and MAN was it hot!

I'M BACK!!!!!!!!!! Yessirree! That's right, that trip is OVER! As you surely have noticed... I am using TONS of CAPS and exclamation points. It is because I am excited to be HOME!!!!!!

We left on a jet plane, not sure when we'd be home again... :0) ... on Saturday the 18th. Linda picked us up at the airport and we continued on to my Mom's house to spend the night. It was really nice spending time with her. The next day she guided me around the parts of Hendersonville that have built up and I would have NEVER recognized. The Indian Lake area, where there used to just be a movie theatre, is crazy nuts now.

It wasn't long before I had to be in Smyrna to have a meeting that was 17-18 years in the making. I had dinner with family that has a huge story behind it. I won't go into details here, but there has been a whole ton of prayer and healing behind this meeting.

So I made my way, with Jakub, Jack and Linda to Cheddars in Smyrna, TN. I don't think I have been so nervous since I was about to deliver Jack. I kept telling Linda that my face felt like it was on fire. I had a lot of time to wait and just pray that I would make it through this without having a total come apart. Matt, Miranda and Lyla were the first to make it. It was great to see him and meet his wife and daughter. We chatted for a while before Wes came in. Then started the constant making fun of Betsy for being a blonde and her lack of ability to be prompt. This actually broke the ice a LOT and I relaxed. Boop finally made it and it was like we all picked up where we left off, yet better. I felt the sincerity and the love that was freely being thrown in my direction. It was a great experience that I would NEVER trade.

We then made our way to Corinth where an impromptu birthday party for Jakub was waiting for us at midnight.

Over the next week, and let me tell you I DO NOT MISS the 100 % humidity of the South, I made my way around town, saw tons of faces I haven't seen in quite a while. Granny was supposed to have surgery on Tuesday, which went horribly wrong when they tried to give her a platelet infusion. She reacted bad to it and wound up staying in the hospital for 3 days. Over those days I spent a lot of time with Everett.

The whole time I was so very ready to get back home to be with my husband. The old addage that there is no place like home is so very true... also distance makes the heart grow fonder.

Finally, Monday afternoon we started out toward St. Louis. I saw Chelsea for a brief moment... a LOT shorter than I would have liked, but Josh's grandmother was in the hospital not doing well.
We spent the night in St. Charles, MO and woke up early the next morning and made it as far as Minneapolis, MN. The next morning we made it up and enjoyed the landscape of North Dakota and spent the night in Billings. We finally made it home last night around 6. I was so ready!!!!

Jason came in at 11 and begged me to never leave him again...LOL. I wish he could have gone with us, it would have made the whole experience that much better. I missed him terribly.

So now Linda is here where she belongs, which was the whole point of the trip anyway. We are so excited to have her back with us!

On to the South

For those of you who do not know... Jakub, Jack and I are boarding a flight to Nashvegas tomorrow. I am saddened because I have to leave my hubby here in Montana. We will be apart for 2 weeks, which is the longest time we have been apart in 11 years.

The good part of this trip is I am going to see family and friends... some whom I haven't seen in nearly 20 years.

We are going to spend about 2 days in Nashville and then we are going on to Corinth, MS where we lived for 10 years before we moved to Montana. I am excited to see some faces I haven't seen in almost 10 months.

I have our bags packed and the shuttle comes and picks us up at 6 AM. I don't like saying goodbye...even for a short time. I love my husband soooo very much and I hate being away from him. Maybe the old addage distance makes a heart grow fonder is true. I appreciate Jason and everything he does for our family. I will appreciate him even more once I make this trip without him.

After we spend a week in Corinth we are kidnapping my MIL and making the DRIVE back to Montana. Yep, That will make the second time in less than a year that I have driven across country. It takes 3-4 days to get back to my little piece of heaven.

So, if you are JUST DYING to see us let me know and I will make an effort to make it by! LOL!

One number to rule them all!

I'm so excited. I just can't hide it. I'm invited to Google Voice, and I think I like it! Love it is really more like it. I'm amazed. So, there are a few extra steps. So! The end result is amazing. Being able to screen calls, being able to record messages, being able to personalize voicemail for each caller, being able to call family for free, being able to send SMS/text-all for free. Impressive, most impressive.

Here's the breakdown. Step 1., cut a hole in the box. Okay, just kidding. You choose your phone number. I was able to choose a phone number that is local for my family. Set up a forwarding number. For me, I chose our house phone. Later, I was able to choose my Nokia N810 (with some help from Google) and get it working as long as I have Wifi. So, you are given a 2-digit confirmation number on your screen (yes, you have your internet connection on). Your forwarding number (my house phone) rings. I enter the 2-digit number. It's confirmed.

Then, you can call any of your Google Contacts. It works like this. You select call beside the contact. Your house phone rings; you say "hello" and are then connected to the one you're calling. When you receive calls on your Google phone number, you have an option of not answering it. So, immediately, I'm thinking every web site I ever enter my number into and ever potential spammer-they're getting this number! Also, you have the option to record the call. Yep, that's right. Press 4 and you may record the call. You have the ability to be emailed transcripts as well.

Text messaging works like it does from any mobile. Enter the number; enter the 160 digit message; press send.

So, personally, I don't mind the extra steps. Also, when you receive a call, Google does its best to pronounce the name. Sometimes, it can be humorous. :)

I'm not swept up into the conspiracy theories. At this time, I have much more trust for security with Google than I do with some governmental agencies. Personally, I'm enjoying the awesome free services provided by Google. I am not paid by Google (although I'm open to it, certainly!).

If you're interested in Google Voice, check it out here.

Family and Montana

Dad, Carol, Hunter and Brayden arrived on Wednesday. We have been going pretty much NON-stop since then. It was so good to see them after 9 months of NOT!!!

I have so much fun showing folks out home and where we live. We started out Wednesday with a ride up to Beaver Peak and Elk Creek.

On Thursday we hung out at the house for the most part of the morning. I gave the kids and Carol several 4 wheeler rides just trying to show them Heron. I think Carol liked being on the back of the 4 wheeler more than the boys. I took her down to queens cut and let Hunter and Jakub put their piggies in the water and walk to the river. That night when Jason got home we went to Sandpoint and had dinner at Connie's (ehhh, it was okay...had better). Then I took them up to Schweitzer so they could get a real good look at Lake Pend Orielle.

The next morning we woke early and went over to Ross Creek Cedars in Libby/Troy. The kids LOVED the huge cedars. Jack was hilarious because he kept finding little places to climb in that only he could fit in.


That night we headed back to Sandpoint after Jason got off work and had Birthday dinner for Jakub and Carol. It was really nice to have all of our new friends up here meet our family and celebrate with us!



The next morning we woke early again and made our way to Glacier National Park. On the way we stopped in Libby and took a short hike over to Kootenai Falls. After which we busted it to get over to West Glacier. I will have to say that all the hype over the Going to the Sun road IS ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE. This place is definitely God's little piece of Heaven on Earth! No photo's...no words can describe it. All I want to do is encourage you to take the time to make your way up this direction to see it. We didn't get any hiking in, but just the drive was absolutely AMAZING. We spent so much time in the park that we had to spend the night in Kalispell...and boy did I sleep.



We came home the following day and re-cooped and watched the family packing to go home the next day. We didn't want to see the day come, but we knew it had to. The great thing about it though is we (me and the boys) will get to see them again in about a week.

Praise God for Family and Montana.

Biking in MT

So, yesterday I rode in the spirit of the Tour. I rode only a few miles, went to the post office here and on the way back decided to go to the Heron Bridge. Well, I crossed the railroads and was half way there when the rain started. It rained all the way home, so it was a different experience for me. Before, I never would have considered riding on a gray, cloudy day.

Today, the sun is out; the weather is good. Jake and I went on a ride to celebrate his 6th birthday. We, too, went to the post office. He did so well. He would complain on the early rides about how tired he is, but today, we stopped for occasional rests/water breaks. He did extremely well.

Yea, Jake!

Happy Birthday baby...

I laid wide awake last night thinking back on the last six years, and yes, as a mother it brought tears to my eyes... as it does right now. My oldest turns six today. He is over half as tall as me and a strapping 45 pounds... that's a long way from 4lb, 9oz and 17 inches long.

I can remember the moment I met him. After a long labor and eventual section it was around Midnight that they brought him in to me. I had never held a baby till I held Jake and it was so easy... he was my magical little bundle that fit in my arms perfect.

It has been so much fun watching him grow. Year after year brings something new and exciting, some surprise around every corner. This year has been especially interesting just to see how he has accepted moving and being this far away from family and friends. He has adapted so well, and is slowly turning back into the care-free little guy he has always been.

I am so proud of him, he is so very smart and enthusiastic, he has a great imagination and his Daddy's good looks. He is sensitive and charming and has such a zest for life. He amazes me daily at his generosity and compassion for others. He amazes me too with the questions that he asks, he really truly wants to know how this world works.

I am so very, very, very blessed to have such a beautiful child and I praise God for his life daily. Part of me realizes today that he is no longer my "baby". He is no longer considered a "toddler", he is a big boy now. *SIGH*

He swears to me that he will never tire of my hugs and kisses... I suppose that will have to do for now.

6 years ago today

Something amazing happened. Jakub was born. I had the name Jacob Evan at least 7 years before he was born. I had been working on a story that had this guy Jake and his buddy, Derrick Robert Sims (Hah)-a story of friendship and life. Well, 7 years late on July 7, 2003, we were blessed with this tiny little infant that weighed less than a small bag of sugar.

Today, we're still blessed. He's growing and sensitive and creative and funny. He has good manners, knows and says his prayers, and for the most part, is good to his little brother, Jack.

I'm super proud of Jake. I remember having a moment with just him and me, sitting quietly as he was a freshly born little living being. I was holding him one morning, about 7 am or so. I looked into his eyes and just started crying. I could not believe that I had created this person, that he was mine.

I'm so proud of Jake. He's a good boy and my buddy. I'm grateful to my wife and my kids. Today, I still say my two kids are the greatest accomplishments of my life.

I love you, buddy!

The Tour

To me, there is only one Tour. I haven't watched it since Lance left, but watching it now reminds me of why there is just one.

It's not "a" tour; it's THE Tour. Le Tour de France. To me, it's not "a" race; it's The Race. Amazing, phenomenal athletes and strategies. Also, I get caught up on the technologies involved: from bike making to computers to gear. Some incredible stuff.

It's exciting to me to be watching/tracking Le Tour this year. More exciting that it started on the 4th, our Independence Day. More exciting Lance is back. I've done some research to learn what's happened since '05. In doing so, I recalled the Landis deal. I've learned about some other riders, too. Just remarkable stuff, really.

So, I'm going to eat a bit of breakfast and go for a ride. Here's to my buddy, Blake-may your future be bright and "yellow." :)

Moose R Us

Wow, driving home from Sandpoint, we make an effort to look for moose. There are lots of marsh lands around to do so, especially in certain spots. We were almost to Clark Fork when I saw one drinking out of a marsh and eating lily pads. Dez turned around and we all were able to see the moose. We drove back some to get a better look, and it was a young bull moose. Pretty cool stuff, indeed. We saw a gaggle of geese nearby the moose, too. From what we could tell, it's a very large animal. I can't fathom what it would be like to see one close.

So, 9 months into this adventure, we see a moose. Yea!

Stl. Cardinals

I understand TLR has 2500 wins. At the same time, I have wondered what the heck he's doing many times this year. I find it incredibly ridiculous that the Cards have started so many rookies this year. Only one I think is worth mentioning, and that's Rasmus. TLR gets caught up in numbers way too much in my opinion. It's frustrating.

I kept thinking that they would get a big bat. They get a medium-size bat with versatility. I'd prefer they give up a mediocre player or two (they have plenty) and actually get a big bat. Poor Pulos has no support, but then again, he's AP. I get caught up in the "what if" game.

What if Stl. had someone hitting after him? What if he had someone hitting in front of him? WOW! Consider he's 29. Consider he has hit 30 HR in each of his 9 years. Consider he's a lifetime .330 hitter. Consider how many years the Cards have sucked whereas he has not.

More impressive is his personality. He's a team player. A loyal player. AP just seems like a good guy. He does great charity work. Whenever someone acknowledges his individual efforts, he thanks God and refocuses the conversation on the team.

I'd love to see them do what they did years ago and get Jim Edmonds or some other upper-echelon player. They continue to settle for mediocrity. Blame has to go somewhere. For me, I blame TLR and Mo.

Only fair.

I don't want this year to be about injuries and being close to "in it." I'd prefer being in it to win it.