MOVING!

Hey ya'll!  I am not physically moving!  I DO NOT LIKE that one bit!!!!  My blog is moving over to www.yakadoo27.wordpress.com  Go check it out!  For awhile I will have both up but linked together!  I needed to create a new name for my blog and I got permission from the ever fabulous Sam Glenn to use the YAKADOO in my blog title, after all he is the create of such a fun word!!!!  I learned the word "YAKADOO" back in 1999 at Acquire The Fire Day One!  It was FANTASTIC!!!!  YAKADOO means JOY FOR LIFE and I most defiantly have that!!!!  So, without further adoo go start reading over at yakadoo27!!!! 

Almost Wordless Wednesday

You may be thinking does Jennifer know that it is July?  Does she realize that this is a Christmas song?  The answers are Yes and Yes and there is a point!   As I was driving, which I LOVE to do, I was listening to random music on my iPod and "Hark The Harold Angels Sing" came on and I listened to the song several times.  As I listened to this song it came alive to me, the virgin birth, the angels celebrating!  It was a moment in time that we should celebrate not just in December!  As I take time to reflect on this song now in the stillness and humidity of July I am able to get a better image of what Mary had gone through and the celebrating that had gone on when Jesus Christ, the Messiah was born!!!!  I'm grateful that I heard this song in July.  I think at times we get so caught up in the busyness of December that we don't take time to truly reflect on the words of the song but rather we go through the motions.  So, even though it is July and there are no Christmas decorations up at your home take time to reflect on the words of this Carol!  Be blessed as you are a blessing to others!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mujlhR5VG40&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Rest for the Weary!!

In Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST!"

When was the last time you took time out to rest in His presences?  These past two weeks I've had the opportunity to go to some good friends "Camp Parker"!  They have a really cool little underground house!  I've had the opportunity to stay there.  Its peaceful!  It reminds me of spending many summers at Camp Adventure, the place I felt closest to God.  Its a great place to go because I get to unplug from the cell phone world!  At first I was frustrated but I learned how much I needed that peace!  And granted I did not take the opportunity to lay out under the night sky, it is no doubt God who created the star lite sky!  Take time to rest!  We live in a day and age where we want it now but yet we are so desperate for the peace and quiet!  The few things I cherished over these past two weekends were the fellowship despite sinking chairs, amazingly yummy home cooked food and the bugs in the bathroom!  Yes, BUGS in the shower brought a smile to this face!   Why you ask because it brought back memories of camp!  The shower how ever was beautiful clean clear water bliss!  If you've been to Camp you know exactly what iron, rusty water I am talking about!  The other quirk that made me smile was to keep the shower temperature "normal" you had to have the sink water running too!  :-). Its the little things that make me smile!  So, I encourage you to make a way to find time to take rest!  Be blessed as you bless others!

Scrapbooking

When you think of scrapbooking what comes to mind?  Beautiful pages with perslicely placed pictures? Hours upon hours of work put into one page?  For many it means different things.  I started scrapbooking when my daughter Lily was born.  I did it to create something beautiful for her to have.  I journaled some.  And I am grateful for the books I have made for her.  Timmy has a scrapbook for his first year that is not complete but I found great comfort in journaling about his time in the hospital.  William has a scrapbook for the first three months of his life.  My goal is to work on it some more!  Right now I am working on a scrapbook that has good memories but also brings along with it grief and heartbreak.  Why would someone want to put themselves through that when it would be easier to put the pictures in boxes?  If I were to do that I would not receive healing from the hurt.  You see Walt Disney World is the last great memory of us all together (minus) Josh.  There are happy pictures.  My ex MIL is in the pictures.  It would be sooooo much easier to cut her out.  The hurt would be gone but I choose to leave her in because my boys love her and she was part of that memory for them.  I encourage you if you have photos that bring hurt, dig them out allow the emotions to surface and scrapbook them.  It will bring healing and you'll be writing your story!!

Your children

Lily my oldest, she is 10, has been having a hard time getting to sleep at night.  She wakes up having nightmare's that Hyena's and bears are going to get her!  Or she also dreams something bad is going to happen to someone important in her family at night.  We pray every night for the enemy to flee and for the God of angel armies to be around her, before the door, in between the door and on the other side.  We also pray for the precious and holy blood of Jesus to wash over her!  We listen to praise and worship music that she knows too.  Last night was a sweet moment for me as a mom,  she started praying that the enemy would get out of her head and that Jesus would protect her!  It's a powerful moment as a mom when your child is praying and believing the prayers they have heard prayed over them!  It is so important as a parent that our kids HEAR us praying over them not just a dinner or when something goes wrong but each and every day.  For some it may be hard for you to do this because you don't like the way your prayers sound,  it does not matter HOW they sound rather it matters that God hears them and your kids here them.  Now you may be reading this and not have any kids of your own BUT there are kids in your life, allow them to see you pray.  You may be the only person they every see pray! 

"...future generations will be told about the Lord.  They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn--for he has done it." Psalms 22:30-31

Communion

I am not sure if I did a post on this or not but it means so much to me that I am going to write about it again!!!!  At my church, Madison Park, each Sunday during worship that are 5 different stations you can go to.  They are a cross where you can pin your prayer requests to it and KNOW that a member of the pastoral team is praying for that request throughout the week, light a candle, kneel and prayer, communion and finally anointing with oil.  I LOVE the fact that my church ENCOURAGES you to get up out of your seat and move around as the spirit leads you!  I have served communion for a while now.  I have served every Sunday despite my best efforts to get out of it one Sunday because I just wasn't feeling it!  I am BLESSED beyond measure to serve each and every week!  I can not tell you how amazing it is to look somebody in the EYE and say "The Body of Christ Broken for YOU!"  Sometimes they will tell you their name and it takes it to a whole new level because now you have made the connection!  What I find interesting is that you can tell the people who do it week after week because its ritual and then you can the people who do it out of the spirit moving them to do it!  The differences is that the person who does it week after week is going through the line quickly, just to get done.  The person who is taking the elements because the spirit is moving them takes it all in.  Takes that moment to share their name.  The savor the moment's of partaking in the body of Christ and the blood shed for them!  We have had some new worship leaders leading us in worship for about a month now and the ice BROKE yesterday!!!!  I can not tell you how AMAZING it was to be at the back of the church serving communion AND singing GIVE ME FAITH!!!!  The Holy spirit's presences was so powerful, I wanted to stay there FOREVER!!!!!!!!  My challenge to you is to serve communion.  It's not hard.  It does not requiring anything special.  All it requires is a WILLING heart to present the elements of JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!

Show Us Your Single-Jennifer!

Introducing the author of this blog!  Jennifer Johnson
Quick Facts:
Age: 34 1/2
Height 5'11"
State: Indiana
Kids: Yes 3 beautiful children!

Past the quick facts!  I LOVE to have fun and live life to the fullest! I am straight forward and direct.  I don't beat around the bush!  My relationship with Jesus Christ is most important next to my family.  I have been back in the work force for about 9 months.  I was a stay at home mom for 10 years!  I considered myself blessed to be able to invest in my children's lives for that time. I am divorced but have a good relationship with my kids dad.
Going to church is NOT optional, it's what I do!
I don't smoke nor drink.  I won't date someone who does smoke!
I do not have any pets but would love to get a dog at some point in time.
I love listening to Christian music and going to concerts!  My favorite group at the moment is Third Day!

 My 3 fun, cute children!

Love the Peanuts gang!

Go Ahead

and ask anything!  I may not have an answer but I'll do my best to find you one!  In return tell me where you are from! :)

Father

When you hear the word Father what comes to mind?  A father of anger, a father who was not present, a father who was drunk, a father who hurt you, a father who loved you, a father who you could not see, a father who was too busy, a father who was proud of you?  Just think for a moment that there is a FATHER who LOVES you more than YOU can EVER IMAGINE or fathom!  He has loved YOU from before you were created!  He has loved YOU just the way you are!  He loves all of you!  Big, tall, short, skinny, freckles, pale, tan, short hair, curly hair, long hair, blue eyes, single, married, young, old, childless he LOVES YOU JUST THE WAY YOU!!!! As a matter of fact HE is CRAZY about you!!!!!!  I know for some of you this may be hard to comprehend or understand but it's true!  There is a FATHER who loves you UNCONDITIONALLY!!!! I know for some this may be hard to grasp that there is someone who LOVES you no matter what YOU have done or WHERE you have been!  HE LOVES YOU!!!!!  I at times have a hard time wrapping my mind around the FATHER's UNCONDITIONAL love!  I am beyond grateful that he loves me so much no matter what I look like, how many questions I ask, how much I talk to him or say things that are silly, He still loves me exactly the way he created me!  I know He LOVES YOU that much too!!! In fact HE loves you so much that he stretched his arms out on the cross and said "(insert your name) I LOVE YOU THIS MUCH!

 If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ I high encourage you to seek one out!  It will ROCK YOUR WORLD!!!!! It rocked my world in high school and into my early twenties!  I had known that Jesus lived in my heart since the 3rd grade when I had asked him in but it wasn't until I was 18 years old and started attending Granger Community Church where I realized how much Jesus Loved me and how much He wanted to KNOW me!  The creator of the UNIVERSE wanted to know little ol me!  The not popular girl who was working at United Airlines!  Once I realized during one of Rob Wagner's sermons when he said that Jesus wants us to climb up into his lap.  He wants us to look him in the face and call him Abba, Daddy!! did I realize that the only person in the whole entire universe that could LOVE me no matter what I did or where I went was my HEAVENLY FATHER!  Yes, we can disappointment Him by the things we do, we can make Him mad, angry and upset but he sits with open arms welcoming us back in!  I am so grateful that I realized what that personal relationship could be like!  I spent many of nights on my bedroom floor praying to my heavenly father, talking to him just like I would talk to you!  I still have conversation with my heavenly father each day.  Yes, I can NOT see HIM but I know HE hears my prayers, my hurts, my pain, my JOY's!  He is all knowing and for that I am grateful!  In Psalms 68:5 it says "A father to the fatherLESS...."  

Reconcilation!

Today was a hard day too but much better! I took the kids to Kings Island and it was hard not calling dad and telling him about it because that was something he would have loved doing with us!

So, on with the story where we left off.....Josh and I were dating and he asked me what I thought about moving to a church in Iowa.  At this point in life I was dead set on going to the Honor Academy at Teen Mania, little did I know that plan would change.  I told Josh that I would LOVE to move to Iowa since the majority of my family was from there or lived there.  So, we went out and candidate....that is give a practice sermon.  It was the last weekend in August.  We had already driven out there prior so Josh could see what Iowa looked like since he had not been past Chicago!  We told my "mom", Sandy to bring dad and grandma and grandpa to the church.  Dad was very surprised to see us!  After church the board had a meeting with Josh to decided if he was the one for them.  While the meeting was going on I chit chatted with my family and I could tell my dad was getting very excited about the prospect of having me 2 hours away!  A side note, while we were talking my Grandpa Cobb said he needed to go for a walk.  So, he went for a walk and found a nursing home to play a piano in!  He was always on the look out for a piano to play for people!  We moved to Iowa a week later and God started mending a broken relationship between a father and a daughter.  To be quiet honest it may have never been broken, I was angry that my dad was so far away and the Lord provided a way for us to make up for lost time!  I am beyond grateful for the 6 years I had in Iowa with my dad.  It was by far one of the HARDEST days of my life to have to move from Iowa back to Indiana.  Some of the things that happened while living in Iowa that may have NEVER happened otherwise: we got to see my dad at least once a month, he got to be at the hospital within hours of each of the grandkids being born, I was a hop, skip and a jump away when Grandpa passed away, dad was there when Timmy was transferred to Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, we got to spend a few Christmas together and Thanksgiving's.  Something that had been missed for YEARS!, he was at the grandkids birthday celebrations.  The one thing that I have learned from the time the Lord gave to me with my dad being so close was that BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS!!!!!! You NEVER know when they will be gone until next time!!!!

Seperation

DISCLAIMER: Today has been an emotionally rough day!

We live in a world of brokenness!  My parents were divorced after 19 years of marriage.  I'll never forget being in 5th grade gym class and proudly telling Mr. Foster, my parents are celebrating 19 years of marriage today to which he responded I hope they have many more!  Little did I know that my world was about to change and my dad was going to leave for Iowa and come back for a little while then leave for Colorado then come back for a little while and then leave for Iowa again this time for good.  In between those times my dad was hospitalized for various mental disorders.  This rocked my little world of being a 5th grader.  All of a sudden my dad is gone!  I dealt with the situation the best any child could have.  I was in counseling all throughout jr. high and high school because this was a strange time for me to begin with and now adjusting to a "new" dad and home.  This was not how life was supposed to be and I am sure my kids think the same thing but it is how life is.  Each summer we would spend a week with dad in Iowa.  This was the best week of the year because we got to plan what we did.  Some times we would go back to Jefferson, go swimming, ride bikes around town, go shopping in Boone, Carol, Des Moines or Ames.  We would go to Adventurland  each summer as well.  Dad would give us $50 or $100 in cash to spend on whatever we wanted!  Being a teenager and getting to spend cash given to you on whatever you wanted was exciting!  I would buy clothes, lotion, music or jewelry.  Some summers we would go to Wisconson Dells and one summer dad let me drive to the Mall of America!  It was exciting!  Little did I know how much my dad delighted in watching us spend the money and enjoy being kids with him!  Then it was back to reality back in Indiana.  Back to the broken world that we would now have to wait another year before we could see dad again.  Back to waiting each week in hopes that we would get to talk to him on the phone.  Waiting each week for his weekly diary letter and yes the $1 bill or stick of gum that John and I would fight over. In some ways I am sure God sits and waits for us to call him.  We should call and talk to our heavenly Father as much as we can!  He delights in that! As I grew older and become more involved in work I grew apart from my dad and was angry for the situation that I had no control over.  And Yes I am well aware at some point my children may become angry at me for the way things have gone.  I don't really remember the exact moment I just remember growing apart from my dad and not wanting to spend time working on our relationship.  I think it was him being in Iowa and me in Indiana and we lived two different lives.  But I am not 100% sure.  I am sure if Sly, my old boss from McDonald's, was reading this he could help me recall as I spent many hours talking to him about this!  Then I met Josh and he suggested moving to Iowa.  I was excited at the thought but did not want to get to excited because I would be closer to my dad again.  GOD'S HAND WAS IN THIS PART!  You'll have to come back tomorrow to see what happens!!!!!!

Remembering

This year is my first Father's day where my earthly father is no longer here.  It's the first of many to come that I won't be searching the card aisle to find him that perfectly worded card that only Hallmark could write!  and BEFORE my mother makes a comment YES I DO HAVE another FATHER figure in my life to buy a card for his name is BILL.  O.k. got that out of the way!  Now my dad had a collection of shirts that we had gotten him for fathers day ranging from a hat that said BANK of DAD (sorry closed) to a t-shirt that said something to the effect of Grandpa's the name Spoiling's the game!  He loved his grand kids to pieces and had a unique connection with each of them in his own special way.  Lily was the first born and like her mom the only granddaughter!  She had grandpa wrapped around her finger and they loved spending time together weather that was reading a book, putting a puzzle together or going swimming.  She was his buddy.  Timmy was the first grandson.  Dad was there when Timmy was born!  He was there when I called him and said we are being transferred to Blank.  Timmy and Dad had a special bond.  Then there was William.  William could get dad to do ANYTHING because he was just smitten with him!  When we were in Florida and dad was exhausted, William said "up grandpa" and Dad picked William up because he LOVED him!
Growing up as a child I have fond memories of making dad tread water when I was in preschool because I was scared to jump off the diving board BUT he wanted me to jump in so much that he bribed me with a McDonald's happy meal if I jumped in!  I jumped into his safe arms and never looked back!  My dad took us swimming just about every week he could.  He would have to bribe us with Slurpies from 7-Eleven to get us to leave the pool!  Some weeks we would go play putt-putt golf and he got to share in his enjoyment with his grandchildren because William called it "putt golf".  Once in awhile we would get a special treat and get to go to Chuck E Cheeses or to G.L.Perry's and buy something!  Does anyone remember G.L.Perry? My dad delighted in seeing us be happy and I know that God delights in his children when we are filled with joy!
Tomorrow I will share with you the story of separation and then the story of reconnection!  Don't miss it!

Rhett Walker Band

So, there's this new, up and coming band.  They are playing at WFRN Friend Fest in a few weeks and I HIGHLY Encourage you all to GO and support them!  If you love any of these bands then you more than likely will become a QUICK fan of them!  They sound similar to THIRD DAY, or if any of you all remember a band called THIS TRAIN.  Right up there with them!  They are out touring with the them FAMILY, FAITH and Country!  They actually wrote a really amazing song for their wives and I hope that they will share it with you all!  These guys I heard first on K-LOVE's Fan awards and they said "We are ALL a bunch of messed up people SAVED by Grace!"  So, so so TRUE yet so so so SIMPLE!!!! So, Here is their COVER ALBUM SONG!  Come to the River!  I feel like you should have a bunch of river dancers! :) And another one of their song's that is RIGHT UP there is BROTHER!

So the above link is to the song "BROTHER"!!

 "Come to the River"

Go find them and SUPPORT them!  They are AMAZING men of God who have been saved by Grace!  They LOVE some SUN DROP soda too!

Final thoughts on Rejection part 3

What brought all of this discussion on?  Ouch...this hurts!  Well, two weeks ago tomorrow I met this guy.  Said guy and I hit it off!  He was so easy to talk to and we could have talked for hours!  Said guy came over and hung out on a Friday night.  We kept talking into the wee hours.  Said guy came over again on the following Monday.  We talked again until the wee hours.  I was enjoying where this was going.  It was good!    BUT on Wednesday we texted back and forth most of the day.  First off I am not a HUGE fan of texting a whole lot because tone and emotion get lost and misinterpreted in texting.  He found my insecurity.  I allowed him to push me to talk about my insecurity.  But by opening up about my insecurity I kept asking if "I" was ok?  I was looking for that rejection.  Since he found my insecurity I wanted to be affirmed by seeing him, by getting a hug.  He had told me the day before that he was going to be busy for the next few weeks because of an assistant manager being fired.  But I continued to push and asked 4 times if I could see him!  I ruined something that could have been.  That I will now not know what could have been.  I was told I was too pushy and needy.  I will agree with the pushy part.  I also learned that by being in an unhealthy relationship for 11.5 years where I constantly sought out the rejection and the negativity that I have to reprogram my mind to know that not every guy is the same.  That being talked down to is not "normal".  So, the next time something good is placed in my lap I am going to enjoy it rather than seek out the rejection!

ReJection part 2

Now the more in depth part of this........
My parents divorced in between my 5th and 6th grade years.  That year the church that I had found stability in also split.  So, not only was I going through the moving to a new school, house, and my parents finding a new church.  I was also dealing with the loss of my dad moving out of state.  So, going into 6th grade I was already insecure about moving and lacked the social skills that most kids have to make new friends.  I clung to teachers because they were "safe" and were not going to reject me no matter how bad of a bowl cut I had or how ugly my teeth looked with braces or how hunched over I was!  They accepted me.  In many ways I wonder what my jr. high years could have been like HAD I been that outgoing, bubbly person that most people see now!  Well, the fact is I can't go back and change it but I can learn from it!  In some ways I see myself utilizing the gifts that God has given me to reach out to jr. high kids who are in that weird awkward stage of life.  When I am in the midst of ministering to jr. high kids it is the one place that I know I am NOT going to be rejected!  I can let my wall down and be who I was meant to be.  In high school I knew people but didn't have a "group" of friends that I hung out with either.  In some ways looking back I super duper protected myself by putting all sorts of Christian Band Patches on my backpack and wearing "Christian" shirts to school.  I had a nice bubble around myself because I didn't want to get hurt.  I'll never forget being in 7th grade gym class and this kid, his name was A.J.....he came up to me and asked if I wanted to go out.  I looked at him and said "no"!  I mean really who would have wanted to go out with me?  I don't even think I would have wanted to go out with me!  I was not the popular girl, nor the smart girl, nor the athletic girl.  I was the girl who wanted to be noticed!  In jr. high the cool kids wore Guess Jeans and had Esprite bags.  Do you remember those things?  I remember clearly, my mom taking me to the mall to look at buying a pair of Guess jeans and they were over $60 and she was like clearly I am not spending that kind of money on jeans for you.  REJECTION!!!!!!!!  Now my mom wasn't doing this out of hate, it just was not in the budget at that time.  From her saying "NO" to that I learned to condition myself that I was not worth this or that.  Now your thinking, didn't you know your mom LOVED you!  YES, I knew she loved me but for me this was more about how I was accepted at school.  I thought oh if I have those jeans then I can be accepted with the cool kids!  As I grew up throughout high school I learned as so many of you have to build that wall up around me.  If I don't let people in I won't have to feel rejected.  I didn't go through the "normal" high school boyfriend/girlfriend statues because I didn't want to be hurt.  I built that wall.  Why do we build a wall?  Why wouldn't we want to let someone in?  It's much easier to build the wall and just be casual than to let someone get in and know our heart.  To know the good, the bad, the ugly and STILL LOVE US for US!  This is my challenge going forward, to allow people in who want to invest in my life, who want to love me for me and stomp that fear of rejection in the ground!  If I get rejected it was for a good reason.  One I may or may not ever know or comprehend.  I have one more post to write.  Just not tonight!  What are you thoughts?

ReJection part 1

I am going to start a mini series on Rejection!  We have all dealt with it in one form or another.  I am going to be vulnerable about my experience with rejection!

Rejection HURTS!!!!  I don't know for you but for me it is easier to build this happy wall around myself so that I don't have to put myself out there  to be rejected.  If this is all they see then they will accept me and like me.  They won't know the hurt, broken and some times crazy Jennifer.  If I have my guarded wall around they will only know the fun, full of life Jennifer.  As I was talking to my co-worker the other day about how I push people to reject me so that I don't have to allow myself to get hurt.  It takes away the beauty of falling in love and getting to know someone because I am more worried about what they are thinking and if I am doing the right thing that will please them.  My co-worker said "you just need to ENJOY getting to know the other person and LET them tell YOU when they don't like something you are doing INSTEAD of constantly ASKING them!"  The light bulb went on and I realized that I am in a new phase of life and I need to put the past behind me the past where I was ALWAYS looking for approval despite being rejected time and time again.  I need to ENJOY this time!  How about you..........do you not knowing look to be rejected because then it might not hurt so bad in the end?  I know that this is kind of all over the place. My next post will be a bit more organized and detailed.  Thanks for reading! :)

Happy Birthday to my only brother!!!!

John Cobb!  AKA Johnny Corn Cobb!  AKA Uncle John!
You have many names!  I am so lucky to have gotten to have you as my brother!  Growing up we sure did have our love hate relationship!  It was intense!  But on the days we loved each other, we really did!  We would have Nerf Gun wars, play with hot wheel cars and Legos!  We would have world class water gun fights that would start with water guns and lead to the hose!  We stuck together!  When we would fight, we would FIGHT!  You would get so mad at me that you would take rope and tie the doors together so  I could not get out of my room!  You loved to watch MacGyver and all things that he did you wanted to try and be like him.  We grew up, I went one way you went another.  But this past year we did something that most of our friends have yet to do and that was allow our dad to go.  That was hard but I know it brought us closer.  I'm grateful you were there to hold us together.  My kids are pretty darn lucky to have you for an uncle too!

What a Difference One Year Can Make!

Tonight was Lily's piano recital.  It was hard!  I'm not going to lie about that!  As I look back to a little over a year ago and she had her piano recital.  Life was different!  I had taken 6 out of 7 kids to the piano recital ALONE!!!!  Yes, it was CRAZY!!!!  I was thankful for Papa's help with one of the boys who could not sit still!  I was not going to miss Lily's first piano recital and I am grateful that I stood up, braved it and went with 6 children under the age of 9!

 Last year Skyping Grandpa Jay

7 Children Under the age of 9 ready ON TIME for church!

This year!!

We Skyped my dad, who was in the hospital.  He had payed for her lessons all year long and was unable to make it out from Iowa to see her.  He was weak but I know he was blessed by her music!  My dad is now gone!  That was hard this year not getting to share in the joy with him!  I know he delighted in the music from heaven but not the same as the physical presences via technology. :)  You see piano runs deep in my family.

 Grandpa Cobb playing the piano!

Cousins!

My grandfather Cobb played the piano until his dying day!  He was 94 and would go and bless other's that were YOUNGER than him in the nursing homes, assisted living and senior living centers across central Iowa!  If there was a piano he played it!  I then in turn started piano when I was in second grade.  I am very hard on myself and don't feel as though I play well!  So, a few years back when we were at my mom's house, Lily was playing on my old piano.  She had no music but had an ear for the sound!  I had several people encourage me to get her involved in music.  So, when the opportunity arose Lily started taking piano from Carolyn Patty!  The two of them are two peas in a pod!  At this years recital instead of 6 kids to be accountable for  I had my three kids sitting on my lap or near me, my ex and his significant other where there as well.  It was different.

A Life Well Lived!

A life well lived!  Grandma Shaefer passed away from her earthly home to her heavenly home on Saturday May 11, 2013.  She was Josh's maternal Grandma.  I can recall the first time I met her.  Josh was quite nervous because it was very important to him that I had her stamp of approval.  I passed.  I remember arriving to her home and sitting in her blue chair, her home was very clean and she was proud of that.  She also was very proud of her St. Louis Cardinals!  She always watched them faithfully!  Win or loose!  I don't follow baseball but I am quite sure that she was able to see them go to the World Serious a time or too.  She was very thrifty but she was very giving.  She gave all she had.  She gave of her time to others and of her money.  She loved without regrets.  She lived life!  She served others well.  I can remember many times she would come out and "save" me from my piles and piles of laundry that I had.  She always would start her day with the newspaper and a cup of coffee.  She loved well and her family knew that they were the most important thing to her.  I think my favorite meal that Grandma cooked would be TACO'S!!!!  It was always extra special when we were able to order pizza from Saylor's.  Especially when we were visiting from Iowa! I know that Grandma is rejoicing at being reunited with her beloved husband, Pat.  Her siblings, Mike and her beloved flea bags as she called the dogs!  She loved them along with Lily's beloved cat "Angel"!  I am sure her and my grandmother Cobb are catching up as well!  Grandma will be missed but her memory will live on!
Below is a link to watch a video I made of her and some pictures.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiQbDdikKus

Happy Birthday to Lily!!!!!

Lily Adeline Johnson you came into this world on Monday May 12, 2003 at 1745!  You wasted no time getting here and you have not wasted a minute since!  You were born by emergency c-section and I am so grateful to the amazing doctor's and nurses that worked quickly to get you here healthy, kicking and screaming and showing us that all of your vital organ's were functioning!  You were the FIRST Grandchild and the FIRST Great Grandchild on almost all sides expect for my mom's side.  After you were born it was a grand event, you had many visitors coming up to see you!  So many in fact the nurses had to put a stop to the number of visitors you were having just so that mommy could get some rest!  In your ten years of life I think you have experienced and rebounded with great zeal!

Your first birthday was a celebration to remember with over 50 people packing in the parsonage!

We moved to a new house at 1228 Reed Street in the spring of 2005 where we celebrated your

second birthday with a slightly smaller celebration!

We welcomed your little brother Timmy into the world on December 20th!

You were very excited to have a baby but there are days now that I am not sure how excited you are to have the endearment of Timmy!  I keep telling you though one day when you are older you will be so glad you have your brothers!

You were a champ when mommy spent 3 weeks away in the PICU with your brother!  You loved on him well!

You LOVED your paci and "nene's" as you called them!  We may have lost one of them but the other you still sleep with!

For your 3rd birthday you wanted a GREEN tractor!

In February we welcomed your little brother William!  There were times where I think you thought he was YOUR baby!

Then there was the move back to Indiana.  You had only known Iowa.  We moved to Fowler and lived there for 4 years.  Then we moved to Shirley where we are now.  You are a blessed girl as you got to experience the joy of 6 GREAT Grandparents and the joy of 5 Grandparents!  I can not wait to see where these next year take you as you lead your friends, as your grow in your walk with the Lord, as you mature in your piano and horse lessons and as you continue to blaze the trail!  I LOVE YOU!!!!!