The Christmas Miracle

As the hormonal girl that I am, I have been known to on occasion enjoy a chic flick. I may scope the Lifetime Channel to see if they have some sort of holiday inspired feel good movie. Some are love stories, and others are inspirational. I have my "must see" movies during the holiday season as well. I have to watch the Grinch, "Christmas Vacation" and we enjoy our tradition of Chinese take out while watching "A Christmas Story" on Christmas Eve. I am always filled with Christmas Spirit when I watch "It's a wonderful life" and "Miracle on 34th street". The warm fuzzy feelings from seeing this amazing stories of triumph, love and Christmas miracles. But have you witnessed one? Have you seen the amazing light of God's blessing during the holidays? I do believe I can say that I have.

An amazing man, husband and father of 5, and coach to dozens of kids became unresponsive late one evening while talking with his wife. His heart stopped beating and his wife had to do what no wife would ever dream of doing. She had to call 911 and perform CPR until help could arrive. The initial reports were very scary. And Dusty had to be put into an induced coma so he could stabilize. The big question that first 12 hours was if there was brain activity. Over the course of 72 hours he went from critical to responding to verbal commands and today he was even joking with his wife. The response from the wee little community of Bethel has been overwhelming and incredibly amazing. I was blessed to join with hundreds of others at the football field where Dusty has spent countless hours coaching and forming young men. We each lit a candle and joined in prayers of praise and thanksgiving for all that God had done in Dusty's life and prayed for God's continued work to be done. We sang a few Christmas carols and his current basketball team did a team whooping and hollering in his honor. The road is still long, but a full recovery has been claimed in Jesus' name.

Tomorrow Aaron and I will enjoy Chinese take out and A Christmas Story with the kids and after they go to bed I will watch It's a wonderful life while I wrap the last of the gifts and prepare for our celebration of the birth of Christ. I don't doubt that I will do the same thing next year as well. But I have a suspicion that many of us will always remember the Christmas that we witnessed God's hand move and witnessed a miracle. May your holiday season be blessed and may you and yours have a very Merry Christmas. All praise be to God.

Confessions of a newbie

WARNING: The following blog contains graphic details of my first all out solo run. These graphic details include slobber, cult references, cat calls, and poop. Reader discretion is advised.

So I don’t know if you’ve heard but there is a new fad that has sucked in many of my favorite people. It’s all the rage, and all I’ve heard about for at least a year now. Running. Not just recreational running, but health nut running. I was able to avoid the vortex for some time but while we were in Chicago I drank the kool aid. I needed to get a gel pack to the Chief. I was at mile marker 13.1, the halfway point and after reviewing the map I decided that I could run to the mile marker for 16 and meet him. But I didn’t have a lot of time. Up to that point he was running sub 8’s. (lingo for less a mile in less than 8 minutes, keep up) So I ran roughly 8 Chicago city blocks to get that marker. Once I got there I texted him and discovered I would have quite a wait. But what I also realized that I felt pretty darn good for haling twigs to meet up with him. After he finished and we met up in the charity tent I got to thinking that I could potentially do this as well; perhaps not the extreme that the Chief does. *Note: The Chief will take any activity he does to an extreme dedication that makes it look like it is his J.O.B. So goes the tale of my first thoughts on running.

Today however my thoughts on running were moving in different directions, or rather stages. There was bargaining, denial, despair and even acceptance. Wait…. These are some of the stages of grief! Oh no!!!

I set out to do two laps around the Bethel Burk Park path with my handy dandy run keeper app on my iPhone. What a gem! I start my activity and this friendly feminine voice comes to tell me “activity started interval 1 minute slow pace”. So nice. This is when I do some speed walking. I get to the corner and I’m immediately irritated that I have to wait for traffic… I realize after the 3rd running interval that I feel like I am sucking air stronger than a dyson! (I don’t have carpet in my house, but feel like I am in love when I see them….) My first thought is I’m not going to get two laps in if this continues. Akon sings in my ear that I am a sexy chic so I push on.
Muse is carrying on about a super massive black hole and I start to wonder if I wouldn’t like one to come down and swallow me up. What was I thinking!? “*chime* next interval 1 minute slow. Time 11 minutes 23 seconds. Pace 11 minutes 23 seconds per mile”. Oh thank you Jesus! And I’m only halfway on the first lap….

Timbaland takes the mic and I’m feeling like I can breath again, and I’m in a groove. Easy peasy! I'm even managing well avoiding the dog piles that I'm encountering. Seriously people, how hard is it to bring a plastic bag? I giggle as I think that my kids would enjoy the humor of me avoiding piles of poop like frogger. The run keeper chick tells me that I’ve done two miles and my pace is 12 minutes 15 seconds I am thinking that I am going to smoke my previous pace. Which means I am a natural running goddess and this third mile is going to be cake! Uh huh...

I start my third mile and strange things develop. Now, I realize that this is going to sound all sorts of wrong but I am producing saliva like a boxer, and my lips are dry. I hate dry lips and I’m wondering if I am going to start drooling like Pavlov’s dog. “Chime. Next interval:slow”. Oh! What took you so long lady!? I took one earbud out and I’m walking… walking is good! I hear, “Shake it” from some fine upstanding gentleman from the community and I don’t think he was coaching me on my style of running. I tell myself that it will be much more motivating on the flying pig route and I get the chime from the run keeper wench that it is time to run again. I’m starting to think that she is just a big bully….

I’ve now made it through the park and I’m on my street. I’ve just got to get up a hill and to the light. My thought wander to the fact that I am still “running” up this hill! My thoughts are then screaming, “Where are you… you…. you bully running wench!? Chime in!”. And she does just as I am reaching the intersection but I decide to run through then walk when I reach the other corner. I. Am. So. Close.

It is at this time that I see a familiar truck and an arm waving. Ah, yes. It’s the running Sasquatch on his way to soccer practice. And I’m walking…. And running. He’s run 3 marathons, he should be able to run to practice… carrying his daughter…. And his gear…. (I kid Tim ;) And I’m HOME!

Toe is sore from the damage yesterday. I’m learning the find art in being obsessed with the length of your toe nails. My knee is a bit tender, but when isn’t it? Two days of cardio and I will try it again on Thursday with the Chief. God help him.

I ran 3.34 miles in 42:07 minutes for a 12:36/mile pace. I guess maybe I did shake it.

Your Attention Please!

•So that wonderful handsome hunk that is my husband does more than just keep my house clean and my belly fed. He works, is completing his Master’s degree in theology, he slays deer to fill our freezer and he runs. When I say run I mean he is one of those crazy, insane, not right in the head runners who go into cyborg mode and run marathons. Two weeks ago he ran the Chicago Marathon. It’s 26.2 miles, let me repeat… TWENTY SIX POINT TWO MILES through downtown Chicago. Now he has a purpose to all this insanity. He does it as a member of the Organization for Autism Research (OAR for short). He runs because he is a parent dealing with autism every day. He wants to raise Autism awareness and support Autism education. Now, not only does this score him major points with this wife, (Come on ladies, you gotta admit a strong man being a great father is sexy!) he inspires me to find ways to be pro-active about Autism awareness myself. While we still are in the trenches of parenting and learning new ways to help Noah succeed, we are fortunate to be a point where we can step back and lend a hand in the global campaign of awareness and research.
Now everyone who knows me knows I am crazy. But with all this in mind I am ready to say that my crazy is being kicked up and level and I am going to participate in the Cincinnati Flying Pig half marathon in May!!! Yes, little ol me is going to look 13.1 miles, THIRTEEN POINT ONE MILES in the face and conquer it. Now note, I did not say that I was going to run…..
Tina does not run, well I do if one of my kids is injured, and I would if there was a clown moving towards me. But other than that, no. I watch these runners and they make it look effortless. I run from one room of my house to another to answer my phone and I’m winded. My hope is that I will walk the 13.1. I can walk pretty fast and I’ve been able to walk a 13 minute mile. So completing the course in the allowed time will not be a problem. Now comes the question…. Do I put a little bit of jogging in my training? I have two issues to contend with. First, lung capacity and asthma sucks. I was in a car accident shortly after my high school graduation and it resulted in the removal of my left lung, and I’ve had bouts with asthma since I was a kid. So…. Can I hack some running in my regime? I’m going to be doing some research to see how to incorporate all of this is my training. Second issue is all about the joints. (No not that kind….) I have pronate feet so up to this point my running has impacted my knees and further my hips. I know that they are all connected and when one joint is out of alignment, it affects others. No more off the shelf at DSW shoes for me. I’ll be consulting the experts at Runners World to be sure that my wonky feet are properly aligned so that I’m not putting pressure on my jacked up knee and then making my hips feel like they are begging for mercy. Oh yes the knee…. I never got that meniscus tear taken care off. So I want to be sure that my motion is smooth.

So there you have it! I’m out of the trenches for a moment to say I’m on a campaign mission to do some joint task force work with the Organization for Autism Research. I shall do my best to post how training is going, how Noah is progressing and how you can help. Because you know you want to!!

I give....

I like to dance, love it in fact. I am one to always be dancing around the kitchen. I enjoy going to our local winery, Harmony Hill Vineyards and get my groove on. However I am exhausted at the dance of life at times. I feel my flow is more like some sort of dance in which I take one step forward and two steps back. In the nearly month since I've updated I found myself in fact being offered that job that I interviewed for. What a blessing! Our fantastic family mobile, Ruby came home. School started with a smooth run out the starting gate for our children and it seemed that things were moving in a happy direction. I must have forgotten to knock on wood.

I was on my way to my mother in laws after some shopping on my day off. As I approached her drive way I realized I had the brake to the floor and I was not slowing down like I should, and there was some smoke coming from the front passenger side tire. While I would love nothing more than to see that van burst into flames I didn't want to go into the creek in the process. We soon discovered that the brake line had ruptured and the pads were into the rotors. We also soon discovered that this brake line is yet another part that is only available through Dodge and it will need to come from a dealer. Cha ching! Oh... And it's a holiday weekend so we will have to wait.

I find myself trying to as positive as I can, to see the rainbow after the thunderstorm, to see the glass as half full, to blah blah blah. We will move on like we always do, and I say that the thunderstorm washed my cars and plants, and half full means there is room for rum in my glass.

Manic Monday

Oh here we go again, with the, "Manic Monday's!"

I have so much to get done now. I love the busy, because it is something to focus our attention on, and it helps keep the Indians busy. If they are busy then they sleep better, and the house doesn't seem to take as much of the abuse. So what exactly is on the docket for Maj. Mom?

1.) Soccer practice officially starts for Fidget today. I get the honor of coaching her team as well. This should be fun. I coached Mad's team a few years back. They were also older, and it was all girls. This time they are 4 and 5 year olds and it is co-ed. Oh boy!!

2.) I have 2 at Church Camp right now. I like knowing that they are building relationships with fellow young believers and I hope that they are going to be learning something that they can take with them always. Noah gets to go on Thursday to Jr. camp until Saturday. I am hoping the same thing for him.

3.) My first job interview in over 2 years is tomorrow. I am excited and nervous. it was kinda on a whim that I thought it would be nice to have something to occupy my time while I have all the kids in school. If this works out I will be able to be home before the little ones come home and I won't be needing any child care. Bonus!

4.) The countdown is on!
The Chief and his running buddies have just over 8 weeks to finish training for the Chicago Marathon. I am so excited to be back in Chi-Town.

That very week is the start of the NHL season. It is so cool to know that I will be in the neighborhood of the United Center, and my beloved Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks their first weekend as they take on the nasty Detroit RedWings.

We have 6 weeks until Deer Season opens in Ohio. This is huge for a few reasons. first we are out of venison. second the Chief will be taking us all for hunts at various times during the season. We are currently looking at the Horton Vision Crossbow for Jake and I. I'm kinda excited to get into the stand.

We have 3 weekends to enjoy before Soccer games start. This will mean that we are running all over Southern Ohio for 4+ games a weekend. I am so glad that only 1/2 the Tribe decided to play this season.

We have 2 weeks until the start of school for the Indians. Jake will be at the Middle School, Madie and Noah will be at the Intermediate and Miss Annika will be at the Primary for Kindergarten. I am so happy that they now have all day-everyday kindergarten!!

Alright alright!! Let's get this Monday rollin!!!

It's Friday I'm in LOVE

So this summer had been jerking a knot in my tail. After a slew of events I am more than ready to be done with summer and move on to fall. Each season is here for a time, but always makes room for the next. That is how I am going to look at the storms of my life that occurred the summer. BRING ON FALL!! Which reminds me of the things that I love. I need to take the time to remember that I have so much to love in my life. I've seen some blogs that have a, "It's Friday I'm in Love" series. I love the idea and I'm gonna steal it.

Along the lines of things I love I adore my children and almost all the shenanigans they get into. One such shenanigan is the photo booth feature on our computers. May I present: Fabulous Funny Fidget Friday!

Every Friday I will feature Miss Fidge doing what she does best, tell it like is, entertain and document for the ages.





What else am I lovin this Friday?

1.) I have a job interview on Tuesday. Yes, a job-job. If nothing else I will be getting some experience interviewing again. I have some friends that are so goofy that they love job interviews for the fun of it. (I know, right?)

2.) My 2 big kids go to camp this next week. I am looking forward to them getting some time for themselves and getting into their bibles. What I am not loving is packing and getting stuff ready for camp.

3.) SOCCER!!! It is soccer season and I get the honor to coach Annika's dribblers team. Let's see if I can manage 8 four and five year olds!

4.) Buffalo sauce. Yes, I have an addiction to buffalo sauce. I made a double batch of Buffalo chicken dip and I wanted to cry when I ate the last bit with a spoon!! Is there a 12 step program for this?

Five on Friday!

1.) Quick update on previous ramblin: Church is AWESOME! I'm so glad we went back! We are getting into the swing of it, and the kids are enjoying it as well. Noah has made a friend, and that is the huge part of it all. He looks forward to Sunday's and enjoys having a companion to run around with. Huge step!!
I'm looking forward to enjoying a meal and discussion time with a small group this weekend. Cinco De Mayo themed so I am going to make Horchata cupcakes.... But I'll save the rest of the deets for my other blog. :)

2.) So just over two weeks ago I took a lovely basket of clothes that the AMAZING Chief laundered and folded to be put away in the girls room. As I took a stack of pants to be placed in the bottom drawer of the dresser I pivoted and squatted and...... CRUNCH.... My knee felt like I got shanked!!! I hobbled around the rest of the night, then decided when it felt worse that I needed to ice and elevate. I was hoping it would be like when you sorta turn your foot and it hurts but the next day you all better. Yeah right. I went our medical group and had to see the New guy. He wanted to play it safe and said, wear a brace if you want, ice it, stay off of it and if it gets worse or doesn't get better by the end of the weekend come back. And that is exactly what I did because it didn't get better. Well.... it would then it would get worse. There were moments where I could not even move the joint. So I got to see my doctor, who I just adored until he decided to do a certain little test on my knee and about kicked him before jumping off the table. He referred me to get an MRI. I bet him it was just sprained, he said, "double or nothing you tore your meniscus!" Told you I adored him, he's great! So on Wednesday I got my MRI done and they gave me the films!! Silly people... I came home and held them up in my kitchen window while comparing to MRI images from YouTube and Google Images. I could see the meniscal tear clear as day.

I was so proud of myself. I got the call from the doctors office yesterday to let me know that yes, indeed there are tears in the meniscus, as well as a bone bruise, and tendonitis. After a quick lesson I could easily find the bone bruising. Now I am ready to open my own practice. ha ha ha!!

3.) The Chief and Jake ran the flying pig 5K with the Vogel girls, Sasquatch and Cousin Cookie. They had a blast and I had a blast cheering them on.



Here is Major Mom and D.I. Mom



GO BEARCATS!!!



So I got sidetracked. The Chief then ran the Cincinnati Flying Pig half Marathon the next day. Yes, 13.1 miles of downtown terrain. He did fabulous and came in at 2 hours 5 minutes. We then linked up with Laurel to cheer Tim on as he ran the full 26.2 Marathon. It was so much fun, and it is easy to see why the Flying Pig is consistently voted the Most fun marathon in the country!

4.) School is dragging along. I took a big test today in my world religion class on Buddhism. I looked at and wondered, "When did we talk about this!?" What grade do I need to just pass the class? I know, I know. That's not be.

5.) Looking forward to a fun weekend filled with great friends, great food and hopefully a little joy for this mother.

Finding what you lost.

Have you ever had that feeling that you were missing something? I have been having that feeling for a while now. It wasn't constant, it was just every once in a while I would get this feeling that I was forgetting something. I would check my pockets, my purse, I would walk around the house. My keys, cell phone, laptop, homework, husband, children, pets, vehicles were all accounted for. What could it possibly be that I keep thinking that I am forgetting? Why do I keep feeling this fear of missing something crucial? And it really was becoming a fear. Why could I not remember and how important can this thing be?

It was a gradual move. The kind of moving that is so slow, you really don't even notice it. So gradual I hadn't really noticed it until this past week. I mean, I had some ideas that I was in trouble, but not until I heard with my own ears today had I grasped just how far I had gotten. When I did realize it, I looked back and saw that it wasn't just a few inches, but it might as well had been miles, or whole planetary systems of distance. Then a vision popped into my head, a billboard. I am not a big fan of church billboards for a few reasons. Some say cute optimistic things like, "Easter may be over, but we are open all year". However, others make me feel like I have no chance of salvation and we are all going to burn in hell, "God hates liars". Oops, Aaron asked me if I unplugged my curling iron and I said yes when i really don't remember. Shoot!! There's sin # 12 of the day and it's only 9a.m.!! But the billboard that I was thinking of when a little something like, "When you feel that God's far away, remember it wasn't him that moved". Ouch.... Yes. I was in fact solar systems away from God. So I started doing what any lost child does. I cried. Then I thought about how to find that comfort that I remembered having.

I started praying again, because I had to face the fact that I had indeed been the one moving. For a week I turned my radio off on the way to campus. For me this was huge. Having music playing is a near constant environment for me. In the kitchen, while on the computer, doing homework, and absolutely on my drive. Instead I was quiet, and silently in prayer. While I typically loathe silence, the importance of this ability to focus far exceeded my need for background noise. It's been four years, but my family drove to a familiar building, parked in a familiar gravel lot, walked familiar stairs, and Aaron and I sat in familiar pews. Inside I was shaking during the worship when I felt it, my heart swelling with it's own worship. Worship for Christ, and thankfulness for feeling something... finally the Spirit was once again in me. Then I felt some guilt for all that distance that I had created. It wasn't like I intentionally made that distance, but it was there. As I listened to the message that was inspired by the Spirit, I remembered who, or whose I was, and how privileged I was.

I Peter 1:12 It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven- things into which angels long to look.

I am granted access to my creator through Christ that even angels long to have. Which was funny because even as far as I had moved myself from God, I was still allowed to have that relationship. For the first time in a long time, I felt close to God. I felt him molding my heart once again, and reassuring me that He is steadfast in His promise. Yes, I moved. But if I ever find myself wandering around feeling unworthy of His presence I will just look back on I Peter as remember that the access I am granted is envied even by the amazingly beautiful angelic creations. Thank you Father for your Love, Mercy and infinite patience with your wayward daughter. Your Grace is immense.


Be Blessed!

12 years goes quickly when you're having fun!

Doing what 12 year old boys love to do.

Miss Fidget

Miss Fidget is now 5, and I can't believe how quickly the time flies by.

Annika is such an amazing little spirit who is always making me laugh. I love her sense of humor, and her energy. She is pure sunshine to me, and I am so blessed to be her mom.

Happy Birthday, my Fidget!

Ten on Tuesday with attitude

1.) I found this picture and it made me laugh. It was from our trip Cabela's. The only shoes I brought were my boots and I was not going barefoot down to the indoor pool.




It reminds me of the Chief's lumberjack days. I guess were fated to be together!



2.) This is how I've been feeling this quarter.... Tashi is a pro at seasonal oppositional disorder.



3.) Here is "Granny". She is my new kitchen wizard, and I love her.




4.) The Vogel Mardi Gras party once again was a hit! We had so much fun meeting new people, and enjoying the amazing desserts and wines!



Lovin on the Chief.



5.) I love making a fuss over the Chief and our kids. I love spoiling them on Valentines Day too!




Love Treats!



6.) We had the snowiest February on record. The kids and I had entirely too many snow days. Nothing like putting off all your classes to have to make it up double time later.
When UC doesn't close I get to drive in this up the hill to campus. Fun!



here's my attempt to get out of the Honda... Not cool.



Noah in the drifts



Here is vader about 3 feet deep.



7.) The Chief took Madie Beth to the father daughter dance. I heard that the good dads take their daughters out on the dance floor and have then stand on their feet while they lead.



She is growing too fast, and into such a beautiful young lady.




8.) Noah was able to take his girls out on a date. It was funny to watch, but I wonder if he's realized how hard it is to have more than one woman to obey.... ;)




9.) Laughter is good for the soul, but it's even better when you can laugh at yourself. B Jo and I were goofing around with the photo booth on the laptop after some (ok, more than some) wine.




10.) While school may be kicking my butt, the Chief did manage to get me out to lunch with Fidget and the BFF. We can always find a reason to go out, and wear those boots. ;)

Five on Friday!

1.) The kids are enjoying the cold temps of Ohio. Mom.... not so much.




2.) We went to West Virginia with our BFF's, the Vogel's. The boys wanted to go to Cabela's. Cabela's is the hunting mecca and they wanted gear. Laurel and I were on a hunt of a different kind. We wanted to check out the Homer Laughlin factory. The what? Homer Laughlin is the birthplace of Fiestaware, the best dishes ever created!
Here is my treasure from Newell, West Virginia!




3.) I have the best friends a girl could ask for.




4.) I was so happy that I found exactly the type of table I was looking for at half the price I was going to pay! I love sitting and doing my homework here!



5.) Here I am enjoying the Homer Laughlin factory!

Ten on Tuesday

1.) I enjoyed getting together with my girls for an evening of great food, drinks, gabbing and desserts!



2.) Holy Moly! Week 2 of winter quarter is kicking my rear! The kids and I had snow days last week, which put my classes behind. Would you believe that these instructors want to catch up!! So I get twice the work this week. They are so mean!!

3.) But those snow days were oh so much fun! Who wants to listen to lectures on educational studies when you can watch this snow bunny on the slopes?



4.) The room is booked for our West Virginia trip. Silly winter vacay but I am really excited to be going. The boys are going to Cabela's for hunting gear. I'm sure the Chief will come home with quite a wish list for next season. Laurel and I are going to be doing some hunting of a different kind. We are heading to Newell, West Virginia! The home of the Homer Laughlin factory! We are both big collectors of Fiestaware and are hoping to find some great deals at the factory store and outlet.

5.) My ears are regretting that I ordered Madie's songflute for music class. Let's just say "Hot Crossed Buns" is my least favorite song anymore....

6.) Noah has a way with the ladies. His girlfriend called to talk about what they did over break and he broke into listing multiples of 9 to her. Midway he covered the phone and whispered to me, "She likes it!". Look out Brad Pitt, you will have some serious competition in about 10 years!

7.) At lunch today I asked Annika to finish the sentence, "I like..." she responded without thinking, "big butts and I can not lie!" Where do they come up with this stuff?

8.) I have picked my recipes for the next "Sassy Supper Sisters" gathering. Paula Deen is a wicked cool woman!!

9.) Aaron is now officially training for the full Flying Pig marathon. 26.2 miles. I now have the daunting task of maping all the starbucks along the route. It's ok, my iPhone has an app for that!

10.) I'm now ready to do tax returns and counting the days to going shopping for our basement supplies. Looking forward to another project!