I love fall and tolerate winter

I'm sick, and stuck on this couch...so you guys get to read my little ramblings. Enjoy!

My last few posts have been pretty heavy. I don't mean to bring anyone down, but when something serious enters your life its hard to write about the silly things Dexter does.
But, just so you all know that I remain hopeful, silly, and all things me..here are some things I'm looking forward to this fall and winter!

• Halloween! I didn't celebrate Halloween as a kid so I enjoy all the new things I get to do. Mainly seeing the trick-or-treaters (pumpkin carving: take it or leave it). We'll be going to a Halloween party put on by someone in my small group and then on actual Halloween day we'll dress back up in our costumes and hand out candy whilst watching 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later. Also, the Halloween Party at work is probably my favorite holiday to celebrate because seeing our seniors dress as mummies, cats, clowns, cowboys, and werewolves is just plain adorable.
• Thanksgiving with my in-laws! I love that despite the family size being incredibly smaller, there is just as much food at an Adams Thanksgiving as an Ekhoff Thanksgiving. Plus that means...
• Christmas with the Ekhoffs! We're thinking about doing something extra special for my dad this year so I'm excited about that. But mainly, just spending the weekend with my family on our favorite holiday. Plus Rheanne will be more preggo with Meemo and Rheanne pregnant is adorable.Speaking of Meemo..
• December 6th Rheanne finds out if Meemo is a boy or a girl. Pretty excited to meet the little one!! But while Rheanne is finding out the sex of her baby..
• I'll be in NYC!! I'm going to Boston for 2 days and NYC for 5 days in December with one of my best friends, Cassie, and her sister-in-law, Michelle. NYC at Christmastime is on my bucket list so I'm excited to skate at Rockerfeller Center, visit the 911 memorial, visit Lady Liberty, go to Ellis Island, see a Broadway play, walk around Central Park, buy Meemo and Ollie a present at FAO Schwarz, take a tour, and visit Parsons School of Design (it's where they do Project Runway). I'm serious about spotting some celebrities too. I'll be sad I don't get to take Brand along but he has to stay here and bring home the bacon. We'll probably take a vacation when he gets his vacation time next year.
• Also, Grandma Louise turns 90 in January so we'll be partying it up like its 1922!

Hopefully as yucky winter rolls around we all have something fun to look forward to.

Now back to being sick...

Humbly grateful

We had a fun surprise this weekend when Josh's father-in-law, Mike,  invited my dad to a spontaneous visit to his hometown, Moscow, ID. Brand and I were invited to come join them for the day (and then the night). We had so much fun hiking around the Dudley's property on Moscow mountain. It was beautiful and though we probably scared all the animals away, there was definite bear poop, deer poop, and elk poop. The dogs had a blast scaring the grouse (and me!)
It was amazing to see my dad hiking that mountain with hardly any problem. Realistically, he probably should not be able to do that but he kicked our butts (Note to self: get in shape). We had such a good time talking about life and the Lord. Of course my dad brought up some books for us on grace (his favorite subject.)

If you ever want to be humbled here are a few steps:
1.) Ask for it, it's a good step because God delivers.
2.) Hike a mountain with your 64-year-old dad who has an illness that should stop him from hiking a mountain...but it doesn't. And then watch him whoop your butt at it.
3.) Talk to a man faced with the worst and listen to him speak about life joyfully and gratefully and how he sees his prognosis as nothing more than another reason to share the love and grace of the Lord.

Also, the Dudleys are pros at being hospitable. At short notice they took us in when the last and only time we met them was at Josh and Rheanne's wedding 5 years ago. We had fun hiking, cutting down trees for firewood (well Rob Dudley cut, we loaded into the truck), dodging bees, taking shortcuts, eating yummy food, bashing the Vandals in Vandal country to Vandal fans (good-natured fans!), playing Bopit, trying to get cats to run into the wall, listening to Dudley stories, and great conversations. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm really grateful Josh married Rheanne. She's pretty awesome but then to back it up with a great family is just a bonus.

There's a lot to complain about in this world. And man are we faced with it every day either by ourselves or people around us. But it's hard to complain with a family (and extended extended family) like mine. I'm grateful for the people in my life and the joy they bring me. Thank you.

Life

The past month I have been taught the incredible value and beauty of life. A little over a month ago I was given news that would threaten the life of someone I love dearly. As my family and I continue to wait and hope to hear differently, I constantly think of something I feel I have mostly taken for granted: life.
We are given one life. In this one life we are given purpose and a mission. No one life is without purpose. I truly believe that. Ask anyone who has lost a loved one to suicide and you will know that even those who felt that their own life was worthless, that they were wrong. Their life affected many people around them and without that life around, they are missed and cause a great rift in the hearts that loved them. Life is a gift. Life is important. Every life.
Even though I know I've taken life for granted, I've always spent a lot of time thinking about life and how short it is. My dad always said the older you get the faster life goes. He is certainly right. Living far away from my family always gets me because I know life is short and I would rather spend as much time with them instead away from them. But even though I may spend a lot of time thinking of the value of life does not mean always mean I  think of the gift of life. I definitely waste a lot of my time doing things that are, yes, fun and relaxing, but it is time like these that I wish I could spend more of my time telling my loved ones how much I love them. I hate spending so much time and thought on paying bills or how to efficiently run my house. Sure these things need to be done but they do not need to rule my life.
I have been given a greater appreciation of life. Of my life. My families' life. My friends' life. My enemies' life.
I hope that not too far away I can say "wow that was a close one" or "I'm so happy it's not this" but either way, I know that whatever life we have left, whatever life my dad has left; it is valuable, it is a gift, and it is not something to be taken for granted.
I felt like this was a lesson I did not want to forget. I want to be reminded every day the preciousness of life.

This is my reminder. This is "life" in Hebrew. I have been given the gift of life and I have accepted the gift of eternal life.
I hope that my hard lesson can help you value your own life and the lives of all those around you. Spend your time loving, laughing, growing, forgiving, and living.

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.”  -Mother Teresa