Graduation Day

Cutting the Cake with nephews & nieces standing by.

My youngest graduated from college with a double major in Nursing & Addictions Counseling. My how time flies by. It seems like it was just yesterday when Emilie entered this world and changed my life forever. May God use your talents for His kingdom in a mighty way.  I'm proud of you baby girl!

Congratulations Emilie!

Kati Martinez Schrock

Proud Oma and her little Kati girl

Happy Birthday Kati girl!

We were overjoyed at the birth of our second granddaughter, Kati. I never tire of "birth" days.  Curt always requests that the cake come from Dairy Queen.  It actually works out easier because I don't have to bring both ice cream and a cake.  In the early days, I would bring the bubbly, Sparkling Cider, but then I realized that no one was drinking it so I crossed it off the list.  I started the birthday cake tradition when Curt was born and have done it ever since. I was only at the hospital for a total of 2 hours when Curt was born.  I reminded Marlin to stop at Kroger so we could get a birthday cake.  When we pulled up in the parking lot at Kroger, Marlin told me to stay in the car and he would go get the cake. Seriously, do you really think I would walk into Kroger 2 hours after I gave birth?  haha!

Ten were Bad and Two were good

When your memories become greater than your dreams, you have already written the last chapter. 

 ~Dave Engbrecht

Do you remember the song that we sang in Sunday School when we were young?

Twelve men went to spy on Canaan. Ten were bad and Two were good. 
What do you think they saw in Canaan? Ten were bad and two were good. 
Some saw giants big and tall.  Some saw grapes in clusters fall. Some saw God was in it all!
Ten were bad and Two were good.

Read the story about the spies who went into Canaan (Numbers 13-14). Are we living in the past or looking for what God has in store for us in the future? When God calls us to something, he always provides.  That is one of the ways that we can know that God is in it! The Israelites didn't trust that God would take care of them.  How many times do we settle for second best instead of God's best?  Listen to His heart today.

The whole community was in an uproar, wailing all night long. All the People of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The entire community was in on it: "Why didn't we die in Egypt? Or in this wilderness? Why has God brought us to this country to kill us? Our wives and children are about to become plunder. Why don't we just head back to Egypt? And right now!"

It's in Christ that we find out who we are!

I told Mal this morning that I am continually amazed when God speaks to me repeatedly during the week.  This week it was through the book of Ephesians.  He put it in front of me 3 times this week so I think I'd better stand up and take notice.  Here is just a sample of His wonderful Word.  You should read it sometime!


It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone. Ephesians 1: 11-12

Chocolate and Smiles

It is not often that I get the treat of spending a day with my eldest granddaughter (at the time she was my only granddaughter), Haley, and her mother, Monica. This particular day was such a happy memory for me.  We met Emilie in Indianapolis for a wedding dress fitting followed by supper at one of my favorite restaurants, Ted's Montana Grill (they always treat me right in a gluten free kind of way!).  It was a great time with all my girls. After Emilie & Courtney had made their way back to campus, I had the honor of introducing Monica to Whole Foods (another source of Gluten Free for me). It was near Easter so they had a table full of Organic Easter Treats so I had Haley pick something out and I told her I would buy it for her.  She settled on this chocolate easter bunny on a stick which made her grin from ear to ear.  That smile sure warms an "Oma's" heart.

April Showers for Emilie

 April found us counting down the days to Emilie's wedding by celebrating with wedding showers. The sisters in laws planned a shower for Emilie and discovered what we already knew...that Monica has a gift and passion for planning parties, and more specifically...wedding parties!

My eldest Grand-daughter and her Oma.

The Schrock Women

When Emilie was in Elementary school, she drew this for me.  I clipped it to the bulletin board in the laundry room and it hung there until now.  She wrote "To Daddy From Emilie Schrock. I hope you are at my wedding and will walk me down the hile."

Open Up and say Ahhhh!

A couple of years ago, my son made me an arbor out of an old ladder.  I hang a random number of things on it...hanging plants, bird houses, and wind chimes.  A Wren built a nest in the birdhouse this year and every day when I water the plants, she scolds me from her perch in the Red Bud nearby. On occasion, I hear the chirping as I am watering the flowers, but I have never seen any baby birds...until today.  This was the scene as I returned home today.

Gardenlicious!

Although my parents were both farm raised kids, I spent my growing up years treking from place to place and country to country.  I didn't have the opportunity to raise a garden until I got married at the age of 21. I still remember that first summer when I drove out to the farm from town several times a week to tend the garden.  I was so green and so proud of every thing that was harvested. When I had four kids at home, we had a very large garden and I used to give the kids the honor of helping me weed and harvest the garden.  I don't think any of them really liked it and they probably ate more than they picked.  I never tire of the harvest. This was my harvest tonight when I got home from work along with a bucket full of green beans.  Ahhhh, the country life is simply the best!

A winter's tale

OK, one more post and then I have to get back at re-organizing my house!  Why didn't I do this when the snow was blowing?? I can't put it off any longer.  I've started and made messes and half done projects in every room in my house, and I've got to get back at it when this post is done.  I must say I have made great progress in the areas that you probably wouldn't even notice, but on to this last winter's tale.

Buddy's Semi Sleeping Peacefully

I have to add that my husband, my buddy of 33 years, does not share the same love for winter that I have, and here are the pictures to show you why.  On this particular day, we drove into town, not realizing that we were in for a treat.  Half way there, we agreed that we were out of our minds for getting out on a day like this.  These days are best viewed from the comforts of our home with a fire going and a cup of tea in hand!

My little house on the corner.

Maybe this has something to do with the reason he does not like winter!

Icing at the Woo

You probably don't want to remember the ice storms from this past winter, but I don't look at them as negative happenings because I got to spend the night in the dorm with my daughter.  I miss that! Because she is married and gone, I will never get to experience that again.  We'll see how I like this winter when I'm driving home in snow, and ice, and sleet.  Will I still love winter?  You'd better believe it!

Have you ever seen anything more beautiful?

The Beginning of my 2011 Journey: Ari's First Birthday

My new July resolution is to blog more so post a comment and let me know that you're looking in on my story from time to time!  I love interacting with people and get plenty of that in my job, but it just doesn't hold a candle to hearing from family and friends. That being said, I'm going to attempt to recapture some of the more memorable events of 2011 starting with the birthday of this little guy. This little guy is something else.  He is one of the most serious little guys that I know and I love him dearly. Say "cheese" Ari Lee!!  

Dust Storm in Arizona blows in talk of the past

Thirty Three years ago I got married in the backyard of my parents amidst the cactus and palo verde trees.  There was a young one right outside my parents bedroom window where we stood to take pictures.  This now 40+ year old tree was blown over yesterday by the 80 mile an hour winds as they swept through the valley on their way to Phoenix.  The winds blew up quite a dust storm.  They say that it was a mile high and 100 miles wide.  It created quite a havoc in the old Sonoran desert.
I called my dad tonight to see if they had the dust at their house (they didn't...just the winds), and the conversation took him back to his childhood on the prairie in Nebraska during the dustbowl days.  He said he remembers the first dust storm he experienced as a 1st or 2nd grader in a one room school house.  There were only about a dozen students at his little school in the 1930's. As the huge black dust cloud approched the little school, the teacher turned the sandbox upside down and covered the students to keep them safe.

Message From My Hubby

Marlin amuses me by sending me message on his iPhone when he is on long trips!

Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken (1915)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Arizona Momma & Poppa

This picture was taken on Father's Day, and I can't think of a better place to spend it! I had a GREAT time visiting with my folks in Tucson, Arizona. It was too HOT (above 100 everyday topping out at 109 degrees) so that left us plenty of excuse to just "be together" inside where it was cool!! I miss them already and can't wait until Emilie's wedding so I can see them again. These are the people that gave me roots and instilled the importance of family in my every being. Thanks Mom & Dad for everything...life lessons taught well, allowing me to go all by myself to a church camp in Jamestown, North Dakota where I first truly met Jesus Christ, visits with family in Nebraska and Colorado, hugs and kisses, military adventures to far off lands, stories from your past and an example of a life of servanthood! I have learned much from you both! I will love you forever!!!

Engagement for Emilie & Logan

On May 18, 2010, Logan Ross Hoffman asked Emilie Kate Schrock to marry him. Here they are telling us their engagement story. Emilie thought Logan was still at Princeton finishing up his first year at Seminary, but he actually finished up early and snuck into town so he could surprise her, and surprise her he did! He sent her a text telling her to read their blog which outlined their journey as a couple. At the end of the blog, he told her to meet him at the park where they first talked in depth and he says he knew right then he wanted to date her. He planned the whole thing to take place at night so he could set up luminaria along the side walk. What he didn't know is that there would be a track meet that night and the field lights were so bright it was like daylight. He said he was really nervous, but had to proceed with the plan because he had already texted her telling her to read the blog. When she got there, she stepped out of the car into a water puddle, and the lights immediately turned off! Logan said it was almost like he clapped his hands right on queue! Logan and Emilie are planning a wedding for May 2011.

Favorite Photographs of 2009

These are my two favorite photographs of the three eldest grandchildren. I wish we had more opportunities for "cousin times", and I cherish the times that we can all be together!

Ari is our youngest grandchild. Here he is pictured laying in the bouncer on a quilt that the Aunt's (Linda, Bonnie & Joyce) made when I was pregnant with Ben. I used this quilt with all of our children when they were small, and I have carried on that tradition with all of the grandchildren that come to my house as babies!

Moses, or "Moshe" as we sometimes call him is a very happy little guy! We were blessed by having his presence in our home for the first three months of his life. Watching him in the early months brought so many memories back of when our children were small!

Haley is priceless in this picture! She is the rose between the thorns as the only grand-daughter in this team of boys. However, don't be fooled. She may appear to be quite shy, but she can hold her own!

These are my favorite pictures of Daylen for a couple of reasons. We lost Clancy, our beloved Australian Shepherd in the fall of 2009 and this was probably one of the last series of pictures I took with Clancy in the picture. He loved to go on walks with us. I also love this exchange between Poppe and Daylen as they walk north on the road toward our house.Daylen thought he would run in the corn and hide from me, but I found him anyway! He is wearing the blue jean jacket that Marlin wore as a young boy! It was handed down from his Colorado cousins so it has been worn by several Schrock kids including my own. They don't make clothes like they used to, do they?? And...let me mention by the way that it was American made!!

This is Alex in the apple tree in our yard. Every little boy needs an apple tree to climb, don't you think?

Generational Visit

In the summer of 2009, I drove my father and mother up to Ben's so we could take pictures and visit for the day. Ben & Monica live in Chesterton, IN in the northern part of the state.

Ari Lee Schrock

In January, we added Ari Lee Schrock to our brood. He was welcomed into this world by his parents, Joe & Mallory, and his big brother, Daylen. He looks a lot like Daylen, but has a personality all his own! It is going to be so much fun watching the "brothers" experience life together!

Moses Levi Schrock

In October 2009, we added Moses Levi Schrock to our fold. He was welcomed by his Momma, Julie and his Poppa, Curt.

Moses began his life in Marion, IN but now lives with his parents in Warsaw, IN.

SCHROCKAPALOOZA EXPLOSION!

Looks like it's been a year since I've added to this blog. We've seen a lot of changes in our family in the past year! We now have five grandchildren and they are the joy of our lives! I guess you could say that they are the gift that keeps on giving! The five are Alexander Dale (Age 4 1/2), Daylen Samuel (Age 3 1/2), Haley Ann Marie (Age 3 1/2), Moses Levi (Age 8 mo.), and Ari Lee (Age 5 mo.).