Make a Smilebox scrapbook

There just aren't words...I am blessed.

Daniel wrote the song they are singing..here are the words:

Here we are, in the fires glow.
While children play in the peaceful snow.
Here we stand around the tree,
Together so full of glee. This Christmas Eve
Here we are, so full of cheer.
Singing loud for all to hear.
Here we laugh and here we play/
We’ll remember this perfect day… this Christmas day,
Here we are with the ones we love, together and that’s enough.

Sights of the Season

Snow Day!

Sigh..how can you not LOVE this!

WE SAY THANK YOU!

To all of those who have served our country with honor, in the past and still today. We say thank you to those who have given their life so that we may be free.

I think Randy says it better than I can..

Just click on the title.

Happy November!!!

Like clockwork the first day of November has brought a cold rainy morning. Oh well.

Last night was a busy night for trick or treaters in our neighborhood. We had over 175 "kids" come through. I use the term kids loosely. When they are taller than me and pushing a baby stroller, well...sorry they are not really kids anymore.
Daniel had a fun time assuming his usual role of Bob the pumpkin. The little ones are so fun to watch as they converse with our talking pumpkin. All and all it was a pretty quiet night. Katie was picked up at 11 p.m. to sleep over at a friend's house. Once she left it was off to bed for the rest of us.
Here's a few pics of the pumpkins from this year. Can you guess whose is whose?

5 years..and counting..

Today is the 5 year anniversary of owning our own business. Mark has done such an incredible job of managing all of the day to day things that go on at work. We have been blessed that the business continues to be viable even in a very scary economy. We are thankful for the blessings that God continues to bestow on our little t-shirt shop. :-)

Today we sing Happy Birthday again...

only this time it is to our son, Mark Everett, who lives surrounded by the Glory of our God. Born still..on October 29th 1994. Today he would have been 14.

I debated about whether or not I would include a picture of Mark Everett in my blog. My intent is but to remember and celebrate our son, as we do our other children. Each year I post pictures of the kids releasing balloons to Heaven, which we will do once again today. However today, I found myself looking over Mark's scrapbook and analyzing every detail of his face and reflecting. I wonder if he would have looked more like Katie or Daniel? What color were his eyes? I wonder what his Heavenly body looks like? Does he remember our voices? Does he look down from heaven and smile at the antics of his siblings? Questions I look forward to one day having answered as I reunite with our boy in the presence of the One who comforted us as he received our little one home.

Shameless plug...

We attended the Video Slam at the DIVA center downtown last night. Film makers of all kinds are invited to bring completed or in work projects for viewing and critique. The kids brought their "Broken" video. It was voted best of the night! The folks in attendance were very complimentary and offered some useful feedback as well.

So..here's the disclaimer: There were only 11 people in attendance and we comprised 4 of them. Mark and I did abstain from voting though. Oh..and there was only 2 other videos..one of them was from a local gentleman..and the other..Katie's driver's ed project.

That said, the kids really enjoyed the event. It is something they hold every month and they are looking forward to attending more of them. They are working on their next film which they have decided to enter in DIVA's youth vision video contest.
Sigh..our kids are so cool.

Friends because they choose to be..

We are now a two teenager household. While some shudder at the very thought, we have embraced it wholeheartedly. Our children astound us. While I have no intentions of going on and on about what great kids they are, although I could, I really want to write about what great siblings they are.
I have heard the stories of sibling rivalries as well as tales of rebellious teenagers, I have even lived some of them. What I have seen in our children however goes against all that the world has wanted me to believe about teenagers, and big sisters with little brothers. Last night was a prime example of how our children have avoided the stereotypical teenager label.
Mark and I attended a Chamber of Commerce event which had us away from the house and the kids for several hours. Our teens were on their own for dinner and entertainment. As the dinner hour drew near my husband's cell phone rang. On the other end was our son, calling from his sister's cell phone. They were just calling to let us know they were on their way up to Dairy Queen to get some dinner. Katie, our 17 year old was going to treat her brother with her own money. They were also going to splurge on a pumpkin pie blizzard, which they would share. They wanted to know how the event was going, and Katie wanted to let Mark know she had missed not seeing him all day. (He had left for work before she woke up)
When we got home that evening we were exhausted. It had been a very long week for us both. We decided we would all turn in early. As Mark and I lay in bed we could hear laughter coming from down the hall. I went to investigate and found Daniel sitting on Katie's bed. They had found an old CD and were reminiscing about some of the songs. The two of them sat and talked and sang and laughed for several hours. Generally, when we are exhausted, voices and music would cause us to be a bit grumpy. But Mark and I couldn't help but smile and give thanks. "How many 17 year old girls would even care to hang out with their 13 year old brothers?" we thought. We hope the number is more than we would suppose. Regardless of the number however, I am happy that our kids don't fit into any 'typical teenager' mold, that they have chosen to be friends despite any stigmatism that might befall them.

Daniel's film clip from Brian Slater's jump.

Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome

I have noticed recently quite a few visits to my blog from people who are searching the words Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome. If you go to my oldest posts (2005) you will find more info in regards to our son's experience. It was discovered that Daniel also had some very severe inner ear issues going on, and although the doctors will tell you to this day were not related, after undergoing surgery for the ear problems the CVS symptoms went away..completely.

Happy 13th Birthday Daniel!

Today our boy is 13. That's right, we now only have teenagers in the house. This is a birthday card of sorts to my son. I of course had to include the comparison picture of Mark at 13. Our son is nothing short of wonderful. I know, I know everyone says that about their child. But really, Daniel has been such a blessing in our lives. His smile warms our heart. He has a never ending supply of hugs. He loves the Lord with all his heart. He believes you should always wave at policemen. His movie making ability astounds us. Daniel loves his sister so much that he hurts when she hurts. He is genuinely sad when he hears people upset. His desire is that everyone should be happy and grateful for the things that they have. He is never selfish. He is responsible in his schooling. He has a passion for music and when he plays his guitar you can feel it. He is a constant source of encouragement to his parents. He believes that we are in fact great. He makes us laugh sometimes to the point of tears. He will not go to bed without us saying prayers with him and still likes to be kissed goodnight. Family time is important to him and does not let us skimp in this area. He is all that we could ever want or hope for in a son.
Dan the man... We love you..to the moon and back. You are always welcome to give us hugs and snuggle up beside us. We are so very proud of the young man you are becoming and look forward to what God has in store for you in the future.

Bouncing back from a layoff..

I received the newest issue of Runner's World recently and was delighted to find there was an article that was written just for me. Let me expound. The article is entitled, "Back in the Groove..Workouts to get you going again after a running layoff."
I have experienced a running layoff. A looonggg running layoff. As of late, my running shoes have covered more mileage at the grocery store than the running trails.
I'm not sure when exactly the decline began, but to my best recollection it was sometime after I ran the half marathon. I think perhaps I assumed I had accomplished what I had set out to do and it was okay to slow down the training a bit. The slowdown was really unnoticeable at first, a missed day here and there, the next thing I know, it had been several weeks since I'd ran and my body was beginning to exhibit the physical side effects. My jeans started to shrink. (Ladies you know how that can be) Climbing the stairs to do a load of laundry left me a little winded. Gone were the scheduled runs and the drive to improve my times. If I did run it was just enough to get by, but not really make me tired or challenge me, or cause those jeans to get any bigger. I was lazy.

I think perhaps our spiritual life can experience a 'layoff' from time to time as well. And you know, I think the cause is the same, we get lazy. We do just enough to get by. Our daily Bible reading gets put off and soon it's our weekly Bible reading and the next thing you know you can't remember the last thing you read in the Bible. I have come to believe that this spiritual layoff has a lot of the same side effects as my running layoff. Physical side effects such as stress, or tension headaches become more frequent. My desire to serve diminishes. I still serve, but not wholeheartedly and not as unto the LORD. I become lazy in my prayer life as well.

The article mentions some 'workouts' to help get your running back on track. I have discovered that God provides us with spiritual workouts as well, to help kick-start us once again. Our church is involved in an outreach called "Under the Bridge". This event will take place this Sunday in an area of town that generally attracts a lot of homeless individuals. This is an opportunity to share Christ's love in a tangible way through food, and clothing and really just meeting the needs of others. A way to step out of our comfort zones and be used by God the way the He would choose. I realize that God would desire that I be prepared to give Him my all for this event. To me that means being ready, praying beforehand for all who will be in attendance, being in the Word so as to be ready to give an answer for my faith. To stop being lazy.

My running shoes have been dusted off and have seen 3 days in a row of running, thanks to a timely magazine article. My joints are a little sore, but they are happy. My Bible too has been dusted off, thanks to my God who knows how to best make my soul happy.

The kids summer project

Some of my favorite pictures from the trip.

Our trip...a synopsis

We departed Eugene promptly at 10 a.m. Monday morning after sending Jenna off to the neighbors. There was a slight briskness in the air, reminding us of autumns fast approach. The kids snickered in the back of the van at the full school parking lots. They have come to love these September vacations. We stopped at the corner Dutch Bros for a few cups of coffee and headed southbound on I-5. We stopped for lunch at an Arby's in Medford. I took over the driving after lunch and Mark took a much needed nap.
A few miles beyond the Siskiyou Pass we found it necessary to turn on the air. There was no doubt we were in California and the temperature was rising. The sign at the Shasta Lake fire department showed 106 degrees as we passed heading for our cabin. Shasta Lake came into view. Well, what once was Shasta Lake. The lake-bed was dry, with the exception of a slight trickle of water slowly streaming through the lowest point. Old, forgotten railroad tunnels were now visible and Daniel perked up at the thought of exploring.
Mark's Dad and Donna were already at the cabin when we arrived. We joked about the lack of water, each knowing that what really mattered was an opportunity to spend a week visiting and enjoying each other's company.

Monday: After the drive we really just unpacked and chatted. We BBQ'd that evening,

Tuesday: A slow morning, lingering over cups of coffee, a little tv watching, then a trip to Mossbrae Falls. Mark, Dad, Donna and I ventured to these little known falls. (Although apparently Pres. Bush made the trek to the falls the last time he was in OR) The kids stayed behind at the cabin, choosing to watch the movie Cloverfield. (My kids have had to follow me to too many waterfalls)
The hike to the falls requires walking along railroad tracks for about a mile. Thankfully we did not meet any trains. Down a short path through some trees..and there it was! A beautiful fall cascading over a moss covered butte. What a blast.

Wed: Was our boating day. We had to go down the road a bit to put the boat in the water, but once we got out there was still quite a bit of lake. We dropped anchor in a cove and swam for a while. There were very few boats on the lake and we enjoyed the solitude. That evening Katie started to develop a bit of a sore throat.

Thursday: We drove to the small town of McCloud. A quaint little town with a few shops and a really great diner! Just outside of McCloud are the McCloud waterfalls. Well you all know how I am about waterfalls. Katie was pretty listless most of the morning, her cold getting worse, so the trip to the falls entailed Katie relaxing in the car while the rest of us viewed the lower falls. Marks Dad and Donna and I walked up the trail to the next two falls, while Mark drove Katie and Daniel to the upper falls where we would eventually meet them. When we at last regrouped we discovered the van had developed a flat tire. (thus the tire changing pic)

Some teaser photos..

There are so many stories to tell about our trip this year. These photos are just to whet your appetite.

The Car that God Brought...

As most of you know, Katie's car, Delilah was totaled about a month ago. We have been searching for a replacement car for sometime. I was visiting Craig's list daily and Mark was running all over town looking at potential cars. It was frustrating to say the least, primarily due to the fact that Delilah sort of landed in our lap. A neighbor two houses down was selling her, she was the perfect starter car for Katie.
Last week I was thinking, wouldn't it be great if God just brought the perfect car into our path? So, why not pray for that...LOL! Sunday Mark and I were driving to Big 5 and this little Camry turns in front of us with "For Sale" written on the back glass and a phone number. We follow the car through a mall parking lot waiting for him to park. When it becomes obvious that he is not going to park, I call the number. The man is somewhat startled to look in his rearview mirror and see this very large red truck tailing him. We ask if he will park so we can see the car. It turns out that the man had put the for sale sign in the window only a few hours before and had not even put it in the paper or advertised it for sale. Mark checked it all over and deemed it a very good choice. We brought Katie over to see it later that evening..and VOILA', Katie has a new car.
Thanks be to God who is faithful ALWAYS!

Olympic hopefuls?

So yesterday we picked up a ping pong table for the kids. With fall approaching quickly and the rains on the horizon we thought it would make for a great past-time during those long winter months. The bonus is, we can all four play at the same time.

Still Waiting...

So, the trip to Portland did not happen as we thought. Dad's doctors are still conferring over what they will do next. So for now we are in a holding pattern. Instead of a trek to Portland, I spent the day once again at the plant helping with production. It's been a long two days, and it looks like it's going to be a long week. We are looking forward to our vacation to Shasta lake in 2 weeks!

A Very Long Week...

Finally an opportunity to sit and catch-up. It's been one heck of a week. Some of you probably know that my Dad has been experiencing poor health for the past 4 months. He has had numerous trips to the VA hospital in Roseburg and in Portland.
His most recent trip to the emergency room was for a kidney stone attack which warranted a CT scan to determine the location and size of the stone. It was determined that the stone would safely pass on it's own, however the radiologist discovered something of much greater concern. He saw what appeared to be a 6 cm tumor at the head of my Dad's pancreas. A very grim discovery indeed, which carries a poor prognosis. Prayers began immediately. A second CT scan in Portland revealed that there was NO cancer, but there was inflammation that was most likely being caused by a fistula somewhere between the pancreas and the bile duct. A huge sigh of relief went through the Charest family. We have all experienced the gamut of emotions this week. Throughout it all however, we have trusted that God would take care of everything.
Tuesday, I will once again be in Portland with Mom and Dad as we meet with doctors to determine what will need to be done to rectify the fistula issue. Thank you to all who have been praying.
The pictures above were taken in Portland from the skybridge that passes between the Portland VA hospital and the OHSU hospital. The silver 'orb' is the tram that runs from the OHSU center in town up to the OHSU at the top of the hill. The picture of the parking lot was taken by me holding the camera over the edge of the platform where the tram picks up passengers. I am quite the acrophobiac and there was no way I was getting too close to the edge.

The rest of the story to come...

Camping...

So we decided to get away for a quick overnight camping trip to the coast. I always enjoy just hanging out with my family. No agendas, no expectations, just us. The weather was very pleasant reaching a high of 75. As is typical with the Oregon coast, it was windy, but we made the best of it.

Oh the memories we make!

Another weekend has come and gone. It seems like we packed a lot in this past weekend. Our church had their annual white water rafting trip on the McKenzie river. Our friends, Dave and Kay Smith joined us. You discover some very interesting things about people when you spend a day rafting. For instance, who knew Dave was such a terror with a water cannon? I think our pirate flag suited our boat well. We were heavily armed and showed no mercy. Dave will claim it was self-defense. Yes, yes..of course it was self-defense. The jolly roger flag meant nothing. ;-) We were so pleased that our friends were such good sports about the whole adventure. Katie and Kay were able to bond in a whole new way that only girls can appreciate. In the end, we all managed to stay in the boat, but not an inch of us was dry! I will post a link soon with some pictures.


In other news: We received the news from the insurance today. Katie will get about $700 less than what she paid for her car. :-(
In the end, it was actually more than what they thought they would give her. Next week we shall once again be car shopping.

"17"

The picture on the bottom was taken on her actual birthday. The top pictures were taken Saturday night before she left for a 60's theme party for a friend who is turning 16. She was somewhat in 'costume' but didn't go overboard.

Happy Birthday to our Girl!

In my humble opinion the world became a better place on August 7th, 1991 at precisely 2:18 p.m.
We never cease to remember how blessed we are to have Katie in our lives. I consider those who have had the chance to know her very fortunate. She exudes joyfulness and generally brings laughter wherever she goes.
The above pictures are a few 'snippets' from the day. The page from my journal, my first look at her, and her footprints.

17 and a 1/2 years ago...

So..can you spot the baby in the ultrasound? The only time Katie ever sucked her thumb. Also pictured a very young Momma and a very handsome Daddy. (He's still handsome!)

What did 17 look like?

So, with Katie turning 17 in a couple of days, I thought I would dig through some pictures and see if I could come up with one of me at 17. So here it is. Funny, I think I may still have that haircut. LOL. My precious peek-a-poo "Browser" is with me. Oh and yes, I really am that tan. I need to wait 2 more days to post Katie's comparison pic. I didn't/don't even come close in the photogenic department. She must get that from Mark.
I'm going to start looking now to see if I can find Mark at 13 to compare to Daniel.

Oh..the tests of life...

Anyone got a cheat sheet?
The insurance company called yesterday to ask us to release Katie's car into their hands. When we inquired as to where they were taking her they said they had to move her to a place in Portland. Upon further investigation we learned that Delilah was being moved to Coparts, her final resting ground. There she will most likely be torn apart and her parts sold. When Mark was explaining it all to Katie she said, "So..basically she's going to be a 'donor' for other cars. LOL! Yes, Katie, that's it exactly.
Sadly it's very doubtful that Katie will receive compensation for Delilah equal to what she paid for her. Talk about adding insult to injury. So now, through no fault of her own, Katie is without a car, is going to be out cash that she saved for years and will have to once again hunt for a reliable car that she can afford. I'm not sure life should be this hard two days before ones birthday.
((((Katie)))))

Katie's Car

So, I think it was just about a year ago when I posted about Katie's 'new' car. Sadly, Delilah has already met with her unfortunate demise. Katie was attending a summer party at the home of a friend. She had parked Delilah out in front of the house along with several of her friends' cars. She and the friends had walked down to a nearby park and were about to begin a game of 'hide and seek', when one of her friend's cell-phone rang. The people back at the house were looking for Katie. When Katie answered the phone, she learned that someone had hit her parked car. She hurried back and found her car had been hit on the rear quarter panel and subsequently pushed 4 feet into the parked car in front of hers. Delilah sustained both rear end and front end damage. Regretfully there was no saving her. Katie was devastated. She had saved for so long to buy her first car. She had done everything right, was a safe and conscientious driver, but alas.. nothing is ever guaranteed in this life. We brought the fair maiden home from the party in tears.