SHARING

Max and I share EVERYTHING...

• food
  
• hugs


• drinks


• a strong bond


• kisses


• a bed


• even the flu:(

So when Max got the flu earlier this week, I knew it was only a matter of time before it was my turn. Much to my surprise, it hit my mom and brother before it took me down. And I mean - really took me down! That was terrible, so I will spare you all the awful details of the mighty stomach bug that invaded the Raber house!!

To tell you the truth, there isn't much that me and Max don't share (this being intensified when we became our own little family). Then I started thinking - is there anything I wouldn't share with Max? I mean, come on, I even gave in and started sharing my Oreo cakesters...those are sacred to me:)

So tell me, is there anything in your life that you wouldn't share? I can't wait to hear your responses!! Cause let me just tell ya, a couple of posts ago I was amazed with your comments about your "dreams." I loved all your inspiring comments and can't wait for some of those dreams to come true for some of you:) My blogging buddies bring so much inspiration to my life!!

Here are a couple pictures taken today of Max wearing the glasses that his Nana was kind enough to "share" with him:)!!

This is the life...

Ok - so I stole my brother's favorite saying "This is the life..." but I just couldn't help it after today. I kept thinking that over and over while I got Max all bundled up to play in the snow, we came back inside to take a nap under the warm blankets, and then make ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookies:) I can't believe that tomorow will be our third day off of school - can't wait to see what the day holds:)
Here is Max in the snow today, and then a
picture of me and my two cousins this past weekend - I love you both dearly Jessica and Lauren!!

Prayer

A child's simple prayer can melt a mother's heart faster than anything else...

Tonight at supper Max wanted to say the prayer and here is what I heard:

"Greatest Lord, thank you for our food." So simple, yet so powerful to hear from a 3 year old's lips. He stole my heart the moment I looked into his dark eyes for the first time:)

Unfulfilled dream...

So lately I've been thinking about the dreams I've had in my life - both the dreams I've accomplished and those that are yet to be. One dream that I've always had was to be an author. It's one of those things I never really told anyone, but the thought just stuck with me for years. I would love to write a novel - I even started a "story" at one point, but soon discarded it because of fear. Fear of rejection, fear of the unknown. Well - that's my BIG dream, now I want to know yours!! I would love it if you left a comment and shared your BIG dream with me:) Trust me with your thoughts - I promise I won't make fun of you!!

I also wanted to share some of the pictures I've been working on...I know you've probably seen most of these before I edited them, but I just love them so much that I had to share:)!! Hope everyone has an amazing weekend - I'm so excited to spend time with my little one...weekends are such a blessing!! Enjoy the pics:)

Am I CRAZY??

Do you ever have a little voice in your head that guides you? Maybe I'm completely insane (which is totally possible), but throughout my life at random times I hear a voice. I choose to believe that it is God's voice. Now - do I literally hear something? Not really, it is more like a feeling...a nudging...and most of the time I have no clue why I'm experiencing this. Am I losing you? Ok - time for an example: Tonight I was planning on heading to Wal-Mart after Max left to spend the night with his dad. Well, Gil was late and it ended up being close to 7 p.m. before I could leave for Wal-Mart - I was ready to go, had my shoes on...when I just had this feeling that I shouldn't go. Why? I have no idea - but when I get this feeling I just always try to follow it, I mean, why chance it:)

Anyway - this is just one of many times that I've heard this voice, or had this feeling, whatever you want to call it. Sometimes it tells me to go a certain way home, or to get out my Bible and just read - it's always different. Does anyone else ever experience this - or am I crazy?

For Christmas I got my brother Clay a devotional book - and it was laying here beside me in the living room so I decided to look up "voice of God" in the index. I found it, and the verse that goes with the devotional for that day is this:
He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. Isaiah 50:4

I think this appeals to me because I'm a teacher...just the thought of God getting my attention to "teach" me something, in the same way I try to get the kid's attention at school when I am teaching. And when I'm teaching I want them to really "listen..." And I'm sure God feels the same way, He wants me to stop, listen to His voice, and obey (Just the way I feel with the kids at school). So I am going to make a concerted effort to always obey when He speaks to me...I mean, who really wants to ignore God anyway:)!!


Last night I went to eat at the "new" Iron Kettle with my whole family - the food was great and we had a really good time with each other:) We came home and played Jenga...which Max calls "Jingle Bells." He cracks me up - he kept saying "Mom, you have to be really calm and careful when you play Jingle Bells!" He's only heard that a time or two:)

Tonight before Max left I took a few pictures of him posing like a silly man - I thought he looked so cute in his navy and orange vest!!

This past week we went to ND to watch Uncle Clay coach the freshmen team - and Max had to pose for some pictures in his "Cougar" shirt - hey, we had to support Uncle Clay:)!!

Disciple of Christ

Lately I have been thinking alot about what it means to be a "disciple" of Christ. This morning we talked about it again at church, and it just seems to be a topic that has come up alot lately in my life. I love to think about what that truely means...to be a follower of Christ, to walk BESIDE him, trust in him, converse with him, obey him. Richard mentioned this morning that when we are a follower of Christ - living for Jesus - he brings order to our lives.

Alot of us have chaotic lives, that just seems to be normal these days. Our generation runs, runs, runs - worries about money, works extremely hard, hurry thru our meals, leave little time to pray - our lives are just chaotic in general. But when we decide to really be lifelong learners of Christ (followers of Christ) he brings order to our lives.

Our chaotic lives that are filled with guilt about the choices we make, unforgivness of people in our lives, going from here to there and not really getting anywhere - that will all be gone. We will just feel peace, because we know that our sole purpose is to follow Jesus. WOW!! That is what I'm working toward everyday - to follow Christ and let him bring order to my life. I guess that is what I meant when I said that the new year felt like a new beginning for Max and I. Things just feel simplified for me...like God is putting my life in order.

I hope everyone has an amazing week...I'll leave you with a few pictures from the last couple of weeks of my little man - come on, give me a break:) I'm just a mom who loves to share pictures of my little guy:)

Max and his best buddy, Jordan Knepp. Cousin Nick and Max at the movie theatre:) Maxwell in the bathtub - what a stinker:)

OK- so imagine this...

Head pounding as if someone just hit it with a baseball bat...
Throat so sore that it feels like each time you swallow you have just eaten a handful of thorns...
Lymph nodes so swollen that your neck resembles that of an NFL linebacker's...
The antibiotics that are supposed to be healing you are ripping your stomach apart...

YUP - this pretty much describes how I've felt the last two days, stuck at home with strep throat:(
Someone come save me!! On second thought - I don't blame you for not wanting to be exposed to the nasty, very contangious GERMS!! Hope everyone else is having a better Wednesday than I am:)!!

Some RANDOM thoughts and RANDOM pictures...

Haven't posted in awhile - just never felt like I had anything "profound" to say:) Ha ha!! Still don't, but I thought I better blog before everyone thinks I fell off the face of the earth!

We had a really wonderful Christmas and New Year's Eve...we are sooooo blessed with family that continue to drown me and Max in love! Even with the fact that Max and I are "on our own," the holiday season was so special for us. I felt like while Max and I rang in the new year - it was a new beginning for us, a fresh start of something wonderful!Max giving me a big hug on Christmas Eve - he has his "spider-gear" on! I live to see him smile like this - New Year's Eve 08/09

"Pulling taffy" on New Year's Eve, that was a brand-new experience, to say the least, but sooooo much fun!

This morning at church we sang a new song, called Everyday. One of the lines that we sang over and over was "I live for You Everyday." Cool song, great message....something to remember:) Live for Him EVERYDAY:)