Z is for zzzzzz....SLOR!

Okay so I'm too lazy to think of anything for Zz and I have no intention of doing it but to complete this craziness I thought I'd go ahead and keep the title. Last year my friends and I made a sled to help raise funds for a local boys home. Well this year we did it again. I only have a couple pictures worth showing but there will be more soon if I can bum them off my friends any time soon.

Y is for Y (Why?)........

I have always been a very inquisitive person. I don't know if I've mentioned this on here before but I was actually grounded once from asking questions (the only time I was ever really grounded). I was only five and my mother was very pregnant so you can figure out the rest. Some questions that I have lately have been:

Why has it taken me so long to get through the alphabet on this silly blog of mine?

Why don't I spend more time keeping in touch with the people that I love and don't see often?

Why do I need sleep?

Why haven't I started planting seedling yet for my garden?

Why is sharing my life with people so hard sometimes?

Why am I alive?

This question should be better explained. Last week I got into a very bad car accident. There was wintry conditions with slick roads. I was coming around a turn down a hill and lost control. My car turned sideways and rammed into a bridge where it then spun out of control and rammed into the other side of the bridge. I've only been in a couple accidents before and they were more of "doh" kind of accidents (insert bart simpson accent and context of show to understand). This one was much more serious and frightening. I pushed my way out of my car door and immediately thought 'God, why am I okay.' I don't know why He let me be virtually unhurt (only a few bruises and some soreness) but I know without a doubt that He has a purpose for me still. The title of this blog holds true more now than ever. Life is a gift! The most wonderful gift that we can receive. The only thing greater is life beyond this short time spent on earth, spent with the one who created us.

This question can only be followed by another and the wonderful ways in which God has blessed me.

Why am I so incredibly loved?

Monday morning when I walked in to work I was looking in my book bag to find my work keys so I could get inside and I found a wad of cash in with the rest of my junk. I don't cry easily but when I saw that money in my book bag I couldn't help but be overwhelmed with so many emotions. I walk in the door to my pre-schoolers who are all making birthday cards for me and wishing me birthday wishes. I didn't want to scare my kids by bawling my eyes out in front of them when they were being so wonderful so I accepted a couple cards and passed out hugs then went to the sanctuary to compose myself before I had to start work. I couldn't believe how incredibly blessed I was. Not only am I alive but I now have a good start to be able to afford a car that my insurance won't cover. I don't know who exactly gave me the money, I hadn't told that many people about my accident, and honestly I don't care who gave me the money. It is just an overwhelming feeling to know that 'I am loved' and have friends and family who take care of me when they see a need. To whoever gave me the gift if you read this THANK YOU from the innermost of my heart for your love and encouragement.

And to all of my family and friends whom I don't say this to often enough, I love you!

'xantho spider, xantho leaf'

My X is a lyric to a song by Mewithoutyou. If you ever get a chance to see them in concert it's very interesting. Actually the lyric is 'yellow spider yellow leaf,' but my friends and I changed it to 'xantho' when we were on a roadtrip one time going through all of the words that start with the letter x in the dictionary. Xantho is another word for yellow. Look it up if you don't believe me.

Sled construction has begun for this year's Wild and Wacky Cardboard Sled derby. I can't give you any details right now (top secret!) but I'll be sure to post pictures when we're done. There hasn't been a whole lot of snow to play in this year so far. Only one snow big enough to sled on (which I didn't have time to do) and another time with enough snow to have a snowball fight (which I did get to do!). I'm ready for some serious snow though. Especially if I'm going to be going skiing for the first time ever this weekend. I'll let you know how that goes for sure!

W is for Woman

Yes that's right woman. What does it mean to be a woman. What are the desires of a woman's heart and why are women the way they are? Don't ask me because even though I am one I can't answer these questions any better than you can.



A dear friend of mine just attempted her last chance for having a child through In Vitro fertilisation. Unfortunately the attempt didn't take. They already have one amazing child through this method for which they are very thankful for, but it's costs are so high that they decided that this would be their last try for another child. I don't know if they have considered the prospects of adoption or not but I know that they could be so blessed by it (just as the child would be).

In reflecting on their situation and trying to put myself in her shoes I wonder why it is that women want to have children so badly. There's lots of reasons that people have for having children:

- sharing life
- they make life interesting
- child labor (just kidding, sort of)
- laughter
- loving to love
- you get to act like a kid again
- a squeeze around the next (I love kid hugs)
- fulfillment of husband and wife
- producing a blood line (passing on the family name)
- it's what we're made for (among other things)
- entertaining
- the experience of being pregnant (and it's closeness to God's creation)

While I know that there are many other reasons for having children I don't think that having your own biological children is the only way to experience the joy that children bring to our lives. There are so many many children out there who need to be loved, taught, and cared for because their own biological parents can't take care of them (for whatever reason). I wonder if more of these children aren't adopted into families because our reasons for having children are so messed up that it's not so much about the child but about fulfilling something in ourselves.



Don't worry I'm not thinking of having/adopting kids any time soon (I'd have to be married first), but these are just thoughts that I've been turning over and over in my head this week. I love children dearly and hope to have my own some day (in one capacity or another) just not now. I am surrounded by children everyday where I work as it is, and they are more than enough for me to love on right now.

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
- James 1:27