2009 -condensed

Well... here it is almost a year later. I almost skipped blogging this year completely because it has been a rough one but looking back at all the ups and downs and pains and joys that filled our days there is much to be thankful for. Because I wanted this blog to help me capture memories I will start at the beginning...

January

we had lots of fun in the snow... but by far my favorite memory of January was getting to see my sweet niece Maggie take her first steps in my house:)

February Dave and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary this month and we would both say openly that is was not ideal. This was a very rough year for us but I will say this... we shared a long warm hug on our anniversary that was better than any cruise, flower, jewelry or dinner put together. I love you Dave!

Clayton has a song and Collin has a story (coming later) that that they would like to share with the world this month as well...



March Patience.............................................. that is the main thing I remember about this month. Dave also turned 35 and now has a tatoo over his heart that reads to love and be loved

April This month belongs to Alexis! She entered the "teens" on April 1st and it was fun to celebrate her!

May ...Last Day of School... First Day of Pool!!! (chant taught to the boys from david replogle). We did get a pool pass for the summer and it was a blast!!! But May is for Marathon because (drum roll please)..... I ran my first half marathon!!!! Thats right. 13.1 miles. Dave was my biggest support and was beside me cheering all the way. He even let me beat him:) This is us just about to cross the finish line:)

June we celebrated Collin this month. He turned 7 and video games came into our lives here. They are even playing now as I type (how else can I get a chunk of time like this to blog...kidding....kindof) It has been fun but they will say that a half an hour goes by way tooooooo fast:).

July this month was fabulous for many reasons but just to state a few...

my birthday dance party!!!!

Daves sets a personal record time in his marathon run!!!!!

Family vacation in MI!!!!!

August No more sleepin in...

its time for school to begin...

the boys both learned how to dive...

and Clayton now turns five:)

September I love the fall!!! I took on the challenge this month to actually learn the sport of football. I've heard it said that if you learn the fundamentals of the game its actually more fun to watch. I've learned about myself that I am a hands on learner so with the help of lots of friends and even their kiddos I played football. My one shining moment was when I played the position as quarterback and I made a pass to my friend Andrea for a completion (it was even a blitz and I performed with success under pressure:)

Fall also started cub scouts for Collin . Not to sure about it myself but its been a good bonding time for dad and son. These pictures are at the camping trip where Collin made a rocket and blasted it off. Collin and Dave stayed overnight in a tent and the first frost came that night... brrrrrr. Come to find out... that is badge worthy in cub scouts so Collin got is second badge called "the polar bear badge."

smell that powder ...lots o rockets... 3 2 1 Blastoff!!!!

The Chirstmas LIGHT turned on...

I decided to take a few days and read the story of Jesus birth to the boys. Today I shared about the 3 wise men coming to give gifts to their king and worship him and Collin said with the most excited voice... "now I know why we celebrate Christmas, I never knew before!!!" He got up from the table leaving his bowl of oatmeal and cereal and began pacing the room... "we give gifts because it is a way to worship Jesus just like the wise men and we sing those songs about the star and the manager and the angels and the three kings because it came from that story!!! And Joseph isn't really Jesus' dad, God is! Joseph is kind of like a super hero because he saved Jesus by listening to the angels in his dreams and running away from king Herod.

He insisted that we put together the baby Jesus puzzle and he retold the story as we put it together... Clay didn't quite understand what Collin was saying but he did start singing a song that he learned in preschool with the tune of Mary had a little lamb "Mary had a baby boy-baby boy -baby boy, Mary had a baby boy and Jesus was his name."

When all the Christmas conversation settled Collin asked where Jesus is now. I love our little boys questions and I love that Jesus Is a LIGHT to reveal God to the nations Luke 2:32
prophecy said by Simeon on the day Mary and Joseph took baby Jesus to the temple to present him to the Lord

Collin starts Kleinkinderbeschaftigungsanstalt

If you can pronounce that I am impressed... the name means "small-child-keep-busy institute." Thank goodness for Friedrich Frobel who created such a word (or place) 175 years ago. Before then children under the age of 7 went to basically day cares and the troublemakers went to a detention institute. At age 7 children started school with the big kids and basically sat on hard benches and listened to lectures. Frobel, a child of the Romantic Era, broke the mold and added to an approach called "natural education" seeing children as seeds in a garden needing to be cultivated. Later while hiking in the mountains he hit on a much catchier name... Kindergarten ("children's garden").

So here is our little seed Collin on his way to be cultivated.

Home from Tennesee

Even though it took some trials getting there we made it. Dave and I and some other family members headed to TN to celebrate mom and dad Garrison's 50th wedding Anniversary. After our Van broke down and catching rides with other family members and then getting lost we finally made it to the celebration. Much like most lasting marriages it takes those trials on the road of marriage to really deepen in love and commitment. This is an exert of the card Dave gave to mom and dad:
Most of all I witnessed two people committed to one another and sticking together no matter how mad you were at each other and no matter what issues came up. This has caused me to view my own marriage with a perspective that many people my age don't have and it has helped me more than you could know. Within your fifty years together know that you have "given" more and "taught" more by your commitment to each other and your "long-suffering" with me than Malissa and our family probably have yet to realize. Thanks for what you have given us. We look forward to our 50th year together.
We love you! - Dave and Family

Tonight at church I was reminded how God's glory is revealed in nature. I was able to capture some of God's glory on a hike in TN with Dave and 7 children. My dear friend Jayne was gracious enough to let me borrow one of her cameras, it was not the mother camera, but it was amazing still. Here are a few that I am proud of.

May is for Growing

COLLIN
I have to start with this boy because today for the first time he rode his bike all by himself. As I have mentioned before, Collin likes thrill so of course after only 10 min of just learning how to stay balanced the boy slams on his brakes to make the bike fish tale... you should have seen his grin. I asked him a little later what he would like to work on expecting an answer like keeping my balance or learning how to turn, but his answer was simply... "I would like to work on jumps" x-games here we come.

Collin graduated Pre-school this month as well. When we got to the parking lot of the church for his little ceremony I started to cry. Collin assured me with these words "Don't worry mom, I'm still a kid" and then he hugged me. I'll post some pics soon but in the meantime check out Jaynes blog http://rofam.blogspot.com/2008/05/graduate-part-ii.html for a story about Collin and his first girlfriend at the graduation.

CLAYTON
Good bye diapers!!! Dave threw the last one away so for the last 5 nights this little guy has slept with his new spidy underwear and is waking up nice and dry. YEAH
Today he learned how to swing by himself chanting what Mrs. Replogle taught him "Reach for the sky Cwayton and pull it down" He still prefers mommy to push him though because I take him closer to the sky.

ALEXIS

Hello Junior High... Alexis is officially now in the 7th grade. Because of a recent move she actually transferred schools before the end of the year but she has already made new friends and is excited about the upcoming year. She loves her new room and the view out her window of the neighborhood.

Good bye snow.

The boys got to enjoy the last snow on sleds and it was a blast. One of our neighbors gave us a sled that looks like a storybook sled... wood with red rails. I am glad to be Jayne the photographers friend because I would not have brought a camera to captured the fun it truly was.

I think Dave and I are raising a future xgame contestant because Collin was fearless the entire time. Tommy and Lou brought a saucer to slide on and that was Collins preference because he could dodge trees and make up heavy metal music chants down the hills to increase his thrill rides. Clay preferred the storybook sled that went down straight and easy (Dave went with the boys and I a few days later and showed us that we could actually steer/turn the sled - oh well).

New baby and Nine years

February had its ups and downs but one thing to celebrate for certain is our new niece Maggie. I took the boys and made a road trip with my parents to meet this sweet little girl. The boys were excited to see their cousins and had a blast playing with them. One of the highlights for Collin was going to a train museum in the historic train town (Altoona, PA )Jamie and Angie are living in right now. As you can see it was not the highlight for Clay... he slept the whole time.

Dave and I celebrated nine years of marriage at home and sick. The details are not really worth recording but... it is nine years and that is something.