Crazy Love Gamble-Style

We had the honor of attending our little friend Jacks No Mo Chemo Party!  What a long road this little guy and his family have been on!  Jack was diagnosed with A.L.L. Leukemia in January of 2012, when he was just 2 years old.  He is such an inspirational little fighter!!  The pinata, a pill bottle listing all of Jack's meds that he has been on through this journey.  Everyone wrote prayers and wishes on the balloons for Jack before we let them go.  Each family member got to take a whack at the pinata!  Jack even got a few punches in! Please do pray for continued health for little Jack, and peace for his family as this phase doesn't come without worry or fear.    That being said, I couldn't be happier for them as they enter this new phase of life, chemo free! This is such a wonderful thing to celebrate!!  Here's to a happy, healthy futu...

The other day we went on a little hike with my friend Jessica.  She just had her third boy, Crosby, so we finally got a chance to meet him.  We also did a little geocaching along the way....  Love my Ava girl.  Crosby, I just love the name.  And he is adorable.  They found the first box!  It turns out that it is filled with junk, like the exact stuff I'm constantly trying to eradicate from our lives.  Maybe we can bring, and leave our random little kid treasures here, for other kids to find...just a thought.  Love these girls!  Max!  Our bug.  Oh I adore log cabins.  Had to force a group shot.  That is my job.  Ava caught a butterfly.  And eventually let it go...  Nature.  Boys.  Good luck keeping them out of the water/dirt/mud.  Cute.  I love this.  Apples for all.  Ava struggled with her complete lack of tee...

On Sunday, I was asked to speak at our church (IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!!) about the lessons God has taught me through running and how it has strengthened my faith.  First off I was sweating buckets, I was so nervous!  I am not a fan of public speaking, it is not really part of my skill set.  I was terrified. Somehow, I got through it, here is what I said: Three years ago I could never have imagined myself running at all, much like pastor Terry, I saw it as a torturous thing to be avoided at all costs.  I was forty pounds heavier, with terrible asthma & three pins in my hip, it's just not something I could imagine myself being able to do. The Lord helped me push past all of that, and as I became a runner, I started to see that I was the only one holding myself back.   I wanted to run this race, to break through my fears and my doubts, to prove to myself that there is nothing that I can't do, but I did not do it alone.  As a new Christi...

On Sunday I ran my first marathon.   There's something I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SAY.  Notice the word "first" slid in there too, you can't run just one can you?  Now I have a time to beat.. .. Kind of crazy when you think about it: 26.2 miles.  But it's so much more than that.  A journey.  A physical, mental, and spiritual journey.  So many hours of dedication & discipline all coming together.  Those miles taught me a lot about myself and what I can accomplish.  They brought me closer to God, as I spent nearly all of them listening to, and studying His word.  This whole process really got me thinking about how we set our own limits.  I had been telling myself, for all kinds of reasons, what I can't do. But when I push through that negativity, I realize I can do whatever I put my mind to.   Even if I fail, that's okay, it is all part of the process that eventually leads to success. I really ...