This was not your ordinary brain flatulence...

...it was a gaseous explosion of epic proportions. If you know me well, you are aware that I've had lots of brain farts in my time, but I'm quite sure I lost at least half a million brain cells on this one. Furthermore, I'm not really sure why I am telling people about it?? Probably residual effects of the brain cell loss, I'm still not thinking clearly. Maybe someone can help me laugh about it 'cause I'm not quite there yet.

Sunday was an eventful day at church, in many ways. We arrived a bit late for Lifegroups (our church's version of Sunday school). The kids ran to their classrooms, but after making our coffee and preparing to join our class, I just had this feeling like I didn't want to go in. Not sure why, I just didn't. So Vince and I decided to sit by the fireplace and talk. A friend of mine named Cheryl and her husband Dave also arrived late, and Cheryl said she didn't feel like going into her class late either, so she asked if she could join us. I've known Cheryl through church for several years, and we always say hi & chat when we see eachother, but have never really sat down and talked for any length of time. We ended up talking for quite a while about our families and found out that Cheryl and her husband Dave, who have been married for about 4 years, also have a blended family....with 9 kids between them! So as you can imagine, we had lots to talk about. Just sharing some of our common experiences really blessed me, and I am convinced that God had His hand in setting that whole thing up! Now that we have this connection, I'm sure there will be more talks like that in the future.

The sermon was very, very good (if you'd like to listen to it, click on the LLC link on the left!) It was shortly after that when the tootin' started. As Vince and I and the kids were preparing to leave church and go home, I could not find my keys. Anywhere. I knew I had them with me because I was the one who drove us there! I always throw them in the front pocket of my purse when I get out of the car, but they weren't there. Vince had his set of keys along, but knowing that I had mine he left his - where else - but in the car. So after emptying out my purse like three times, the hunt was on. Several of our friends helped out too. We searched all over that church. We began retracing my steps, which wasn't an easy task. For various reasons, I had been all over the church that morning. ...the bathroom, the youth room, the kitchen, and of course the sanctuary. Nada. It was driving me crazy! How could they just disappear???

After searching the entire church like eight times, we finally decided to call the roadside assistance number which is printed on the window of my car. Thankfully there was no charge for this (although I'm sure I paid a hefty fee for it when I bought the car). They said that they would send someone to unlock it, but it would take about an hour, and we had already spent about an hour looking for the keys! A friend offered to drive the kids home, and even bought them McDonalds on the way. Another friend offered to run to Subway for Vince & I, and hang out with us until help arrived. If nothing else good came out of this, we gave our friends an opportunity to bless us! By this time, since my keys were nowhere to be found in the church I assumed that I had locked them inside the car. Under Vince's jacket, which was laying on the seat. Where else could they be? The guy finally arrived and it took him about 1/2 hour to get the car open. After all of that anticipation I pick up Vince's jacket, and the keys are...........not there. What in the world??? So, still perplexed, we got in the car and decided just to go home and worry about the keys later. That's when it happened. It dawned on me. First like an epiphany. Then like a deer in the headlight....where was my jacket? The jacket that I wore to church. And hung up in the coat room. With my keys...in....the....pocket.




Wow.




So as we are driving home, almost two hours after church got out, Vince says "you need to write about this in your blog". I said "are you kidding? I'm not telling anyone about this, it's WAY too embarrassing!!!! Even for ME!"

Life at our house

Here we are, Friday night at our house! Vince & Trevor just finished watching a movie and are now watching the Red Sox & the Raves, talking and laughing...the rest of the kids are upstairs messing around. Aaaaand I just heard a big thud and alot of screaming. Hold on while I go investigate....ok I'm back. It's all good. They are sitting around the computer watching a "Fred" video on youtube (it's this teenage kid on helium who imitates a 6 year old girl). I probably don't want to know what that noise was. Hope has a friend here and they are having a sleep over. Earlier they were practicing in their band (Kyle is the drummer). It is pretty awesome to just be hanging out at home....the only thing missing is Brittany ~ we miss ya, hon =) Here are some pics I just took within the last hour!






So as I was downloading those pics I decided to share some other pics from this summer! Here is Kyle on his birthday on July 15th! We started a new tradition of making a big banner and everyone signed it.

The (collapsing) baseball cake and the birthday boy!

Nick's 11th birthday on August 4th!

Ok, this was SO CUTE!! Hope surprised Vince and I one morning by making us breakfast...peanut butter toast (with our initials in it) and milk served in wine glasses.

One Saturday night I told Kyle to lay out his clothes for church the next morning. So when I went in to check on him before we went to bed, this is what I found....

...how rippin' cute is THAT???


Trevor & Nick messing around while we were visiting our friends' the Marleys

Ok, this is quite possibly the cutest thing I've ever seen!! Kyle and Hope had laid out all of their stuffed animals (ok they have more than this). And Feliz went and laid herself down in the middle of them....can you find her??



Vinny's horrible, no good, very bad haircut (remember, I trimmed his bangs on picture day). Here he is at the salon right before he got a REAL haircut!

I don't know these people.

I took Kyle and Hope to Rochester one day to visit Vince/Dad at work at Mayo, and we went out for lunch at an Italian restaurant called Billotti's.

Walking down the hall to Vince's dept...I just think this is such a precious picture.

The first day of school (Trevor was still in the shower).

Hanging out on our bed, doing homework.

Well, there I am (with Nick & Kyle)....I actually DO live here!
I'm just usually the one taking all the pictures =)

Ok, I've saved the best for last.....

This is Vince wearing Kyle's underwear as a do-rag.
I'm not sure if there is anything more I can say about that.

Yes, sir, that's my baby! No sir, I don't mean maybe!!

I hope you have enjoyed this little tour of our lives since our wedding!
I promise to post more pics more often!

Enough is enough!

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." Lamentations 3:22-24

God has been putting that verse on my heart lately...His compassions, His mercies, His love is new EVERY morning! He doesn't hold onto our failures from yesterday (maybe I shouldn't either??) Every day is a new day to begin afresh. To love a little more....to take the time with our kids and eachother that maybe slipped away from us yesterday. I don't know about you, but I needed to hear that today!! I love the idea that the Lord is my portion. He's exactly what I need. He doesn't demand too much of me, and He always has enough to give (patience, mercy, love, energy).


Enough - Chris Tomlin

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

You are my supply
My breath of life
And still more awesome than I know
You are my reward
Worth living for
And still more awesome than I know

All of You is more than enough for all of me
For every thirst and every need
You satisfy me with Your love
And all I have in You is more than enough

Youre my sacrifice
Of greatest price
And still more awesome than I know
Youre the coming King
You are everything
And still more awesome than I know

More than all I want
More than all I need
You are more than enough for me
More than all I know
More than all I can say
You are more than enough for me