Isanti County Rodeo

 

 

 

 

 

A New Hobby!!!

A couple weeks ago my husband bought me a jig saw so that I could begin making my own signage. I am absolutely loving it! It is so accomplishing drawing my outline on the wood, cutting it out, and painting it. I am looking forward to the many projects and gifts that I will be able to make with my new saw! Here is my first piece of artwork that I made for my parents strawberry patch! I am also making them some new signs for the garden... pictures coming soon!

 P.S. I also take requests :)

Jubilant Fourth of July

This Fourth of July was spent enjoying the outdoors with my wonderful family. We spent the majority of our time fishing on Knife Lake. While the fishing wasn't the best we managed to catch enough sunfish to have a fish fry and bring some fish home too. I was very much looking forward to spending the week with my handsome husband, as we have both been so busy at work we have found little time to spend together. Monday was the day for us. We were able to catch up on sleep, get some tasks done around the house, and relax. We are also very blessed to share that on Monday we received a phone call from my brother Josh with some very good news..... I am going to be an auntie!!!! Mayra is about five weeks along, and we couldn't be happier! I was beyond ecstatic to hear this news.... finally a baby to spoil!!!  It was a wonderful weekend spent with our family in beautiful Minnesota, topped off with some great news from Texas!

                                            Ginger Enjoying the Boat!

             My little baby!!

 

My Dad doing some fishing!

     A sideways view of the River!

                                 Everybody on the boat!

                                Ginger and Josh on the boat!

A Little Sneak-Peak of my Love-Bug

I took a couple photos last week that I had to share with you! The warmer weather sure is making it easier for the little guy and I to get outside and enjoy the days!

Memorial Day and Josh's Birthday

A photo of a flag I took flying proudly this Memorial Weekend!

The weather was mixed with sunshine, hail, rain, and heat.

Two little old dogs were pretty tired after fishing all day!

Achims Northern

The birthday boy enjoying his cheesecakse!

The Heart and The Fist

This is a book that I simply feel in love with. Eric is a Navy SEAL and a humanitarian, which some people find to be a bit hypocritical. Any form of military is far from the first thing people think of when humanity is brought up. But in this book it is so obvious that the best way to serve people in any country is to invest in all humans. And to be good as well as strong.

 One of my favorite points the author discusses is that we as Americans often feel that throwing money into causes, solves problems. Giving aid alone is not a solution. If children are uneducated, Americans build a school rather investing in a couple of adults who we could train to become teachers, and coach them on leading. Eric states that if we want to change something we must begin with understanding.

Eric Greitens visited several countries while in college, such as: Bosnia, Rwanda, Bolivia, and China. All of this was prior to him becoming a Navy SEAL.  During this time he encountered countless experiences that gave him a faith in humans, despite oppression and war.  Eric was often times volunteering in dangerous territory, yet fear never seemed to overtake him. He was there to help as many people possible during his stays. While in Bolivia, Eric worked at a children's home, where he served abandoned children off the streets. At one point Eric makes the statement that out of all of the places he has visited and out of all the children he has seen, it is the children of Bolivia who have never known the comfort of family. Few of them would ever have a carefree day in their lives. For all the violence and pain that conflict brings, he thought that it might be easier for a child to lose a parent or grow up in war, than to grow up abandoned and alone like the children on the streets of Bolivia. I am envious of the authors compassion and fearlessness towards world travel and foreign culture. I know that in my own case fear is often the reason for lack of experience. I cant help but wonder where this world could be if regular people like me and you were able to set fear aside and step out of the world as we know it to help others, and in the process help ourselves. While finishing his 441 page dissertation, the author realised that all the policy papers, articles, protests,  talking, negotiation, and volunteering, it just wasn't enough. "It takes people with courage to protect those in need of protecting"( p. 125). " I could keep on talking or I could live my beliefs" ( p. 125). He signed the military papers as soon as he graduated college.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the accounts of "Hell Week" and I must say that I am happy those who made it through SEALS training are those people fighting for our country. They are truly the best of the best. Eric describes his service in Kenya, Afghanistan, Southeast Asia and finally Iraq. It was in Iraq that Mortars hit the barracks where Eric was sleeping followed by a suicide truck bomb. While Eric survived not everyone he was serving with that day would be so lucky. After returning home Eric donated his combat pay to begin an organization for Veterans called The Mission Continues. It is a way to offer fellowships for wounded and disabled veterans to serve at nonprofits, charitable, and public organizations. His organization honors fallen service members by serving in their communities. Eric states, that the best way to honor those who have fallen is to live their values. Today, the organization has had over twelve thousand volunteers who have performed over seventy five thousand hours of service across the country. "I've learned that courage and compassion are two sides of the same coin, and that every warrior, humanitarian, and citizen is built to live with both. In fact, to win a war, to create peace, to save a life, or just live a good life requires every one of us- that we be both good and strong" (p.297).

I Love You Ronnie

This book was beautiful in every way! I Love You  Ronnie is a collection of letters from Ronald Reagan to Nancy Reagan. The letters themselves are nothing short of poetry. I was so surprised by the eloquence of the writing and the true love behind each and every letter.  While reading many of the letters I could identify with his exact feelings of lonely heartiness, desire, and unconditional love. After reading this book I felt as if I personally knew the President. Reagan's ability to write was truly a gift. I am so thankful that Nancy appreciated this gift enough to save the letters first of all and secondly to share them with the world in this book.

The art of hand written letters is now just a memory of the past, between email, texting, and instant messaging we have lost touch with the beauty and meaningfulness of the written word. This book inspired me to get out the pen and paper and let my thoughts and feelings for my husband be known on this very day . I happen to know that my husband is a "saver" and he has kept nearly every card and "love note" I have ever given to him. While they may not be as beautifully written as Ronald Reagan's letters I know they are treasures to Josh and hopefully someday our children will appreciate reading these testaments of love, just as I have enjoyed reading Ronald and Nancy's letters.

Some of my favorite excerpts from I Love You Ronnie:

"A man cant live without a heart and you are my heart, by far the nicest thing about me and so very necessary. There would be no life without you nor would I want any."

"Do you know that when you sleep you curl your fists up under your chin  and many mornings when it's barely dawn I lie facing you and looking at you until I finally have to touch you ever so lightly so you won't wake up- but touch you I must or I'll burst?"

"If I ache, its because we are apart and yet that can't be because you are inside and a part of me, so we really aren't apart at all."

"If I have any regret it is only for the days we've been apart and I've had to awaken without watching you."

"I just want to start each day by opening my eyes and seeing you and end each day seeing you before I close them. In between times, I'll just look in my heart. You are always there."