Last Goodbye

With wisdom in his eyes and love in his heart, he never let you stray to far.
He told you truth and showed you the way, so that you could live for Christ each day.
Now he's gone and his words still ring true, Grandpa if we could only all live like you.
I will miss this man, more than words could describe, but now you sit by Jesus side.
And I know Grandma's there, probably stroking you hair, eager to share all that's there.
I wish we could have celebrated your brithday with you, in 7 days you would have been 92.
But now I am sure as you walked through the pearly gate, God has arranged a "Big Band" to play.
And I am sure everyone was dancing to welcome you in, and in your new body you danced again.
I thought I would see you in a few days, but now I have to wait aways.
Yet when we reunite, it will be such a sight, but now I will live with all my might,to fight the good fight
run the race I'm given
press on towards heaven
JUST LIKE YOU TAUGHT ME TO DO!


I miss you Grandpa. I miss you more than you will know. But I am glad that you are with Christ now, and I am glad you knew we were all on our way to see you. Thanks for being everything that you were and will always be!

Bragging

I just want to take this momemt and give a shout out for some of my absolutely amazingly talented friends. If only I could do art like all of them. I guess it wouldn't be art, it would be plagerism. HOWEVER, I can at least brag about these people and encourage you to look these people up through the web or visit thier blog and take a look at more of their work. Many of these people sell their work too, so embrace it. Soak it in. Let it bring beauty into your heart and life. And let me brag about my friends.



Naomi: She painted this for church at Christmas. One panel was on one side of the church and one was the other. Then when they came together you could see the word "Joy" in black. She does amazing murals too. I want her to do one in my home, so my home can look like her home.










Laura: I take a great deal of pride in knowing that I got Laura hooked on camera...soon she got her own. Now she takes some amazing pictures, and many better than I ever could. Plus she lives in Hawaii, so she has some great things to photograph!






Nate: Missionary in the Czech Republic/amazing photographer. I admire this man in so many ways. I am so glad to be friends with him. I think that people should buy his photographs to help with his support...but that's just me. The first picture he took in Czech, the second he took in Isreal.












Regan: I have known this beautiful person since middle school. She has ALWAYS been creative and always had an absolutely beautiful spirit, so it makes sense to me that she now captures beauty though a lens as well. She has always seen beauty in everything.




Aubrey: this is a person who I have not met yet, even though I will this summer. However, I ran into her blog through Nate and have been hooked ever since. I think it will be a true gift to meet her and to be able to see this person who inspires me so often.




Alyssa: A sudent, a friend, a humanitarian, an artist. Alyssa is studying in Switzerland. She takes the most beautiful pictures and lets me journey through life with her by looking at her pictures. I love her eye for the amazing things that are in this world.








Becca: I met her in College and she has become a dear friend. This is one of the sweet pictures she took of her girl Acadia. She will take pictures of my children when they are born...or else...!

Thanks for letting me brag.

The Game

7:05 was the start time. It was a warm May evening as a group of us sat down to watch the Rockies game, some of the kids watching for the first time ever. And while the game was fine, would have been better if the Rockies had won, what I found to be absolutely wonderful was the entertainment from the people around me. What a great group of people to do ANYTHING with.


There was Aaron...my husband who is always fun to me. Unless we are fighting and then I still love him but he isn't as fun. But we weren't fighting and in fact he was just making me super happy that evening by just being very sweet and happy.

There was Ian...an absolutely insane, hysterical scottish co-worker of mine. He lives in England actually, but he is out at our office in Colorado often and when he is in the States it creates a completely different, and good, environment. I love having him around.

They also like to take "cute" pictures together which make me laugh every time I look at them!

Then there was Matt, Rocket, and Roxanne. They belong to Naomi, or Naomi belongs to them or something, but Naomi will be talked about in a different section. Matt is the guy who is quieter, but it just wouldn't be the same without him. Especially when he finds something funny, it makes me want to find the same thing funny. I don't know why, but I just like his laugh. And he, like Aaron is to me, is such a wonderful complement to Naomi that it is always so amazing to see them in settings together.


Rocket and Roxanne, they are so different but they love each other so dang much. And on top of that they have a great amount of energy which is so fun. I know it can drive their mom crazy at bedtime, but I am so glad she has active kids (which I know she is too) as opposed to lazy, boring kids.


Then there was Wil, Neil, and Wannee. Wil is here from Thailand and this will probably be her last Rockies game before she goes back...so she was completely engaged in the game watching. And that was nice because the rest of us could ask her what happened. She was almost like the designated watcher! Then Neil and Wannee, they are just superb. Neil's my boss, I am Wannee's boss, and Wannee's Neil's boss so together we make quite a group. They are always fun to be around, especially when you get to know them. I was really glad they came.


Jadon and Jami got to come with us too. This was their first pro-baseball game EVER. I had to get them to be Rockies fans before they left for Washington. Jadon was pretty tired and said that the guys on the field were too small. HOWEVER, he definately wasn't too tired for a good ol' baseball stadium hotdog or cotton candy. He was quite awake for those moments. And depending on the sugar rush level at the time, he would occasionally, and randomly yell out "Go Rockies, Go Rockies". A side note to this, Jadon also had the best line of the evening. He asked me who the "Grey guys were" and I said "Those are the Minnesota Twins" and he said "Why" and I said "because they are from Minnesota" and he said, "Oh so their french?!!" Apparently he knows stuff about our country that none of us do. Minnesota has been claimed by France. I was cracking up.


And Jamison, she was just a bouncy happy little 3 year old. I can't tell you how many people said, "She is so adorable", which of course I then acted like she was mine and said, "Thank you so much". Thanks for letting me steal her for those moments Jada! She stayed awake the whole game (probably due to the Cotton Candy...which was our evil plan) and was dancing and clapping the whole time.


And last but not least, there was Naomi and I. Two peas in a pod who love each other very much. I love doing things with this girl and while sometimes I am crazy busy, she is patient with me. She makes me laugh. I think that cheering with her at a Rockies game is just wonderful. This girl adds so much spice everywhere she goes it is just contagious, at least for me. I am always inspired, even to be a better cheerer at a Rockies game. And I have to sneak this in there too...she is a superb mom and wife and I love the moments when she doesn't know I am watching (kind of like a creepy stalker but not really) and I am haning out with her and the family and kind of sit in the background and watch them all interact. Those moments are precious to me. SO along with all of that good stuff about Naomi, the most important event of the whole Rockies game was that Naomi and I got our FIRST picture together. Up until this point we had not had one single photo to prove that we are friends, but now it is official and I have proof so she can't disown my friendship without me at least having some good evidence in court. (And I hope she knows I am writing this blog for her!)

Family

The four J's...

I love this family so dearly. I was transfering my pictures from one computer to another and looked over all these pictures of this family. And I cannot help but just stand completely amazed at how God brought them into my life. We always laugh now because at first I didn't even want to meet them, then I ended up babysitting for them, then I ended up living with them, then we ended up becoming truly family. I was their when their daughter was born, I was there when their son took their first steps, I was there when all the family was over, I was there for moments of laughter, I was there for moments of sorrow and they were there for my stress of my masters, they were there when I got my first gift from this guy named Aaron, they were there to answer the door when this guy named Aaron took me out on my first date, they were there when I married this man Aaron, they where there for moments of laughter, they were there for moments of sorrow, and now we are all family. We all know each other so well. We know the good, the bad, and the ugly, and everything in between. I am so glad to have them in my life and I am so glad that God allowed me to grow so close to them.







These kids are right now the only niece and nephew that I have. To them we are Auntie Cheryl and Uncle Aaron (which used to be Ernie when the kids were learning to talk...both of them said it too). I have so many amazing memories with these two. Jadon is my tough guy with a very kind and compassionate spirit. Jamison is my princess with a strong will but tender heart. I remember when Jadon meet Jamison for the first time, he looked at her and instantly gave her a kiss. From before she was even born Jadon knew he had to protect her, and protect her he did. If anyone said "my Jami" he would look at you and give you the most serious look and in the lowest firmest tone a young boy can have he would say "NO, my jamison". And that is how it is with them. They love each other and protect each other...since day one!

My husbands world

If there was one thing I could give to my husband, it would be a life full of moments like these!

Tom (sitting in the chair) has cut Aaron's hair since he was little. All the boys got their hair cut for Aaron's and my wedding...they thought Tom needed a little trim to.

Cabo San Lucas paradise/Honeymoon. Nothing has ever topped this week.

Just us, being us! No more, no less.

Jadon and Jami Swanson can make Aaron light up in a way no one else can. He loves these kiddos and they love their Uncle Aaron!

And this...this is Aaron's heaven.

I love you Aaron and I pray that your life will have many more memories such as these! With all my love!

A weekend in COLORado!

I LOVE COLOR. And I love Colorado. AND I love the fact that Colorado has the word Color in it. I really believe I was meant to live here. Truly! And if I was ever unsure about that fact, then all I would have to do is take a look at my weekend and it would remind me why I am here! Here are some highlights and colors of my amazing weekend!
SATURDAY: we bought our Kayak!
Kayak: Color-Red, Yellow, Orange.
Life vest: Color: Light Purple (with butterflies on the back)

SUNDAY: we spent the day with the Swansons, the Classens, The Becktels, and Allison and her mom. We also spent it with Jelly Bellys!!!
Jamison: Color: pink spring flowers and tons of laughter and hugs

Jadon: Color: Light blue and lots of silly faces

Jelly Bellys: Color: any you can imagine. Truly this is how color should taste too!

MONDAY: This was my birthday and I woke up to a garden and breakfast made by Allison.
Garden: Color: anything bright and fun
Seed Packets: Color: White and tan with pictures of flowers on them
Garden tools: Color: silver and tan
Fake Grass: Color: green


Edible arrangement: Color: Red, Yellow, Orange, Green, Purple (bowl) and Chocolate (it's a color and a piece of heaven!)

Balloons: Color: All the colors of a rainbow (Aaron told them he didn't care what they looked like, there just had to be LOTS of colors...that's how I know he loves me)

Birthday party dinner: Colors: The personalities added so many colors, but my favorite color was watching my mom laugh which would be a bright golden!

The Grand Canyon only few see!

(you can see all the pools here that you can jump from...but I didn't take this one)

Mile one, switchbacks. Going down the canyon wall is not as hard a going up, but it can still be grueling in the desert heat. Mile two through eight, the dried river bed. Walking through here is normally very relaxing and enjoyable. You don't have much incline or decline, but once again, you have to bewere of the heat. And at the end of mile eight, you begin to hear what sounds like a rushing water. But can it be? In the middle of the Grand Canyon desert heat? As you approach the Havasu Pai village you begin to realize, that yes, you are hearing water and in fact, it is more beautiful than you imagined. Mile nine and ten, from the village onward. As you walk away from the village, you begin to hear the water louder and louder. You pass a fairly hidden waterfall called Navajo falls. You can only see about 10% of it, which doesn't do it any justice, but even at 10% it still takes your breath away. Then you walk some more and as you cross a bridge and turn a corner all of the sudden on the right side of you is one of the most breath taking things you have ever seen. Havasu falls. You have to stop just to soak in the beauty and suddenly ever second of walking and desert heat becomes worth it. Once you get your breath back, you continue to walk down to the campsite, only about a 1/4 mile further. You get things set up and contemplate, do I go back to Havasu falls right now or continue to explore. So you explore and as you walk you start to hear the sound of another grand waterfall. This time it is Mooney falls which you see from the top. You can hike down through caves and steep ladders. However, you notice that there is a rope swing going from one pool into the other, so you decide to wait until you can go play the next day. As you sit at your camp your mind rushes about all the possibilites of the next day. You can go to Navajo falls and jump around, you can swim behind Havasu falls, you can climb down to Mooney falls and swing on the rope swing, you can swim up the river and climb up the pools to Havasu or swim back down them to your camp sight jumping from pool to pool! THIS IS MY GRAND CANYON! This is how I know it and how I love it. And few will get here, but it is extremely worth it.


This is the Indian village that you walk through.


Havasu Falls (This was thanks to google, most of my pictures aren't on this computer!) This is the most popular of the three.


Navajo falls (thanks to google again!) This is the widest of the three.


Mooney falls

This is Allison Edwards at the bottom of Mooney falls. This is by far the tallest of the three.

PS...Naomi have I convinced you to go yet?

Random ramble

There have been so many things on my mind lately that I can hardly wade through it all. Therefore, I am going to create a list of random things that are in my jam-pack mind to hopefully lodge the unimportant stuff loose and be able to tackle what I need to. And beyond that, lists are just fun. And you want to know why they are fun? Because you can put a number in front of almost anything and all the sudden it becomes important. For example my good friend Naomi wrote a list of things she loves about her husband and in it was...
17. His shirts are soft.

Now normally that wouldn't be a really important thing but because the list had a title of "100 things I love about Matt" and number 17. was infront of the statment, it made it important.

Anyway, here is my VERY RANDOM list of
"Things swirling through my head"

1. I hope that I get a really cool tree for my birthday...yes I want a tree for my brithday!
2. Who will take my receptionist position so that I will be able to start working in my new role as the Serve Asia Facilitator?
3. I am excited to see where in the world this new job will take me.
4. What are some wicked fun things that we can do with our church that will help church not look so boring?
5. Why is it so hard for people to love one another?
6. I am very excited to go to Czech!!!
7. Who will be in my Czech class this year?
8. I want to plant tons and tons of flowers.
9. I am also excited to get fresh veggies this year from our garden.
10. I feel like so many people in our church need to know that they are loved and appreciated, how can this happen?
11. I want to see my friend Laura so badly! I would give almost anything to be walking on the beach while we both had our cameras in hand taking pictures of the tide or whatever else is interesting at the moment.
12. I hope that Aaron can really get refreshed soon!
13. I want a day where I can wear flipflops, a ribbon in my hair, have my sunroof open and drive up to the mountains and kayak while listening to some music that I can blast and sing along to...and possibly annoy Aaron with.
14. My coffee is cold.
15. I am really really really excited about my new job!

And there are many more, but I think that will sufice for now.