illinois), and the love that the holiday brings; but even more then all of that, I always want it to be Christmas because I love the memories I have of family. In my heart I have very warm Christmas memories and that is why I love Christmas so much.

Thank you, mom & dad for making Christmas time so special and for the memories Elli, Jenni, & I will always associate with this special time of year!