These are the lyrics to the song that played when I gave Kimmy away. I could not think of anything else better to say and I really do believe that those 2 can change the world.
I Believe in You
Steven Curtis Chapman
Aren't you the little one
That hid in my arms afraid of the thunder?
Are these the little hands
That held so tight to mine?
Didn't we both agree you'd never grow up
And now here we are
And here you go
Of all the things I want to say
The thing you really need to know is...
I believe in you
Yeah, I believe in you
Everything you are
Everything you are becoming
And I believe in you
Yeah, I believe in you
So spread your wings and fly
On the winds of knowing I
Always believe in you
So many prayers we've prayed
So many dreams to get to this moment
Now this is where we stay
While you go change the world
But I'll be where I have always been
Up in the stands cheering you on and
Singing this song
A song the very God who made you
Has been singing all along
I believe in you
Yeah, I believe in you
So spread your wings and fly
On the winds of knowing I
Will always believe in you
And when you rise and when you fall
I'll still believe in you
Just close your eyes and hear me calling
I believe in you
Oh, I believe in you
Monday, June 21, 2010
Father's Day
I received what I most wanted for Father's Day- a call from Kimmy before they took off for Hawaii. She sounded great and they are having fun being married.
What a special girl He have me as a stewardship opportunity and now we, T and I, are finished with that portion of our lives and have to move on to the next; it's hard to think about not having her upstairs. They will be here for a few weeks before they head back to NC, but that might be even harder- not sure right now.
Pray that they would be able to relax and that God would be building some opportunities for ministry even in Hawaii and in NC.
What a special girl He have me as a stewardship opportunity and now we, T and I, are finished with that portion of our lives and have to move on to the next; it's hard to think about not having her upstairs. They will be here for a few weeks before they head back to NC, but that might be even harder- not sure right now.
Pray that they would be able to relax and that God would be building some opportunities for ministry even in Hawaii and in NC.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
No more Kimmy Weinberg
What a great day!!!
I woke up this morning at 5 and was thirsty so I got out of bed and walked to the fridge. as soon as my feet hit the floor I knew I was not staying on them for too long. So I got a drink and laid back down for a few hours- they still hurt.
Jim Martin showed up at about 9 and was taking down the tent lights and such; I'm sure glad they come down faster than they go up, but it's still a batch of work. The Frisks showed up about 10 and brought scones and helped with the lights. Ryan Hendrickson arrived at noon-ish and took apart the power supply for the tent. It is amazing how many elements it takes to put all thees things together.
Our boys had world's for sale pickups, and I here that went very well, and so they came home about 12:45 and started with the chairs and tables. Hickocks and Luggs came about 2 to help sort through boxes and shortly after that the Higlits came over to really make sure we had things going to where they were supposed to go. So many pots, trays, vases... that it is hard to keep track of it all.
I did get the lawn mowed and pretty much everything is back in place, vacuumed the house and it will need it again with all the grass that is in here, cut John's hair and looked at the video of the first "kiss". As many times as he practiced that dip it's hard to imagine that his foot slipped but as Kimmy said, "Only to us".
I truly believe God was honored by the events of the day, I think people had a great time and I gave my sweet girl to an amazing guy. God's timing and plan are perfect but it is still hard to think about the fact that soon Kimmy will not be here very often, they will start their own family and she won't brighten our day with the warmth of her smile. She is no longer Kimmy Weinberg:( She is Kim Lugg:)
T and I had a great day talking and crying about the entire process and thinking about what the future will look like for us and them. T said that it is hard to remember that we still have all our family and friends here and when they go to NC they will be starting all over again. Kimmy doesn't really like change but she is going to get some pretty serious change here pretty quickly. Her Father knows what she can handle and He will be there to protect and supply her every need. I can't imagine what it would be like having my little girl going across America without her knowing The Father.
Tomorrow is father's day but yesterday I received the best gift I could have ever received- I got to give Kimmy away to the man of her dreams and I got a son-in-law and I know Kimmy could not be happier.
As I walked this morning I couldn't help be reminded of God's goodness to me in so many ways. I am so undeserving. I hope you enjoyed the process as much as I did.
I woke up this morning at 5 and was thirsty so I got out of bed and walked to the fridge. as soon as my feet hit the floor I knew I was not staying on them for too long. So I got a drink and laid back down for a few hours- they still hurt.
Jim Martin showed up at about 9 and was taking down the tent lights and such; I'm sure glad they come down faster than they go up, but it's still a batch of work. The Frisks showed up about 10 and brought scones and helped with the lights. Ryan Hendrickson arrived at noon-ish and took apart the power supply for the tent. It is amazing how many elements it takes to put all thees things together.
Our boys had world's for sale pickups, and I here that went very well, and so they came home about 12:45 and started with the chairs and tables. Hickocks and Luggs came about 2 to help sort through boxes and shortly after that the Higlits came over to really make sure we had things going to where they were supposed to go. So many pots, trays, vases... that it is hard to keep track of it all.
I did get the lawn mowed and pretty much everything is back in place, vacuumed the house and it will need it again with all the grass that is in here, cut John's hair and looked at the video of the first "kiss". As many times as he practiced that dip it's hard to imagine that his foot slipped but as Kimmy said, "Only to us".
I truly believe God was honored by the events of the day, I think people had a great time and I gave my sweet girl to an amazing guy. God's timing and plan are perfect but it is still hard to think about the fact that soon Kimmy will not be here very often, they will start their own family and she won't brighten our day with the warmth of her smile. She is no longer Kimmy Weinberg:( She is Kim Lugg:)
T and I had a great day talking and crying about the entire process and thinking about what the future will look like for us and them. T said that it is hard to remember that we still have all our family and friends here and when they go to NC they will be starting all over again. Kimmy doesn't really like change but she is going to get some pretty serious change here pretty quickly. Her Father knows what she can handle and He will be there to protect and supply her every need. I can't imagine what it would be like having my little girl going across America without her knowing The Father.
Tomorrow is father's day but yesterday I received the best gift I could have ever received- I got to give Kimmy away to the man of her dreams and I got a son-in-law and I know Kimmy could not be happier.
As I walked this morning I couldn't help be reminded of God's goodness to me in so many ways. I am so undeserving. I hope you enjoyed the process as much as I did.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Early Wedding Day
I couldn't sleep- big surprise- so I got up and checked the tent to make sure everything was still there, but really I didn't want to wake the first lady of my life. This is such a strange, hard, awesome, happy and sad place to be. It's hard to see the keys to write because tears are clouding the locations.
Larnell Harris sings a song called "The other woman in my Life" and it is about how his daughter grows up to become that person. I am so blessed to have my beautiful, hard working, tender hearted, full of laughter, friend to so many, wife and it is hard to believe that God has given me another woman to add to that joy. I don't deserve the incredible wife I have and yet God lavished on me an amazing daughter as well.
As I think about Kimmy being gone from our home, going to the other side of America, my heart is so glad that God has given her to us and yet so sad that this stage is now just a few hours away from being over. The house will be so different- she brings life to the room when she enters. She is so discerning and yet tender. She helps me understand Teresa and helps Teresa understand me. Many times she has been the "go between" and she will be able to take this into her next stage.
How can my little girl be leaving today? How could the time pass so quickly? How can it be that in just a few hours I will give her to the man that God has planned for her to share the rest of her life with? We love Ian and they are perfectly suited for each other; I can't imagine the heart ache I would feel if I had to give her to someone that I didn't think was going to take care of her. I am so blessed.
My heart is just really sad right now and it's not that I don't want them to get married but I just can't believe my life is going to change so much from today forward. From the moment I saw her, heard her low cry, held my beautiful little girl, I knew that this day would come but I had no idea how much she would impact my life.
We don't get do overs, there are no go back and change this or that, I can't undo anything I have messed up- and there are plenty of those- and I really don't have lots of regrets in my life. I am excited to give her away because I know that God has something amazing for her and Ian to do, but I just love this young woman so much.
Today will be crazy with all kinds of things happening. I'm going to miss lots of those things but it doesn't really matter, what matters is that today is the day that God planned from eternity past for this to happen, He planned many things to take place along the way, and they have, and I hope to be the most joyful, happy teared, forward looking, liver on unseen things person I can be today, by His strength and power. Today is a day to worship just like every other day we have breath; I want to do that well today.
Larnell Harris sings a song called "The other woman in my Life" and it is about how his daughter grows up to become that person. I am so blessed to have my beautiful, hard working, tender hearted, full of laughter, friend to so many, wife and it is hard to believe that God has given me another woman to add to that joy. I don't deserve the incredible wife I have and yet God lavished on me an amazing daughter as well.
As I think about Kimmy being gone from our home, going to the other side of America, my heart is so glad that God has given her to us and yet so sad that this stage is now just a few hours away from being over. The house will be so different- she brings life to the room when she enters. She is so discerning and yet tender. She helps me understand Teresa and helps Teresa understand me. Many times she has been the "go between" and she will be able to take this into her next stage.
How can my little girl be leaving today? How could the time pass so quickly? How can it be that in just a few hours I will give her to the man that God has planned for her to share the rest of her life with? We love Ian and they are perfectly suited for each other; I can't imagine the heart ache I would feel if I had to give her to someone that I didn't think was going to take care of her. I am so blessed.
My heart is just really sad right now and it's not that I don't want them to get married but I just can't believe my life is going to change so much from today forward. From the moment I saw her, heard her low cry, held my beautiful little girl, I knew that this day would come but I had no idea how much she would impact my life.
We don't get do overs, there are no go back and change this or that, I can't undo anything I have messed up- and there are plenty of those- and I really don't have lots of regrets in my life. I am excited to give her away because I know that God has something amazing for her and Ian to do, but I just love this young woman so much.
Today will be crazy with all kinds of things happening. I'm going to miss lots of those things but it doesn't really matter, what matters is that today is the day that God planned from eternity past for this to happen, He planned many things to take place along the way, and they have, and I hope to be the most joyful, happy teared, forward looking, liver on unseen things person I can be today, by His strength and power. Today is a day to worship just like every other day we have breath; I want to do that well today.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Last night Kimmy is a Weinberg
Well, today started pretty early and ended late.
The septic tank alarm sounded AGAIN at 1am this morning and at 5 I rolled out of bed and asked God to make this an easy fix. I called the same company that pumped it last Friday and asked what they thought it might be; "no idea until we take the lid off and have a look". So I had to take the sod back off and dig it out again while the expert was on the way. He arrived and we turned off the power and he switched some wires around and determined that the pump was actually dead. So new pump and float and hopefully that will be the last time I need to do that for a while.
Tent went up today and a whole bunch of other things. We have such an amazing Body here and many have pitched in, no pun intended, and help in so many different ways. We have wrapped fabric, hung lights, cut out papers, ran errands, weeded and replaced weeds with plants, laughed much and at least for me, cried a few tears.
There is still plenty to do but if the wedding needed to happen right now we could just pick all the little things up and set up some more chairs and we could do it. Praise Him for He is so good and He gives what is best for each one of us.
The septic tank alarm sounded AGAIN at 1am this morning and at 5 I rolled out of bed and asked God to make this an easy fix. I called the same company that pumped it last Friday and asked what they thought it might be; "no idea until we take the lid off and have a look". So I had to take the sod back off and dig it out again while the expert was on the way. He arrived and we turned off the power and he switched some wires around and determined that the pump was actually dead. So new pump and float and hopefully that will be the last time I need to do that for a while.
Tent went up today and a whole bunch of other things. We have such an amazing Body here and many have pitched in, no pun intended, and help in so many different ways. We have wrapped fabric, hung lights, cut out papers, ran errands, weeded and replaced weeds with plants, laughed much and at least for me, cried a few tears.
There is still plenty to do but if the wedding needed to happen right now we could just pick all the little things up and set up some more chairs and we could do it. Praise Him for He is so good and He gives what is best for each one of us.
Friday, June 11, 2010
1 Week today
Lots of things happening around here; some fun and some not so fun.
First for the fun ones. We did some lighting design and planning last night and talked about where power was coming from and what the tent would look like, would it be light enough at the time of the evening under the tent and those kinds of things.
We have had an on going discussion about portable toilets. Here is how the discussion goes. The girls are pretty opposed to using them and I think that we should at least have them for the guys and even for the women, so they don't have to stand in line as long. The girls say that the women don't ever want to use them and I am concerned about all those women using the bathrooms all at once- major burden on the septic system. Well, it's not that I think that talking about portable toilets is so fun, but the not so fun part follows.
While I was talking to the portable toilet lady on the phone last week, she told me that the last thing you want during a wedding or reception is a septic emergency. Plunging the toilet and things like that are not too fun during what should be one of the best days of the year. That leads to what follows.
If this were not going to be such a mess it would be comical. The septic alarm went off this morning. What kind of timing is that? So one week to go and the septic tank needs to be pumped; but it gets better. The tank lids are not close to the surface and will need to be dug out just to remove the lids. It gets even better. They are located right in the back lawn, where all the guests are gong to have to walk.
I think that this crazy rain storm over the past few days/months has exacerbated the situation, but now the system will be empty when everyone arrives, the lawn will just not look quite so good when they get here.
So, if you're coming to the wedding, come with a flexible attitude. God is in charge of all the details, including the level of our tank, so this is no surprise for Him and I guess He thought this was a good way to get my attention this morning. I'm awake now.
First for the fun ones. We did some lighting design and planning last night and talked about where power was coming from and what the tent would look like, would it be light enough at the time of the evening under the tent and those kinds of things.
We have had an on going discussion about portable toilets. Here is how the discussion goes. The girls are pretty opposed to using them and I think that we should at least have them for the guys and even for the women, so they don't have to stand in line as long. The girls say that the women don't ever want to use them and I am concerned about all those women using the bathrooms all at once- major burden on the septic system. Well, it's not that I think that talking about portable toilets is so fun, but the not so fun part follows.
While I was talking to the portable toilet lady on the phone last week, she told me that the last thing you want during a wedding or reception is a septic emergency. Plunging the toilet and things like that are not too fun during what should be one of the best days of the year. That leads to what follows.
If this were not going to be such a mess it would be comical. The septic alarm went off this morning. What kind of timing is that? So one week to go and the septic tank needs to be pumped; but it gets better. The tank lids are not close to the surface and will need to be dug out just to remove the lids. It gets even better. They are located right in the back lawn, where all the guests are gong to have to walk.
I think that this crazy rain storm over the past few days/months has exacerbated the situation, but now the system will be empty when everyone arrives, the lawn will just not look quite so good when they get here.
So, if you're coming to the wedding, come with a flexible attitude. God is in charge of all the details, including the level of our tank, so this is no surprise for Him and I guess He thought this was a good way to get my attention this morning. I'm awake now.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Sub 2 weeks
Under 2 weeks to go, just finishing the graduation weekend and when it is completed we have to get down to serious business.
Pray for some nice weather so I can finish the yard stuff, or we will have to all wear rubber boots to get through the mud. Could it be more rainy this year? At least it will be very green. More gravel needed, some bark, flowers and start to think about how all the lighting stuff is going to work out.
So much planning stuff now I can't even list it all. Kimmy is getting vow ideas, Ian is at his friends wedding in Colorado and comes home tomorrow. Cake and things like that are ordered, but there is so much more to do. I'm sure it will all come together but it is starting to seem like there is a lot to do.
Please, also pray for nice weather on the 18th, but if it does rain I have told Kimmy and Ian that they can still get married:)
Pray for some nice weather so I can finish the yard stuff, or we will have to all wear rubber boots to get through the mud. Could it be more rainy this year? At least it will be very green. More gravel needed, some bark, flowers and start to think about how all the lighting stuff is going to work out.
So much planning stuff now I can't even list it all. Kimmy is getting vow ideas, Ian is at his friends wedding in Colorado and comes home tomorrow. Cake and things like that are ordered, but there is so much more to do. I'm sure it will all come together but it is starting to seem like there is a lot to do.
Please, also pray for nice weather on the 18th, but if it does rain I have told Kimmy and Ian that they can still get married:)
Monday, May 31, 2010
Something Borrowed
There's a saying that goes something like this;
Something old
Something new
Some tradition
that means nothing to you
Let's see if we can start some new traditions and change the culture a bit.
Something old
Something new
Some tradition
that means nothing to you
Let's see if we can start some new traditions and change the culture a bit.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Invitations to Weeds
We are under 5 weeks and it seems as if the time is really flying. This weekend was really busy with plenty of other things, like fund raising, but there was still time to do some wedding things.
So what have we been doing? Weeding the lawn, beds and that kind of thing. Re-graveling the driveway and some more fertilizing of grass. But all our work was not outside. We also have done some invitation kinds of things; cutting, pasting, licking and addressing. They are in the mail, which is a relief. Just so everyone knows; announcements are supposed to go out at the 6 week mark and we missed it, but if there are those who decide that this is reason enough to skip the wedding then so be it. We're going to have a great time celebrating this union whether everything is perfectly done to etiquette or not.
I am just trying to keep you posted on the wedding preparations, not necessarily asking for weeding help. If you want to help with those kinds of things we would love for you to come as long as you come with the idea of visiting more than having your fingers worked off. Kind of like the "fun" in fund raising.
Get ready to celebrate with us!!!
So what have we been doing? Weeding the lawn, beds and that kind of thing. Re-graveling the driveway and some more fertilizing of grass. But all our work was not outside. We also have done some invitation kinds of things; cutting, pasting, licking and addressing. They are in the mail, which is a relief. Just so everyone knows; announcements are supposed to go out at the 6 week mark and we missed it, but if there are those who decide that this is reason enough to skip the wedding then so be it. We're going to have a great time celebrating this union whether everything is perfectly done to etiquette or not.
I am just trying to keep you posted on the wedding preparations, not necessarily asking for weeding help. If you want to help with those kinds of things we would love for you to come as long as you come with the idea of visiting more than having your fingers worked off. Kind of like the "fun" in fund raising.
Get ready to celebrate with us!!!
Monday, May 3, 2010
46 days
Kimmy told me that I had better start posting here, since there is only 46 days until she has a new man in her life.
People have been asking me if I am excited or sad about Kimmy leaving home, or what I think about them moving to NC after they are married.
Here's what I think. God gives us many things as stewardship opportunities, and kids are one of them. As a parent our job is to prepare our kids for life after they have moved on. I am so excited to see what God is going to do with our kids as they move forward.
We are working on things like invitations, lots of "day of" things (I can't tell you what or I'd have to..) and even going over job opportunities and housing in NC. It's hard to believe that she is almost married.
Some of our friends are telling us they are not coming to the wedding because they know that there are some people there who will be in tears- namely me. For those who know me this is not a stretch. So bring extra mascara, or just don't wear any:) I just want to go on record right now as saying that I am very excited about this wedding and that every tear will be tears of joy.
Kimmy has just had a surgery and it was good of God to allow her to be moved up in the schedule so she can recover before the wedding. Ian graduates from the Master's College this weekend and so ends one chapter and begins another. We are proud of Ian; he finished a year early.
They're going to make a great family. What will God do with them. Please pray for them.
People have been asking me if I am excited or sad about Kimmy leaving home, or what I think about them moving to NC after they are married.
Here's what I think. God gives us many things as stewardship opportunities, and kids are one of them. As a parent our job is to prepare our kids for life after they have moved on. I am so excited to see what God is going to do with our kids as they move forward.
We are working on things like invitations, lots of "day of" things (I can't tell you what or I'd have to..) and even going over job opportunities and housing in NC. It's hard to believe that she is almost married.
Some of our friends are telling us they are not coming to the wedding because they know that there are some people there who will be in tears- namely me. For those who know me this is not a stretch. So bring extra mascara, or just don't wear any:) I just want to go on record right now as saying that I am very excited about this wedding and that every tear will be tears of joy.
Kimmy has just had a surgery and it was good of God to allow her to be moved up in the schedule so she can recover before the wedding. Ian graduates from the Master's College this weekend and so ends one chapter and begins another. We are proud of Ian; he finished a year early.
They're going to make a great family. What will God do with them. Please pray for them.
Friday, April 9, 2010
In the Works
This past couple of weeks has been full on other fronts, but there is still wedding stuff to handle. Here's what we have been addressing.
Not envelopes yet, but the announcements are in the works and Kimmy is very excited about how they are turning out. Simple yet fun and elegant- I would guess.
Tents and location. Had a meeting with the "tent guy" this week and we are trying to nail all that down; how big, exact location on the property, blah, blah, blah. The location is secured- you'll have to wait for an announcement to find out where- and we are trying to think of all the things that might come up; parking issues, bathrooms, power, seating, tables...
The dress should be here pretty soon, so that will be fun to see how it looks in real life.
Starting to talk about the menu and the preparation for that.
Kimmy got the flower girl baskets yesterday- very cute, but not something I will be carrying.
Yesterday at work we had the radio on and "Butterfly Kisses" came on while I was standing in front of her. When he sang "She'll change her name today" that was hard to hear w/o getting choked up, both of us. So there we were, in the showroom of PG with happy tears in our eyes. It will be here and gone before we know it.
And last, but certainly not least, we have a meeting set up to talk with the wedding coordinator next week, to make sure we are on track. Kimmy is doing great- she is NOT Bridezilla.
Not envelopes yet, but the announcements are in the works and Kimmy is very excited about how they are turning out. Simple yet fun and elegant- I would guess.
Tents and location. Had a meeting with the "tent guy" this week and we are trying to nail all that down; how big, exact location on the property, blah, blah, blah. The location is secured- you'll have to wait for an announcement to find out where- and we are trying to think of all the things that might come up; parking issues, bathrooms, power, seating, tables...
The dress should be here pretty soon, so that will be fun to see how it looks in real life.
Starting to talk about the menu and the preparation for that.
Kimmy got the flower girl baskets yesterday- very cute, but not something I will be carrying.
Yesterday at work we had the radio on and "Butterfly Kisses" came on while I was standing in front of her. When he sang "She'll change her name today" that was hard to hear w/o getting choked up, both of us. So there we were, in the showroom of PG with happy tears in our eyes. It will be here and gone before we know it.
And last, but certainly not least, we have a meeting set up to talk with the wedding coordinator next week, to make sure we are on track. Kimmy is doing great- she is NOT Bridezilla.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Cakes, Ceremony and Clothes
We are starting to put things together now. Kimmy and Ian had time while in NC to plan some of the wedding components and she brought those wishes back to us.
So many people have said they want to help do this or that and it is so mice to have a family of families who see this wedding as a time of celebration for our entire community- this is exactly the way that it is supposed to be. This is a fun challenge to have- so many wanting to help.
Some of the things- ok many of the things- I am not allowed to share in the blog because they are supposed to be surprises for the day. In fact, I was told yesterday that there are things that are going to happen that I don't get to know until the time comes. Generally I am not super excited about surprises, but I will have to go with the flow.
So right now we are making decisions on cake things, ceremony components and order, what people are going to wear, who all will be in the wedding and reception items. Most of these things I don't have too much of an opinion about other than I want for them to be right and not done half way.
We are also working on the honeymoon planning. Things like when is the best time to leave, how long should they go for, where exactly should they go and how should they get there. The nice things for them is that they really don't have to be back to work or anything else at any certain time so they can be gone more than a week if they so choose.
The time is coming up quickly and it is both exciting and hard to think about what our house will be like w/o Kimmy here much of the time. It is also difficult to imagine PG w/o her there 3-4 days a week. She is a key component in many places and soon she will be off to her next stage. We are thankful for the time God has allowed us to have this stewardship opportunity and for the godly example she is to so many around her- she is a great example- not perfect- of godly femininity.
BTW- you are allowed to comment on here.
So many people have said they want to help do this or that and it is so mice to have a family of families who see this wedding as a time of celebration for our entire community- this is exactly the way that it is supposed to be. This is a fun challenge to have- so many wanting to help.
Some of the things- ok many of the things- I am not allowed to share in the blog because they are supposed to be surprises for the day. In fact, I was told yesterday that there are things that are going to happen that I don't get to know until the time comes. Generally I am not super excited about surprises, but I will have to go with the flow.
So right now we are making decisions on cake things, ceremony components and order, what people are going to wear, who all will be in the wedding and reception items. Most of these things I don't have too much of an opinion about other than I want for them to be right and not done half way.
We are also working on the honeymoon planning. Things like when is the best time to leave, how long should they go for, where exactly should they go and how should they get there. The nice things for them is that they really don't have to be back to work or anything else at any certain time so they can be gone more than a week if they so choose.
The time is coming up quickly and it is both exciting and hard to think about what our house will be like w/o Kimmy here much of the time. It is also difficult to imagine PG w/o her there 3-4 days a week. She is a key component in many places and soon she will be off to her next stage. We are thankful for the time God has allowed us to have this stewardship opportunity and for the godly example she is to so many around her- she is a great example- not perfect- of godly femininity.
BTW- you are allowed to comment on here.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Missing my Kimmy
It's kind of weird around here with no Kimmy. Grant just got back from LA, so it is a bit more lively here- but I do mean a bit.
We are excited to know what Kimmy and Ian are thinking about the possibility of going to NC- but not so we can put in our 2 cents worth but so we can better know how to pray for them. It is going to be exciting to see what God does with these 2 young people, with so much potential and life in them- what will our Great God do with these 2 pots?
Much of our lives as parents are getting them ready for this day and then they just go and it is important for us to actually let them go wherever the Lord leads them. Missing my little girl and thinking about how this is their first trip together w/o any one else with them and knowing that Ian will take good care of her and protect her.
We are excited to know what Kimmy and Ian are thinking about the possibility of going to NC- but not so we can put in our 2 cents worth but so we can better know how to pray for them. It is going to be exciting to see what God does with these 2 young people, with so much potential and life in them- what will our Great God do with these 2 pots?
Much of our lives as parents are getting them ready for this day and then they just go and it is important for us to actually let them go wherever the Lord leads them. Missing my little girl and thinking about how this is their first trip together w/o any one else with them and knowing that Ian will take good care of her and protect her.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
North Carolina Seminary
We are still planning a wedding but right now things are a bit slower than they were before. Life always seems to come in spurts.
Kimmy and Ian are currently in NC checking out a seminary. Ian was invited but one of the board member-I think- to come and visit, and so they both flew back and are staying with a family that built their home to do these kinds of things. Kimmy said that Ian has a huge up stairs apartment kind of location and she is staying in another apartment kind of thing behind the garage. She said they are staying in the "same house" but if they got any farther apart they wouldn't be.
I digress a bit here. When she was flying out- to go to California to meet up with Ian- Teresa had dropped her off at the airport and as she was walking away Teresa said she was thinking about guys hitting on our cute little girl. She was thinking that she hoped the guys would just leave her alone.
Kimmy was in line to check in at the Alaska counter and a bunch of guys came and stood around her- the UW men's basketball team was flying to California for the Pac-10 tournament and she was standing in the middle of them. She had to call and tell me- she thought I would appreciate that.
Back on track. Kimmy called from NC and said she was very tired but they were really encouraged so far with just the short time they were there. She will keep us updated. Please pray that God would make very obvious for them both if this is where He would have them to start out their life together. This is a huge decision and God can make it really easy for them if He opens, or closes, doors. If they like the seminary and all that goes with it, they will then look for jobs and housing while they are there.
It is both fun and sad to see my little girl so grown up. As parents this is what we are training our children to do- go forth- but there is still sadness as they start the leaving process. They are merely stewardship opportunities for us and God has been so gracious to us to give us amazing kids.
On a selfish note- we are going to miss Kimmy at PG when she leaves. She is such a great asset to our business but it will also be fun to see what God does with her training in our business, and the rest of her life, as He leads them into this next place.
Kimmy and Ian are currently in NC checking out a seminary. Ian was invited but one of the board member-I think- to come and visit, and so they both flew back and are staying with a family that built their home to do these kinds of things. Kimmy said that Ian has a huge up stairs apartment kind of location and she is staying in another apartment kind of thing behind the garage. She said they are staying in the "same house" but if they got any farther apart they wouldn't be.
I digress a bit here. When she was flying out- to go to California to meet up with Ian- Teresa had dropped her off at the airport and as she was walking away Teresa said she was thinking about guys hitting on our cute little girl. She was thinking that she hoped the guys would just leave her alone.
Kimmy was in line to check in at the Alaska counter and a bunch of guys came and stood around her- the UW men's basketball team was flying to California for the Pac-10 tournament and she was standing in the middle of them. She had to call and tell me- she thought I would appreciate that.
Back on track. Kimmy called from NC and said she was very tired but they were really encouraged so far with just the short time they were there. She will keep us updated. Please pray that God would make very obvious for them both if this is where He would have them to start out their life together. This is a huge decision and God can make it really easy for them if He opens, or closes, doors. If they like the seminary and all that goes with it, they will then look for jobs and housing while they are there.
It is both fun and sad to see my little girl so grown up. As parents this is what we are training our children to do- go forth- but there is still sadness as they start the leaving process. They are merely stewardship opportunities for us and God has been so gracious to us to give us amazing kids.
On a selfish note- we are going to miss Kimmy at PG when she leaves. She is such a great asset to our business but it will also be fun to see what God does with her training in our business, and the rest of her life, as He leads them into this next place.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
"Who's the Guy and do You Approve?"
Almost every time I tell someone that Kimmy is getting married they follow that with something like, "Do you approve of the guy?". So let me tell you a bit about Ian Lugg.
As I said earlier in the blog, they have been good friends for a long time, so there is not much that will surprise them in the future. They may have expectations of changing something about each other, but they certainly already know each other well.
Ian is a leader, in a quiet sort of a way- so the opposite of Kimmy. He is very contemplative, thinks a long time about his answers, doesn't need to be talking just to talk, works very hard, has a great reputation with those who know him a little and those who know him well and he loves the Lord and Kimmy. What more can a dad want than for his daughter to fall in love with a godly man who desired to follow God and let Him provide whatever may come?
When God made Kimmy He had Ian in mind for her and vice versa. He planned for our 2 families to go on vacations together, both with kids and just parents, He planned that they, and we, would be in ministry together so each one could see how the other responded in different circumstances and how they then dealt with their sin. He made Ian to be good at school and Kimmy to be good at other things.
Some families have the idea that when their kids get married they are losing a son or a daughter, but in this case we already have a daughter and we are adding another son to our other 3 sons.
So to answer the question for you- "Yes, I and we, are very much approve of our new son and Kimmy's future husband". There will be challenges for them but we are excited to see what God is going to do in and through their lives for His Kingdom.
Please pray that they would both have wisdom and discernment to know where the Lord is leading them and what He has planned for them to do from eternity past. These next few months and years will really shape their lives as a family and it is often difficult to know exactly what God is calling us to do- it is no different for Ian and Kimmy than it is for any of the rest of us.
Ian we love you!
As I said earlier in the blog, they have been good friends for a long time, so there is not much that will surprise them in the future. They may have expectations of changing something about each other, but they certainly already know each other well.
Ian is a leader, in a quiet sort of a way- so the opposite of Kimmy. He is very contemplative, thinks a long time about his answers, doesn't need to be talking just to talk, works very hard, has a great reputation with those who know him a little and those who know him well and he loves the Lord and Kimmy. What more can a dad want than for his daughter to fall in love with a godly man who desired to follow God and let Him provide whatever may come?
When God made Kimmy He had Ian in mind for her and vice versa. He planned for our 2 families to go on vacations together, both with kids and just parents, He planned that they, and we, would be in ministry together so each one could see how the other responded in different circumstances and how they then dealt with their sin. He made Ian to be good at school and Kimmy to be good at other things.
Some families have the idea that when their kids get married they are losing a son or a daughter, but in this case we already have a daughter and we are adding another son to our other 3 sons.
So to answer the question for you- "Yes, I and we, are very much approve of our new son and Kimmy's future husband". There will be challenges for them but we are excited to see what God is going to do in and through their lives for His Kingdom.
Please pray that they would both have wisdom and discernment to know where the Lord is leading them and what He has planned for them to do from eternity past. These next few months and years will really shape their lives as a family and it is often difficult to know exactly what God is calling us to do- it is no different for Ian and Kimmy than it is for any of the rest of us.
Ian we love you!
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Dress
I'm going to skip ahead a bit and I may or may not go back to fill in the time between these posts.
I would guess that one of the most special days in the life of a little girl is dreaming about and anticipating the day she picks out her wedding dress- I may be wrong but it does seem this is a pretty big deal. If you think about it it is kind of crazy that so much time and thought goes into something that only lasts a few hours or gets worn one day- but that's how we are with some many other things as well. I also understand that the wedding dress is something that will be seen in the wedding day pictures for the rest of their lives, so let's get it right.
So Kimmy's big day was the day after Christmas- in 2009 that landed on a Sat. There are not too many places to pick a dress and so the scheduling is not too difficult. One of our options was part of a bartering company that I belong to. I won't get into too much of the background on this except to say that I tried really intently to make sure that we had all the bases covered before entering this day because I didn't want any unnecessary drama because of me. The other stop was going to be a place where many brides go but is less "fancy"- probably not the best word but you get the idea.
The reason this day was chosen was because Kimmy wanted to have as many of the bridesmaids there as possible and some were in town for the Christmas break. So now we have a huge day for Kimmy and an audience to share it with.
I threw a little more wood in the gears by volunteering to do a talk show on the radio with a designer friend of mine. I told her that I needed to be on the first hour because I had been invited to go shopping with all the girls. I felt very privileged to be included knowing that most dads would not care a bit about what dress was picked as long as the price was right. But I guess- I know- I am not like most dads in this area. I actually care about the color and how it looks. In fact, the radio host said on the air that I was a "fashionistia"- meaning I like fashion. The girls got a good laugh at that as they listened on the way to the store.
So, as I was on the air the girls were all caravaning down to the first store- the one on my program. Kimmy apparently tried on 6-8 dresses before I arrived and had taken more than a few of those off the list- she had really like the very first dress she had tried on. I rolled in and went into the store to see my little girl in a wedding dress. I don't know that I was really prepared to see that- but she looked beautiful.
Of course some of the dresses were not right at all for her, but some were very nice. I hadn't seen the first one until later on in the morning and so I was using other dresses as a baseline for selection. Finally she decided to try the first one back on so I could see it. As soon as she came out I knew it was the one. Perfectly simple yet elegant- like Kimmy. I can't give more details because that would potentially wreck the surprise, but she looked amazing.
We then had the other girls/ladies try on a bunch of different dresses- all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes trying to imagine what they would look like in the wedding colors and trying to figure out which would best suit the style of the day and also the shapes and sizes of the "cast". If all the girls are size 2 and the same height and skin tone then there is no issue getting a dress that looks amazing on them all. But that is not often the case as is true with the guys. A suit that looks great on one guy might look bad on anther for all the same reasons- it's just that most of the time the guys don't really care what they look like, they just want to know how soon they can get out of their "get-up".
So with all that in consideration they tried many dresses on and then made what seemed to be a good decision. So- Kimmy's dress selection was her very first one and the others had picked one as well. I then asked the lady working there about doing this in our normal bartering fashion and she told me that they didn't use this company. So, after I had called to ensure that all was in order and Kimmy had made the appointment based on this info and then they had made all the selections were made they told us that this was not going to work. Kimmy was very disappointed and reasonably so, but it was Sat.- the day after Christmas- and I didn't know who to turn to.
We had another appointment at the other place and so Kimmy hopped in my truck, in tears, and we drove to the next place. I made a few phone calls and started the ball rolling to see if I could salvage the first stop, but there was certainly no guarantees at the point that this would indeed happen.
We went to lunch in between stops and I still didn't have a resolution completed before we started going to the next place. From the restaurant to the the store was literally only about 1 mile, but since it was the day after Christmas it took almost the entire 45 minutes that we were "early" to get there. Big surprise there. Then of course parking was a nightmare, but we were finally in the store. An added note- I hate going shopping on any of these kinds of days because it seems so inefficient.
As soon as we walked into the store I knew that we were not in the right place. I have never shopped for wedding dresses before and all I had to go on was the fabric and packaging in both stores- no dress had been tried on at the second location. I asked Teresa if it was my imagination or was the product as this place way less quality than the first- she confirmed my suspicion.
Kimmy and the girls tried quite a few on and some were fine, but at least for Kimmy there was no comparison in any at this store to the first one- not even close. In the mean time I had received a phone call stating that the other location just didn't know exactly how the program worked and that I had not talked to the right people the first time through and that we would be able to make it work if we wanted to go that direction.
So, at the end of the day we had just a bit of drama- not compared to what it could have been- a bunch of great looking dresses selected and a happy dad and bride.
On a similar note- it is difficult to know what to expect as the father of the bride. Even though I have watched the show and laughed at "George's" response it is hard to know what something like this is going to cost and how much time and dollars should be thrown at this event. We obviously want this day to be a celebration of what God has done in the lives of 2 great young people, but you can spend a fortune if you so choose.
Kimmy will often say, "what do you think the budget should be for this?". I really have no idea on most of it because I don't know who is even supposed to be paying for this, that and the other thing; do we really need that and is there a better way to do this for just a few dollars more, and the list of questions is unending. So, I am trying hard to not be "George" but at the same time enjoy the process and have this day be as special and inclusive as possible on all fronts.
So, to end this post- Kimmy, and the rest of the ladies, are going to look lovely and I can't believe I am the Father of this beautiful bride to be. It will be a fun and for sure a tear filled day for me. But for those of you who know me that is no surprise.
Kimmy- thanks for letting me share the "dress day" with you.
I would guess that one of the most special days in the life of a little girl is dreaming about and anticipating the day she picks out her wedding dress- I may be wrong but it does seem this is a pretty big deal. If you think about it it is kind of crazy that so much time and thought goes into something that only lasts a few hours or gets worn one day- but that's how we are with some many other things as well. I also understand that the wedding dress is something that will be seen in the wedding day pictures for the rest of their lives, so let's get it right.
So Kimmy's big day was the day after Christmas- in 2009 that landed on a Sat. There are not too many places to pick a dress and so the scheduling is not too difficult. One of our options was part of a bartering company that I belong to. I won't get into too much of the background on this except to say that I tried really intently to make sure that we had all the bases covered before entering this day because I didn't want any unnecessary drama because of me. The other stop was going to be a place where many brides go but is less "fancy"- probably not the best word but you get the idea.
The reason this day was chosen was because Kimmy wanted to have as many of the bridesmaids there as possible and some were in town for the Christmas break. So now we have a huge day for Kimmy and an audience to share it with.
I threw a little more wood in the gears by volunteering to do a talk show on the radio with a designer friend of mine. I told her that I needed to be on the first hour because I had been invited to go shopping with all the girls. I felt very privileged to be included knowing that most dads would not care a bit about what dress was picked as long as the price was right. But I guess- I know- I am not like most dads in this area. I actually care about the color and how it looks. In fact, the radio host said on the air that I was a "fashionistia"- meaning I like fashion. The girls got a good laugh at that as they listened on the way to the store.
So, as I was on the air the girls were all caravaning down to the first store- the one on my program. Kimmy apparently tried on 6-8 dresses before I arrived and had taken more than a few of those off the list- she had really like the very first dress she had tried on. I rolled in and went into the store to see my little girl in a wedding dress. I don't know that I was really prepared to see that- but she looked beautiful.
Of course some of the dresses were not right at all for her, but some were very nice. I hadn't seen the first one until later on in the morning and so I was using other dresses as a baseline for selection. Finally she decided to try the first one back on so I could see it. As soon as she came out I knew it was the one. Perfectly simple yet elegant- like Kimmy. I can't give more details because that would potentially wreck the surprise, but she looked amazing.
We then had the other girls/ladies try on a bunch of different dresses- all kinds of colors, shapes and sizes trying to imagine what they would look like in the wedding colors and trying to figure out which would best suit the style of the day and also the shapes and sizes of the "cast". If all the girls are size 2 and the same height and skin tone then there is no issue getting a dress that looks amazing on them all. But that is not often the case as is true with the guys. A suit that looks great on one guy might look bad on anther for all the same reasons- it's just that most of the time the guys don't really care what they look like, they just want to know how soon they can get out of their "get-up".
So with all that in consideration they tried many dresses on and then made what seemed to be a good decision. So- Kimmy's dress selection was her very first one and the others had picked one as well. I then asked the lady working there about doing this in our normal bartering fashion and she told me that they didn't use this company. So, after I had called to ensure that all was in order and Kimmy had made the appointment based on this info and then they had made all the selections were made they told us that this was not going to work. Kimmy was very disappointed and reasonably so, but it was Sat.- the day after Christmas- and I didn't know who to turn to.
We had another appointment at the other place and so Kimmy hopped in my truck, in tears, and we drove to the next place. I made a few phone calls and started the ball rolling to see if I could salvage the first stop, but there was certainly no guarantees at the point that this would indeed happen.
We went to lunch in between stops and I still didn't have a resolution completed before we started going to the next place. From the restaurant to the the store was literally only about 1 mile, but since it was the day after Christmas it took almost the entire 45 minutes that we were "early" to get there. Big surprise there. Then of course parking was a nightmare, but we were finally in the store. An added note- I hate going shopping on any of these kinds of days because it seems so inefficient.
As soon as we walked into the store I knew that we were not in the right place. I have never shopped for wedding dresses before and all I had to go on was the fabric and packaging in both stores- no dress had been tried on at the second location. I asked Teresa if it was my imagination or was the product as this place way less quality than the first- she confirmed my suspicion.
Kimmy and the girls tried quite a few on and some were fine, but at least for Kimmy there was no comparison in any at this store to the first one- not even close. In the mean time I had received a phone call stating that the other location just didn't know exactly how the program worked and that I had not talked to the right people the first time through and that we would be able to make it work if we wanted to go that direction.
So, at the end of the day we had just a bit of drama- not compared to what it could have been- a bunch of great looking dresses selected and a happy dad and bride.
On a similar note- it is difficult to know what to expect as the father of the bride. Even though I have watched the show and laughed at "George's" response it is hard to know what something like this is going to cost and how much time and dollars should be thrown at this event. We obviously want this day to be a celebration of what God has done in the lives of 2 great young people, but you can spend a fortune if you so choose.
Kimmy will often say, "what do you think the budget should be for this?". I really have no idea on most of it because I don't know who is even supposed to be paying for this, that and the other thing; do we really need that and is there a better way to do this for just a few dollars more, and the list of questions is unending. So, I am trying hard to not be "George" but at the same time enjoy the process and have this day be as special and inclusive as possible on all fronts.
So, to end this post- Kimmy, and the rest of the ladies, are going to look lovely and I can't believe I am the Father of this beautiful bride to be. It will be a fun and for sure a tear filled day for me. But for those of you who know me that is no surprise.
Kimmy- thanks for letting me share the "dress day" with you.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Will You Marry Me?
In January of 2008 Ian- Kimmy's now fiance- came to me during his Christmas break and asked if we could meet to talk. It was no surprise to me what was coming.
He asked if he could pursue our Kimmy with the goal of marriage. We talked for quite a while about what that might look like, with him being in California and her being here. What he thought about the timing of the engagement and ensuing wedding, employment and things like that. We decided together that it would probably not be best for them to get engaged in January of '08 and wait until he finished school- in May of '10- to get married.
I am not a fan of long engagements and neither was he- he just knew that she was the one and so we started to move forward. Keep in your mind that they have been very good friends since elementary school- so it is not like they don't know each other.
We made the decision not to tell Kimmy what was going on- which I knew would be hard- but if we let her in on the secret then they might as well get engaged. It was hard for her not knowing if Ian actually really cared for her, if he was going to find someone at college... and so we tied to encourage her along the way without telling her what had already taken place.
There were many tears on the cheeks as we talked on walks together and Teresa and I tried to assure her that Ian was not looking for someone else, without letting the cat out of the bag. This was hard to keep up, especially when he came home for the summer, but we managed to pull it off.
In early June of '09 Ian came to me again to try to figure out a plan for the engagement and plan a bit more of what the future might look like for them. Again, together we decided that he would ask her to marry him on July the 1st. He really wanted to ask her in front of the entire church, after a Sunday evening service, but that just didn't work out. Their whole mind set is that this marriage is a celebration of what God has done in 2 lives and to really celebrate that with their entire church family. So we made another plan.
On Wednesday, July 1st, after our youth ministry meeting, SKH (youth pastor), call them both into a "meeting" in his office. This was nothing more than a decoy. Here is what happened.
Kimmy had always thought that, for whatever reason, she would get engaged in our "romantic" driveway. 2 days before this we started to call some friends and tell them that Ian was going to ask Kimmy to marry him and that they wanted to share this night with many of our extended family. They were sworn to secrecy, for obvious reasons. It was actually comical on some of the calls that some did not know who the guy was. They had done a good job of not being exclusive I guess.
So we had 2 or 3 photographers, a violinist and about 50 people over to our house. The neighbors graciously allowed us to park all their cars in their driveways and so after the service they all came over, while Kimmy was in a meeting, and we hid them behind fence and little out building. We had candles lining the driveway and Ian stood in the center of a bunch of rose petals in the shape of a heart.
Kimmy drove into the driveway and noticed the candles and Ian standing there, but she waited to get out of the car. She was a little freaked out because she then knew something was up. I don't think she had any clue until that moment. She finally got out of the car and went to stand in the "heart" with Ian and he got down on one knee and told her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life serving her and asked if she would marry him.
Along the way I had told some of my friends what was happening- everyone coming over to watch- and some said, "what if she says no". I told them, "You don't understand. there is no one else on the list and this is the only man in the world she wants to marry". It's a good thing we were right.
We then stayed up until midnight partying with all our friends. Ian had made a sign that said "Ian loves Kimmy". This is significant because they had never really shared their feelings with each other before.
There were lots of hugs, from everyone- tears of joy, many words of encouragement and I think the night was a great success and brought glory to our Lord. BTW- they are intending on having their first kiss at "You may kiss the bride".
So none think that he asked in a gray t-shirt, he changed clothes because it was July 1st and it was rather warm. This is the night.
He asked if he could pursue our Kimmy with the goal of marriage. We talked for quite a while about what that might look like, with him being in California and her being here. What he thought about the timing of the engagement and ensuing wedding, employment and things like that. We decided together that it would probably not be best for them to get engaged in January of '08 and wait until he finished school- in May of '10- to get married.
I am not a fan of long engagements and neither was he- he just knew that she was the one and so we started to move forward. Keep in your mind that they have been very good friends since elementary school- so it is not like they don't know each other.
We made the decision not to tell Kimmy what was going on- which I knew would be hard- but if we let her in on the secret then they might as well get engaged. It was hard for her not knowing if Ian actually really cared for her, if he was going to find someone at college... and so we tied to encourage her along the way without telling her what had already taken place.
There were many tears on the cheeks as we talked on walks together and Teresa and I tried to assure her that Ian was not looking for someone else, without letting the cat out of the bag. This was hard to keep up, especially when he came home for the summer, but we managed to pull it off.
In early June of '09 Ian came to me again to try to figure out a plan for the engagement and plan a bit more of what the future might look like for them. Again, together we decided that he would ask her to marry him on July the 1st. He really wanted to ask her in front of the entire church, after a Sunday evening service, but that just didn't work out. Their whole mind set is that this marriage is a celebration of what God has done in 2 lives and to really celebrate that with their entire church family. So we made another plan.
On Wednesday, July 1st, after our youth ministry meeting, SKH (youth pastor), call them both into a "meeting" in his office. This was nothing more than a decoy. Here is what happened.
Kimmy had always thought that, for whatever reason, she would get engaged in our "romantic" driveway. 2 days before this we started to call some friends and tell them that Ian was going to ask Kimmy to marry him and that they wanted to share this night with many of our extended family. They were sworn to secrecy, for obvious reasons. It was actually comical on some of the calls that some did not know who the guy was. They had done a good job of not being exclusive I guess.
So we had 2 or 3 photographers, a violinist and about 50 people over to our house. The neighbors graciously allowed us to park all their cars in their driveways and so after the service they all came over, while Kimmy was in a meeting, and we hid them behind fence and little out building. We had candles lining the driveway and Ian stood in the center of a bunch of rose petals in the shape of a heart.
Kimmy drove into the driveway and noticed the candles and Ian standing there, but she waited to get out of the car. She was a little freaked out because she then knew something was up. I don't think she had any clue until that moment. She finally got out of the car and went to stand in the "heart" with Ian and he got down on one knee and told her that he wanted to spend the rest of his life serving her and asked if she would marry him.
Along the way I had told some of my friends what was happening- everyone coming over to watch- and some said, "what if she says no". I told them, "You don't understand. there is no one else on the list and this is the only man in the world she wants to marry". It's a good thing we were right.
We then stayed up until midnight partying with all our friends. Ian had made a sign that said "Ian loves Kimmy". This is significant because they had never really shared their feelings with each other before.
There were lots of hugs, from everyone- tears of joy, many words of encouragement and I think the night was a great success and brought glory to our Lord. BTW- they are intending on having their first kiss at "You may kiss the bride".
So none think that he asked in a gray t-shirt, he changed clothes because it was July 1st and it was rather warm. This is the night.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Growing up Fast
Kimmy had some challenges in her Jr. High years. I don't think that it was all her fault.
She was one who could be teased and be alright with it- at least at that moment. She often would be in tears when she came home, but she took the teasing well. She was often a leader in her circle and served many families in different ways.
When she was 12 she went to Berlin to stay with the Green family to help with child care and learn about being a mom. She flew over with Teresa and T stayed for a week. Then T came home and Kimmy stayed another week and flew home by herself. She was grown up enough that I knew it would be fine, but she admitted it was difficult since there was a language barrier and she was only 12.
The flight attendants were supposed to keep an eye on her, but she looked so mature that it took her crying before she actually got help. It was a great experience and started her on her way to being the woman she is now.
From there we go to high school and beyond.
In high school she also got to go the Berlin to be with the Greens but this was more for future home schooling and mothering. She spent multiple weeks there and benefited greatly from those times of bonding with the kids and learning from a mom with many kids and lots of ministry responsibilities. She has always wanted to be a wife and a mom and thought that she would be a pastor's wife. Well time will tell on those issues.
As a senior she was asked, more times than you can count, "what are you going to do after high school? What college are you going to?" This was difficult for her as I am not convinced that every student should go to college. This was a point of "conflict", not between us but from others, because many think that every student should immediately go to college. When you do something different than most others are doing there will generally be people who want to give their opinions.
Since her desire was to be a wife and a mom we discussed that she should try to spend time with young moms helping with child care, home schooling and doing all the things that moms are required to do, while being a wife. I believe this has been very beneficial for her and has been an encouragement to the families she has been with. She has bonded with many kids of these families and hopefully her impact on them will help in changing culture back to more of a Titus 2 idea. We'll see if that happens later as well.
She was one who could be teased and be alright with it- at least at that moment. She often would be in tears when she came home, but she took the teasing well. She was often a leader in her circle and served many families in different ways.
When she was 12 she went to Berlin to stay with the Green family to help with child care and learn about being a mom. She flew over with Teresa and T stayed for a week. Then T came home and Kimmy stayed another week and flew home by herself. She was grown up enough that I knew it would be fine, but she admitted it was difficult since there was a language barrier and she was only 12.
The flight attendants were supposed to keep an eye on her, but she looked so mature that it took her crying before she actually got help. It was a great experience and started her on her way to being the woman she is now.
From there we go to high school and beyond.
In high school she also got to go the Berlin to be with the Greens but this was more for future home schooling and mothering. She spent multiple weeks there and benefited greatly from those times of bonding with the kids and learning from a mom with many kids and lots of ministry responsibilities. She has always wanted to be a wife and a mom and thought that she would be a pastor's wife. Well time will tell on those issues.
As a senior she was asked, more times than you can count, "what are you going to do after high school? What college are you going to?" This was difficult for her as I am not convinced that every student should go to college. This was a point of "conflict", not between us but from others, because many think that every student should immediately go to college. When you do something different than most others are doing there will generally be people who want to give their opinions.
Since her desire was to be a wife and a mom we discussed that she should try to spend time with young moms helping with child care, home schooling and doing all the things that moms are required to do, while being a wife. I believe this has been very beneficial for her and has been an encouragement to the families she has been with. She has bonded with many kids of these families and hopefully her impact on them will help in changing culture back to more of a Titus 2 idea. We'll see if that happens later as well.
Early Years
Kimmy was an awesome first child. She was happy almost all the time, smiled constantly, loved other people, laughed easily and was easy to love on.
She was born in Tacoma, spent a couple of years in Hood River, Oregon. I was a Les Schwab Tire asst. manager when we lived in HR and I would bring home my change each night and put it on the counter. One day Teresa had a talk with Kimmy and prepped her for my coming home. Kimmy met me at the door with her hand out and said her first 2 words together; "Money Daddy".
After a couple of years in HR we moved to Arlington. When we move to Arlington we started to attend church at Grace about 6 months later. Also, when we moved to Arlington they were building a new school right next to our house and Kimmy thought they were actually building it for her. She went there for about 2 years and the teachers all loved her- she mothered every kid in the class- but we were concerned about her actually learning in the class. Many days before school she had to be spanked in order to actually get her to wear the clothes mom had picked out, because of some itchy thing or a tag she didn't like. She likes to be comfortable.
We moved her to Grace Academy in the the second grade but she had some learning challenges so we kept her back a year, which was not really an issue since she is a Sept. baby. It was because of this delay that she was in Ian's class. They didn't always see eye to eye on things, but they did have a good relationship even in the earlier years. They were pretty close friends, maybe best friends, even in the second grade.
She had to go against the flow often, as many were not interested in doing the right thing. She and Ian had many times when they were 2 of the few who were standing for righteousness.
She was born in Tacoma, spent a couple of years in Hood River, Oregon. I was a Les Schwab Tire asst. manager when we lived in HR and I would bring home my change each night and put it on the counter. One day Teresa had a talk with Kimmy and prepped her for my coming home. Kimmy met me at the door with her hand out and said her first 2 words together; "Money Daddy".
After a couple of years in HR we moved to Arlington. When we move to Arlington we started to attend church at Grace about 6 months later. Also, when we moved to Arlington they were building a new school right next to our house and Kimmy thought they were actually building it for her. She went there for about 2 years and the teachers all loved her- she mothered every kid in the class- but we were concerned about her actually learning in the class. Many days before school she had to be spanked in order to actually get her to wear the clothes mom had picked out, because of some itchy thing or a tag she didn't like. She likes to be comfortable.
We moved her to Grace Academy in the the second grade but she had some learning challenges so we kept her back a year, which was not really an issue since she is a Sept. baby. It was because of this delay that she was in Ian's class. They didn't always see eye to eye on things, but they did have a good relationship even in the earlier years. They were pretty close friends, maybe best friends, even in the second grade.
She had to go against the flow often, as many were not interested in doing the right thing. She and Ian had many times when they were 2 of the few who were standing for righteousness.
First Post
Here's the first post on the new blog. I hope to give it to you straight. I'm sure there will be times when I am frustrated with the entire process, as there already has been, but this is not as much about Kimmy having an issue as it probably is about my issues and uncertainty in the process.
I want to first say that Kimmy is an amazing daughter- she has impacted our lives and the lives of many others. We hope to allow that to continue even as we celebrate this day with her and Ian. She is not perfect and she is a girl, so there will always be emotions, but that is a small price to pay for such a great girl/woman.
Some things that are already decided or selected are the date, the location is close to locked up, the dresses and some wedding day fun things. I will not tell you all the things before hand as there should be some surprise to the day itself.
I will break some of these up into different posts to make it easier to read. I could not be more excited about the process, at least right now, but I am sure there will be some downs along the way as well.
Daughters and their dads should have a special relationship and at times it is hard to be balanced, affectionate, emotional and firm- we'll give it a shot.
I want to first say that Kimmy is an amazing daughter- she has impacted our lives and the lives of many others. We hope to allow that to continue even as we celebrate this day with her and Ian. She is not perfect and she is a girl, so there will always be emotions, but that is a small price to pay for such a great girl/woman.
Some things that are already decided or selected are the date, the location is close to locked up, the dresses and some wedding day fun things. I will not tell you all the things before hand as there should be some surprise to the day itself.
I will break some of these up into different posts to make it easier to read. I could not be more excited about the process, at least right now, but I am sure there will be some downs along the way as well.
Daughters and their dads should have a special relationship and at times it is hard to be balanced, affectionate, emotional and firm- we'll give it a shot.
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