Flickr FYI

In case you check our flickr account (listed under new photos on the right and also the source for the mini slideshow) it is clearly showing OLD photos.  I pay a yearly fee for flickr and Paul suggested that I upload all of my photos (almost 10,000) of them to flickr, just to have an additional back up in the cloud.  We have external hard drives, but I'm not always so good at that.  So, if you're wondering why the photos on flickr are from 2004, that's why!!!! 

What would you do?

I read this blog post about Haitian orphans and I just can't stop thinking about this.  If we got a call like this, I feel like I would have to say yes!  We have the space, the resources, and the love.  Can you imagine? It just brings tears to my eyes!!!

Kneeds to Play

When I tore my ACL the first and second times in High School, a local paper did a front page special on my story when I returned to the basketball court titled Kneeds To Play.  Corny, huh?

Well, I saw the doctor today and when I asked if I could go back to the gym yet and he laughed at me.  4 months until the graft is secure to the bone.  I can run, hop, and skip in 3 more months.

But for now, I have clearance to walk, as soon as I am able.  I am still very crutch dependent and do not feel strong enough to stand, let alone walk.  In the next week or two I am supposed to walk with as much weight as I can on my left leg to bring it back up to speed.  As soon as I feel comfortable, I am allowed to walk!!!  I'm hoping that happens in a week. 

It feels almost unbelievable to think that I'll walk again soon but I'm excited to do it!  Except this time, I KNEED to play with my kiddos.... park and pool days are right around the corner!!!

Thanks for your prayers!

Photoshop

Another one of my hopes during this whole broken leg thing was to figure out photoshop. HA! what a joke! I have a dummies book but that isn't helping at all. I also got a free month to an online tutorial when I registered the product. I'm learning about "compositing" and I was trying to create a group shot in Iceland. We never got a picture of all of us so I was trying to make one. Not so great, but I'm a beginner. It is fun to think I can mix any two or more photos together now, even if it isn't convincing!!! On a side note, Len and Sandra will be in the States from May 9-23 this year!!!!! Maybe we can get a group shot then!

Books Books Books!!!

Well, everyone seems to think that while I am incapacitated I have lots of leisurely time to relax and enjoy! HA!

Due to the computer age, I can still do 90% of my job and have planned and organized all of the pieces, even if I can't carry them out. In addition, I have done every puzzle known to man with Noah, played every board game, read every book (none of which I am complaining about!).

But, I have managed to squeeze in a few books over the past month and a half (yes I've been sitting here since Dec. 2nd -- almost 7 weeks).This is a fantastic story of a normal family faced with trouble, all told from a dog's perspective. It totally made me appreciate my dog a lot more. The sweet dog in the book wants so desperately to hug his master and tell him life will be okay, if only he had opposeable thumbs. Great read.


This was a TOUGH book to read, emotionally. It was easy to get through as far as readability, but as far as the content... it is amazing to think that there are really people who go through these sorts of situations. It is the story of a young girl who was abused by her parents and never taught to read. It is unbelievable how she overcomes her circumstances to succeed. There is also a movie out about this book which we have ready to watch on netflix.

Having studied in Germany I am often inclined to read Holocaust Fiction. This book was the story of the children who were rounded up in France at the beginning of the war and one girl who escaped the camps. It was an interesting twist.

All for your viewing pleasure!!!!!

I have a few more on the pile that I'm about to begin. Oh how I love to read!!!