Monday, October 25, 2010
Anyone Can Sing "Happy Birthday"
But this is REALLY special. Our sweet friend George Dyer, our favorite tenor, sang Monte a special song to celebrate his birthday!
Monte's 9th Birthday Party!
Ok, I know you were all as worried as I was that we didn't get to celebrate Monte's birthday on his birthday...due to the hospital stay and ect...
Better late than never, we had an amazing time on Friday, here's the recap!
Welcome to Monte’s 9th Birthday Greek Mythology Adventure!
To ensure a fantastic experience, make sure to do all of the following activities:
o Try out flying shoes with Hermes.
o Learn to throw a lightning bolt with Zeus
o Play water tag with Poseidon.
o Eat pomegranate seeds with Persephone.
o (Sisyphus was a king punished in Tartarus by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill). Practice with him!
o Avoid Medusa’s stony glare in freeze tag!
o Roast a marshmallow for s’mores with Hades
o Search for the golden apples with Paris.
o Drink Nectar of the Gods! (Nectar of the gods, to put it simply, is a name for the drink which has the sweetest taste of any drink in the world. The first time someone consumes this sweet, sweet nectar, they will instantly realize that it is by FAR the best thing they have ever tasted in their entire life).
o Eat Food of the Gods! (Theobroma is Greek for "the food of the gods," and the common names are taken from the Aztec and Mayan languages. Aztecs considered cacao to be man's inheritance from Quetzalcoatl, the god of the air).
Better late than never, we had an amazing time on Friday, here's the recap!
Welcome to Monte’s 9th Birthday Greek Mythology Adventure!
To ensure a fantastic experience, make sure to do all of the following activities:
o Try out flying shoes with Hermes.
o Learn to throw a lightning bolt with Zeus
o Play water tag with Poseidon.
o Eat pomegranate seeds with Persephone.
o (Sisyphus was a king punished in Tartarus by being cursed to roll a huge boulder up a hill). Practice with him!
o Avoid Medusa’s stony glare in freeze tag!
o Roast a marshmallow for s’mores with Hades
o Search for the golden apples with Paris.
o Drink Nectar of the Gods! (Nectar of the gods, to put it simply, is a name for the drink which has the sweetest taste of any drink in the world. The first time someone consumes this sweet, sweet nectar, they will instantly realize that it is by FAR the best thing they have ever tasted in their entire life).
o Eat Food of the Gods! (Theobroma is Greek for "the food of the gods," and the common names are taken from the Aztec and Mayan languages. Aztecs considered cacao to be man's inheritance from Quetzalcoatl, the god of the air).
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Piperisms
I keep laughing at the cute things Piper says, and I want to record them for her for later! I keep forgetting to jot them down, but here's a few:
Pretending to play doctor...but pausing to hep me instead, "The doctor was delivering a baby, but she'll do the baby next week and help you instead."
Putting on dressy shoes for sale in Old Navy and following me around, "Look at me, I'm a short mommy!"
Irritated that Amy, Allison, and Josiah hadn't responded to a text-ed picture of her, she was unhappy with my excuse, "Oh, they're in school and working, they're busy people." She said, "In school?!! Why are they still kids?" Implying that they're WAY too old to be in school still.
Pretending to play doctor...but pausing to hep me instead, "The doctor was delivering a baby, but she'll do the baby next week and help you instead."
Putting on dressy shoes for sale in Old Navy and following me around, "Look at me, I'm a short mommy!"
Irritated that Amy, Allison, and Josiah hadn't responded to a text-ed picture of her, she was unhappy with my excuse, "Oh, they're in school and working, they're busy people." She said, "In school?!! Why are they still kids?" Implying that they're WAY too old to be in school still.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Barbara Bradshaw Smith
I was reading an article about Barbara Bradshaw Smith, former General Relief Society President, and loved this quote:
"'All the world is a stage and each one plays a part' is a popular paraphrase from Shakespeare....Each mother should be the leading lady on life's stage...Being part of the life-giving moment is a great and significant thing that each mother finds anew with wonder and discovery. Although it has happened millions of times through all the centuries of time, each moment of birth, when hallowed by the eternal perspective of the restored gospel, is in fact a new beginning in the drama of life....
The magnitude of the challenge to rear a family is hard to comprehend. It requires the most continued effort of the part of the mother so that she can grow fast enough to be able to enrich her children by the quality of her own life.
Certainly a house needs order. Certainly, it needs to e a place of preparation where needs can be met. Just as certainly, it needs to be a place of stimulation where people can grow in faith and knowledge and where their hearts can expand with wisdom and love and service. The great message for all mothers is to accept the challenge of the mighty task. Rearing children is worthy of our best efforts and the joys and blessings of this challenge are great....
Motherhood is a cause to command the best effort of every woman who has the opportunity. The care and training of the next generation is a cause to engage the finest minds and the greatest spirits in the world today, just as it has been in the past."
"Let every day be Mother's Day," Church News April 30, 1977.
"'All the world is a stage and each one plays a part' is a popular paraphrase from Shakespeare....Each mother should be the leading lady on life's stage...Being part of the life-giving moment is a great and significant thing that each mother finds anew with wonder and discovery. Although it has happened millions of times through all the centuries of time, each moment of birth, when hallowed by the eternal perspective of the restored gospel, is in fact a new beginning in the drama of life....
The magnitude of the challenge to rear a family is hard to comprehend. It requires the most continued effort of the part of the mother so that she can grow fast enough to be able to enrich her children by the quality of her own life.
Certainly a house needs order. Certainly, it needs to e a place of preparation where needs can be met. Just as certainly, it needs to be a place of stimulation where people can grow in faith and knowledge and where their hearts can expand with wisdom and love and service. The great message for all mothers is to accept the challenge of the mighty task. Rearing children is worthy of our best efforts and the joys and blessings of this challenge are great....
Motherhood is a cause to command the best effort of every woman who has the opportunity. The care and training of the next generation is a cause to engage the finest minds and the greatest spirits in the world today, just as it has been in the past."
"Let every day be Mother's Day," Church News April 30, 1977.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Famous Fogelquist Family
Ok, we got featured in another article in the paper, this time, a huge, nearly half page article! Very flattering, cute picture, (taken by Lucinda, my sister-in-law) and the article is mostly accurate. Made me cry, please let me know what you think! Here's what it said:
Stone County Gazette
Kimberling City, Missouri
Publication date: Sept. 16, 2010
Make-A-Wish helps sick youngsters
Kimberling City bash scheduled Sunday at Bearded Clam
PHOTO CAPTION
The Fogelquist family of Branson – parents Doug and Claire, along with
Monte, 8, and Piper, 4 – were the recipients earlier this year of a hot
tub presented by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Monte has congenital
hydrocephalus. The Fogelquists plan to attend the annual Make-A-Wish
barbecue and auction benefit Sunday at the Bearded Clam Lounge and Eatery
in Kimberling City.
By Dave Abner
Managing Editor
Monte Fogelquist had his first brain surgery when he was seven days old.
Branson’s Claire Fogelquist, 31 – Monte’s mother – said she and husband
Doug, 35, didn’t know anything was wrong when they took Monte home from
the hospital.
They’d only been home a couple days when they rushed him back to the
hospital with a medical emergency.
In five minutes, their world was forever turned upside down.
Congenital hydrocephalus.
In layman terms, their precious little boy had water on the brain.
Claire said, “His brain didn’t develop normally.”
In five minutes, she and Doug had to approve the first surgery.
Brain surgery for a seven-day-old baby.
Their baby.
Claire Fogelquist is nothing if not a master of understatement. She said,
“Our life has been since then a series of adventures.”
The second brain surgery came at six weeks.
The almost-unthinkable diagnosis – Monte was blind. He was profoundly
deaf. He has a host of motor skill problems.
Today, Monte Fogelquist is eight. He turns nine next month.
In his young life, he’s had almost 30 brain surgeries. He’s also had
numerous other surgeries, his mother said.
MAKE-A-WISH
Doug and Claire Fogelquist stumbled on the Make-A-Wish Foundation by
accident.
Doug hails from Oregon, Claire from Idaho. They met at an Idaho college.
They later attended Brigham Young University in Utah. Monte was born in
Utah. So was Piper, their four-year-old daughter.
Several years back, the Fogelquists attended a Make-A-Wish fundraiser. A
volunteer took one look at Monte and handed Doug and Claire a Make-A-Wish
application.
Claire was surprised. She thought Make-A-Wish granted wishes for
youngsters with cancer, children with terminal illnesses.
At a second Make-A-Wish event, Doug and Claire were again handed a
Make-A-Wish application.
Claire Fogelquist decided it was time to investigate.
She mentioned the Make-A-Wish applications to her doctor.
Make-A-Wish is for kids with terminal illnesses, isn’t it?
That’s not our boy, she said.
That’s not our Monte.
What he has, Doctor – it’s not terminal, is it?
The doctor gave her the grim prognosis.
Unfortunately, yes.
MOVE TO MISSOURI
Doug’s work took him to southwest Missouri – Branson, in fact.
His employer bought a hotel in Branson. Doug also is involved in theater
management in Branson.
It was after the Fogelquists moved to Branson that Monte became a
Make-A-Wish recipient.
Make-A-Wish representatives contacted Doug and Claire.
What does Monte really want? What’s his wish?
Claire said they considered a number of possibilities – trip to a theme
park, playground equipment.
Finally, they hit on it – a hot tub.
Claire said, “This kid loves water more than anything in the whole, wide
world.”
She remembers the time they took Monte to a water park. It opened at 10
a.m., closed at 8 p.m.
Monte stayed all day. At 8 p.m., he still wasn’t ready to leave.
She said water allows Monte some freedom of movement he doesn’t enjoy
because of gravity constraints.
Plus, she said, with a hot tub, Doug and Claire could sneak in phsyical
therapy “and he would not even know he was getting physical therapy.”
So, area Make-A-Wish supporters – along with a lot of donors – raised the
money for Monte’s hot tub. They presented it to the Fogelquists earlier
this year.
Somebody kicked in extra money for landscaping around the tub.
The electrician came in and wired it for free. He was in and out in 20
minutes and Claire barely knew he was there.
She loves the new hot tub addition at home. “Everybody pitched in and made
it a wonderful paradise,” Claire said.
Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley got in on the act, presenting Monte with a
key to the city.
Claire choked up when she recalled the city proclamation Mayor Presley and
other city officials gave Monte. It stated that Monte Fogelquist was the
sort of citizen Branson was proud to claim as its own.
Claire raves about the folks in Taney and Stone counties, and the way
they’ve taken a shine to Monte Fogelquist.
She recalled her first meeting a few years back with school officials in
Branson.
What sort of class will you put Monte in, she wanted to know.
A kindergarten class.
But what type of class?
Kindergarten, they answered.
But won’t he be in some special class?
They told her, kindly but firmly – Monte’s going to be in a kindergarten
class, with kindergarten kids.
They’ve not ever backed off their commitment to love and to educate and to
take care of her youngster, Claire said.
Monte’s the “uncrowned king” of his school, his mother said. The students,
the teachers, the janitors, the principal – they all love and support her
child, and her family, Claire said.
She’s become a huge fan of southwest Missouri people since she moved here.
Claire and Doug take the kids to a Branson show – they get the royal
treatment, the free popcorn.
They go to a restaurant – the waiters bend over backward to make them feel
special.
It happens every day.
“We feel very loved and very blessed by our community,” Claire said.
And there’s some good news on the medical front – through the years,
Monte’s condition has improved slightly. Claire and Doug are pretty sure
he can hear loud noises, see at least a bit of bright color.
STONE COUNTY EVENT
The Fogelquists are headed to Stone County on Sunday.
The annual Make-A-Wish barbecue and auction kicks off at noon Sunday at
the Bearded Clam Longe and Eatery in Kimberling City.
It’s a daylong event of food and entertainment for a good cause.
Bearded Clam owners Ted and Beth Whitaker have held an annual Make-A-Wish
barbecue for several years running. Last year’s installment corralled
about $6,000 for the Make-A-Wish coffers.
The annual Make-a-Wish barbecue kicks off at noon Sunday. Staffers work
for free on barbecue day, donating their time and tips. The Whitakers give
20 percent of any sales for the day.
For a $10 fee, participants can have an all-you-can-eat lunch. This year’s
menu tentatively includes ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs.
Live music goes on all day with seven bands on the bill, including Classic
Reunion, Smooth Down Under, Lainz Gang, Cruise Control, Dasani and the
Third Gear Band and Highway 13. In addition, Tear Gas – a band of young
players comprised of area teens – are scheduled to perform.
Between each music set, volunteer auctioneers will auction goods and
services donated by local merchants and residents.
All admission and auction proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish.
MAKE-A-WISH FRIDAY
One other Make-A-Wish function is planned at the Bearded Clam this week.
The third of three Make-A-Wish Friday events runs from 5-7 p.m. tomorrow.
Celebrity mixologists Jim and Melanie Christiansen will serve patrons. Tip
jars are scattered throughout the establishment. Tips and donations go to
Make-A-Wish, along with a portion of the business proceeds.
CLOSING NOTES
Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 when a group of volunteers helped a sick
young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer.
The organization is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world,
with 65 chapters in the United States and U.S. territories.
The Whitakers work with the Make-A-Wish outlet headquartered in Springfield.
Make-A-Wish has granted more than 19,000 wishes since its 1980 inception.
Springfield Make-A-Wish representatives hope to grant wishes to more than
50 area children this year.
The goal is not necessarily an easy one to fulfill. Make-A-Wish officials
say the average cost of making a sick youngster’s dream come true has
increased to more than $6,500.
Call 739-4440 for more information.
Stone County Gazette
Kimberling City, Missouri
Publication date: Sept. 16, 2010
Make-A-Wish helps sick youngsters
Kimberling City bash scheduled Sunday at Bearded Clam
PHOTO CAPTION
The Fogelquist family of Branson – parents Doug and Claire, along with
Monte, 8, and Piper, 4 – were the recipients earlier this year of a hot
tub presented by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Monte has congenital
hydrocephalus. The Fogelquists plan to attend the annual Make-A-Wish
barbecue and auction benefit Sunday at the Bearded Clam Lounge and Eatery
in Kimberling City.
By Dave Abner
Managing Editor
Monte Fogelquist had his first brain surgery when he was seven days old.
Branson’s Claire Fogelquist, 31 – Monte’s mother – said she and husband
Doug, 35, didn’t know anything was wrong when they took Monte home from
the hospital.
They’d only been home a couple days when they rushed him back to the
hospital with a medical emergency.
In five minutes, their world was forever turned upside down.
Congenital hydrocephalus.
In layman terms, their precious little boy had water on the brain.
Claire said, “His brain didn’t develop normally.”
In five minutes, she and Doug had to approve the first surgery.
Brain surgery for a seven-day-old baby.
Their baby.
Claire Fogelquist is nothing if not a master of understatement. She said,
“Our life has been since then a series of adventures.”
The second brain surgery came at six weeks.
The almost-unthinkable diagnosis – Monte was blind. He was profoundly
deaf. He has a host of motor skill problems.
Today, Monte Fogelquist is eight. He turns nine next month.
In his young life, he’s had almost 30 brain surgeries. He’s also had
numerous other surgeries, his mother said.
MAKE-A-WISH
Doug and Claire Fogelquist stumbled on the Make-A-Wish Foundation by
accident.
Doug hails from Oregon, Claire from Idaho. They met at an Idaho college.
They later attended Brigham Young University in Utah. Monte was born in
Utah. So was Piper, their four-year-old daughter.
Several years back, the Fogelquists attended a Make-A-Wish fundraiser. A
volunteer took one look at Monte and handed Doug and Claire a Make-A-Wish
application.
Claire was surprised. She thought Make-A-Wish granted wishes for
youngsters with cancer, children with terminal illnesses.
At a second Make-A-Wish event, Doug and Claire were again handed a
Make-A-Wish application.
Claire Fogelquist decided it was time to investigate.
She mentioned the Make-A-Wish applications to her doctor.
Make-A-Wish is for kids with terminal illnesses, isn’t it?
That’s not our boy, she said.
That’s not our Monte.
What he has, Doctor – it’s not terminal, is it?
The doctor gave her the grim prognosis.
Unfortunately, yes.
MOVE TO MISSOURI
Doug’s work took him to southwest Missouri – Branson, in fact.
His employer bought a hotel in Branson. Doug also is involved in theater
management in Branson.
It was after the Fogelquists moved to Branson that Monte became a
Make-A-Wish recipient.
Make-A-Wish representatives contacted Doug and Claire.
What does Monte really want? What’s his wish?
Claire said they considered a number of possibilities – trip to a theme
park, playground equipment.
Finally, they hit on it – a hot tub.
Claire said, “This kid loves water more than anything in the whole, wide
world.”
She remembers the time they took Monte to a water park. It opened at 10
a.m., closed at 8 p.m.
Monte stayed all day. At 8 p.m., he still wasn’t ready to leave.
She said water allows Monte some freedom of movement he doesn’t enjoy
because of gravity constraints.
Plus, she said, with a hot tub, Doug and Claire could sneak in phsyical
therapy “and he would not even know he was getting physical therapy.”
So, area Make-A-Wish supporters – along with a lot of donors – raised the
money for Monte’s hot tub. They presented it to the Fogelquists earlier
this year.
Somebody kicked in extra money for landscaping around the tub.
The electrician came in and wired it for free. He was in and out in 20
minutes and Claire barely knew he was there.
She loves the new hot tub addition at home. “Everybody pitched in and made
it a wonderful paradise,” Claire said.
Branson Mayor Raeanne Presley got in on the act, presenting Monte with a
key to the city.
Claire choked up when she recalled the city proclamation Mayor Presley and
other city officials gave Monte. It stated that Monte Fogelquist was the
sort of citizen Branson was proud to claim as its own.
Claire raves about the folks in Taney and Stone counties, and the way
they’ve taken a shine to Monte Fogelquist.
She recalled her first meeting a few years back with school officials in
Branson.
What sort of class will you put Monte in, she wanted to know.
A kindergarten class.
But what type of class?
Kindergarten, they answered.
But won’t he be in some special class?
They told her, kindly but firmly – Monte’s going to be in a kindergarten
class, with kindergarten kids.
They’ve not ever backed off their commitment to love and to educate and to
take care of her youngster, Claire said.
Monte’s the “uncrowned king” of his school, his mother said. The students,
the teachers, the janitors, the principal – they all love and support her
child, and her family, Claire said.
She’s become a huge fan of southwest Missouri people since she moved here.
Claire and Doug take the kids to a Branson show – they get the royal
treatment, the free popcorn.
They go to a restaurant – the waiters bend over backward to make them feel
special.
It happens every day.
“We feel very loved and very blessed by our community,” Claire said.
And there’s some good news on the medical front – through the years,
Monte’s condition has improved slightly. Claire and Doug are pretty sure
he can hear loud noises, see at least a bit of bright color.
STONE COUNTY EVENT
The Fogelquists are headed to Stone County on Sunday.
The annual Make-A-Wish barbecue and auction kicks off at noon Sunday at
the Bearded Clam Longe and Eatery in Kimberling City.
It’s a daylong event of food and entertainment for a good cause.
Bearded Clam owners Ted and Beth Whitaker have held an annual Make-A-Wish
barbecue for several years running. Last year’s installment corralled
about $6,000 for the Make-A-Wish coffers.
The annual Make-a-Wish barbecue kicks off at noon Sunday. Staffers work
for free on barbecue day, donating their time and tips. The Whitakers give
20 percent of any sales for the day.
For a $10 fee, participants can have an all-you-can-eat lunch. This year’s
menu tentatively includes ribs, hamburgers and hot dogs.
Live music goes on all day with seven bands on the bill, including Classic
Reunion, Smooth Down Under, Lainz Gang, Cruise Control, Dasani and the
Third Gear Band and Highway 13. In addition, Tear Gas – a band of young
players comprised of area teens – are scheduled to perform.
Between each music set, volunteer auctioneers will auction goods and
services donated by local merchants and residents.
All admission and auction proceeds benefit Make-A-Wish.
MAKE-A-WISH FRIDAY
One other Make-A-Wish function is planned at the Bearded Clam this week.
The third of three Make-A-Wish Friday events runs from 5-7 p.m. tomorrow.
Celebrity mixologists Jim and Melanie Christiansen will serve patrons. Tip
jars are scattered throughout the establishment. Tips and donations go to
Make-A-Wish, along with a portion of the business proceeds.
CLOSING NOTES
Make-A-Wish was founded in 1980 when a group of volunteers helped a sick
young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer.
The organization is now the largest wish-granting charity in the world,
with 65 chapters in the United States and U.S. territories.
The Whitakers work with the Make-A-Wish outlet headquartered in Springfield.
Make-A-Wish has granted more than 19,000 wishes since its 1980 inception.
Springfield Make-A-Wish representatives hope to grant wishes to more than
50 area children this year.
The goal is not necessarily an easy one to fulfill. Make-A-Wish officials
say the average cost of making a sick youngster’s dream come true has
increased to more than $6,500.
Call 739-4440 for more information.
Finally, a new post!
Ok, I had decided that since I have been too busy to blog I would leave the Thunder Muffin recipe on until someone made them...but I give up! Did anyone ever try them? I promise, you'll be so glad you did! Alas, I will now move on...
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Blueberry Thunder Muffins
So for 3 years I've heard about this blueberry farm that you can pick your own blueberries at, this year we finally went!!! And I was so excited, it actually exceeded my expectations. The blueberries were huge, the blackberries as big as my thumb, and delicious, and the rules: to eat as many as you could! We filled up with these magical muffins and pancakes and cobbler also...it seemed unavoidable! Try them, you'll be forever grateful you did!
Here is the recipe for
Blueberry Thunder Muffins
Persimmon Hill Farm’s jumbo muffins, they affectionately call Thunder Muffins. Made in extra-large muffin pans, they offer big flavor to your morning breakfast.
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen can be substituted)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Line six 3 1/2-inch (jumbo) muffin cups with paper baking cups; set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
In large mixing bowl, beat butter with electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add 1 cup sugar; beat until well combined. Beat in eggs, milk, vanilla (mixture will look curdled.) Stir in flour mixture until just moistened (batter should be lumpy). Gently stir in berries.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each nearly full. In small bowl, combine the 1 Tbsp. sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle sugar mixture over batter.
Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in centers come out clean. Cool in muffin cups on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin cups; serve warm.
Makes 6 jumbo muffins
Make a wish Magic
So I finally made myself sit down and write thank-you's for Monte's make a wish. I know, it's terrible that I put it off so long, but how do you thank someone for something so marvelous? I know, I've hardly even talked or blogged about it, it was all just so miraculous and amazing to have this entire team work together to do something special for my kid. My amazing, wonderful, tough, superman son.
So, here's the gist of what I wrote, I though you should all know how wonderful these people are!!
If you get a chance, use them for your business needs, they're so generous and giving, I want them to be rewarded!
Conco Concrete, Wyndham Resorts, Branson Hot Tub and Spas, K&R Electric, Make-a-wish Foundation of Missouri.
"It has taken us a long time to write this thank-you because our hearts are so full it's difficult to articulate it. Thank-you for granting Monte's wish. It has been pure joy to see how much he loves it. For a sweet spirit like his to be the recipient of so much love in giving, we are blessed beyond anything. I know we will never know all the efforts that went into this process...but we do know that many people made great sacrifices. Please help us convey our gratitude to each of them. As I write this, Monte is in the hospital recovering from a major, painful, back surgery. We're so grateful that most of the days in the last few months have been filled with swimming in his awesome hot tub. He has leaned back into the soothing jets, splashed around in the waterfall, loved the lights at midnight when he's still awake and playing!!, and rocked out to the music in the speakers. It has brought him such comfort and joy, and will the the instrument that will help him heal faster. It has been, and will continue to be a blessing in our lives."
Here's some pictures from the party, thanks to our friends, family, teachers, and classmates that come to celebrate with us! It was a lot of fun, and did I mention that Mayor Presley came and gave Monte a key to the city? It was presented with a certificate that said, among other things, "Monte is a citizen that of whom Branson may be proud." Cool. Never got that in Utah!
Monday, July 5, 2010
4th of July
So Monte and I ended up having a not so terrible night! We had a window view of the Missouri River, and watched fireworks lit off from dozens of sights along the river, as we listened to patriotic music on the tv...he slept through most of it, but appreciated the break, I think! Here's some cute pictures of Piper last year...missing them!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
Camp Barnabas, Heaven on Earth!
So we had an easier time dropping Monte off this year, a few less tears, and lots of enthusiasm! All summer, anytime Monte heard the words, "Camp Barnabas!" he'd burst into smiles and start laughing. So this week as we started the countdown he got so happy!! As we lined up with the other wheelchair vans prepared to drop him off to a cheering audience of counselors, Piper kept taking pictures of Monte and saying, "Are you excited to go to Camp Barabas??!!" It was a happy car!
We were thrilled to be partnered with one of the world's special spirits, Blake, an adorable 16 year old boy who has volunteered for 2 years and drove up in 2 busloads of kids from Dallas Texas. He loved Monte so much from the get-go, and the bond got stronger everyday, as you can see from the pictures! At the end of camp, I thanked him with these words, "Not very many people take the time to get to know the true Monte, and you really did. We will be forever grateful to you, and you will always be a special friend to him. Thank-you."
He told me that through the week he was so concerned about Monte that he found that he forgot to take care of himself! "There were days I forgot to take a shower or brush my teeth, or eat or go to the bathroom, but I always make sure he did!" He also was devastated when I asked about Monte's superman trip off the bunkbed..."I'm so sorry, it was inexcusable...I was on my break...I'm so sorry..." I though he was going to cry, he was so upset!
Anyway, he reported that Monte LOVED the shooting range and shooting the guns, he "slept in till almost 6, then just jumped into the party going on in the cabin with the campers that woke up even earlier!" He enjoyed smelling lemon leaves in the gardens, making pretzels, fishing, making Indian noises and drums in the "new world," swimming almost every day, and flying in the parachute tents.
What a perfect week.
His cabin 'dad' was an amazing man in his late 20's who had a sister with a similar condition that passed away a few years ago, at 25. He is a youth pastor who drove 19 youth from Ohio to volunteer with them. He said, "If only my sister could have been a part of this when she was on this earth...but it doesn't matter now, she's in a perfect body in Heaven, doing all of this and more now. I just want to be with these kids to help them have a wonderful week and be able to do anything they want without being told 'no'"
Anyway...
Here's some pictures!
Camp Barnabas, Theme Background!
But in fact, God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them,
just as he WANTED them to be." I Corinthians 12:18
The Theme for Camp Barnabas this week...wow.
And this is from their newsletter:
Dear "first_name":
Do you get doubt? Like really, get what doubt is, what it means, what it does to your perspective? When you doubt something, you regard it as unlikely. Like when you're in a difficult position financially and you don't think you'll ever see daylight. Or when you hear the words, "You have cancer" or "Your child has Down syndrome." And you don't think your life will ever be normal again.
Those perspectives can be devastating. But what if we understood that everything about our lives is arranged just as God wants it to be? What if we knew we are truly wanted by God and that is why He has this life for us? You might even say, what if we really trusted God?
Each day this summer our campers are discussing aspects of what it means to dispel doubt by embracing trust. But it is those of us here with them that are learning the real lessons. Because their approach to life sets aside doubt. Their faith in the God who created them challenges us all to accept that we are exactly where He wants us to be.
And one more thing!
This summer marks the 15th year of camp. In looking for ways to share with you what these years have meant, we decided to capture camp through the eyes of someone with a fresh perspective. Sam Avery is a cabin counselor this summer...the first time he's ever been to Camp Barnabas. Each edition this summer he will share how God is shaping him....
At the end of staff week, Sam shared:
My first week at Camp Barnabas can be summarized in one word: overwhelming! It has been a week full of training, hard work and a lot of learning. The Barnabas community is one filled with passion, sacrifice and love for the kids and most importantly God...I was asked how I felt after being here a week and this was the most accurate response I could think of. I felt like a little kid who is super thirsty and is trying to drink water out of an open fire hydrant.
Then, following Term 1:
I can't believe how alive camp became when the campers arrived. It was a week full of much learning. I was challenged to trust God and know that He was going to carry me through. Living life with the campers was very exciting. I was able to serve at all hours of the day and night and know that I was an encouragement. The campers showed me what true joy is life. I was blessed to be a part of their lives. I was exhausted at the end of every day, but didn't regret it. The week could be summarized with one word...grace. God bestowed much grace upon my co (cabin staff partner) and I as He allowed this week to be great! We didn't know how it would turn out, but I don't think we could have asked for a better start of camp.
just as he WANTED them to be." I Corinthians 12:18
The Theme for Camp Barnabas this week...wow.
And this is from their newsletter:
Dear "first_name":
Do you get doubt? Like really, get what doubt is, what it means, what it does to your perspective? When you doubt something, you regard it as unlikely. Like when you're in a difficult position financially and you don't think you'll ever see daylight. Or when you hear the words, "You have cancer" or "Your child has Down syndrome." And you don't think your life will ever be normal again.
Those perspectives can be devastating. But what if we understood that everything about our lives is arranged just as God wants it to be? What if we knew we are truly wanted by God and that is why He has this life for us? You might even say, what if we really trusted God?
Each day this summer our campers are discussing aspects of what it means to dispel doubt by embracing trust. But it is those of us here with them that are learning the real lessons. Because their approach to life sets aside doubt. Their faith in the God who created them challenges us all to accept that we are exactly where He wants us to be.
And one more thing!
This summer marks the 15th year of camp. In looking for ways to share with you what these years have meant, we decided to capture camp through the eyes of someone with a fresh perspective. Sam Avery is a cabin counselor this summer...the first time he's ever been to Camp Barnabas. Each edition this summer he will share how God is shaping him....
At the end of staff week, Sam shared:
My first week at Camp Barnabas can be summarized in one word: overwhelming! It has been a week full of training, hard work and a lot of learning. The Barnabas community is one filled with passion, sacrifice and love for the kids and most importantly God...I was asked how I felt after being here a week and this was the most accurate response I could think of. I felt like a little kid who is super thirsty and is trying to drink water out of an open fire hydrant.
Then, following Term 1:
I can't believe how alive camp became when the campers arrived. It was a week full of much learning. I was challenged to trust God and know that He was going to carry me through. Living life with the campers was very exciting. I was able to serve at all hours of the day and night and know that I was an encouragement. The campers showed me what true joy is life. I was blessed to be a part of their lives. I was exhausted at the end of every day, but didn't regret it. The week could be summarized with one word...grace. God bestowed much grace upon my co (cabin staff partner) and I as He allowed this week to be great! We didn't know how it would turn out, but I don't think we could have asked for a better start of camp.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
My favorite pictures!
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How wonderful are these!!? We felt and looked like princesses...or does that make me a queen now? Thanks Lucinda!
Me and my sisters and mom, and me and my special princess.
Allison's Wedding Pictures Take 2
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One of the best parts of Allison's wedding was getting the entire family together..except for Karl! Oh, well, maybe the next wedding we'll have everyone! Here's my family, all 7 kids, and their spouses and kids. (again, except for Lindsay's husband of one year, Karl). I loved the pictures of all the girls, dressed in blue and silver, the Cinderella theme that Allison picked. What a cute family, right? The group picture is hilarious, none of us are looking, someone is screaming, some are caring for their kids...ect. What a typical family moment!
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