A Little Blessing

I ran down the field.  Everyone calling my name.  I threw the frisbee to the end zone! I missed. I slowly drifted to being a cherry picker.  Then my sister came up to me.  "Diana, did you hear?"  my mind was in frisbee mode.  " yes, Kelle, I know that last pass was bad...." I started to say.  "No Diana, Christina had her baby! His name is Elijah David."  I was so excited! I jumped into the air.  "I'm an aunt again!" I said out loud. I was so happy for her.  All my friends crowded around.  They were happy too.  Everyone was congratulating us.
August 29th, 2014, at 7:13 p.m. 7lbs 13oz, Elijah David was born.
Just holding that little bundle of joy, makes my eyes water.  God's creation just glorifies His name.  Sometimes I just don;t understand how someone could look at a little baby and not know that the Lord created it.
If you don't believe in miracles, perhaps you've forgotten that you are one.

 sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart. {winnie the pooh}
Joyfully in Him,
   Diana <3

5/17/14

My brother is married.  I had a lot of fun planning the rehearsal dinner, putting lights in big paper lanterns. Seeing my good friends after one whole month! Folding napkins while watching jostie flicks and beauty and the beast. Going to lunch to eat fish tacos.

 Getting dressed in my black high heels for the dinner. Having a circuit blown. Serving dessert. listening to awesome maid of honor and best man speeches.  Spraying whipped cream into our mouths. Drinking Izzie with paper straws. getting my hair done real fancy. Helping Adam move out of his bedroom. Having a dance party in the bridal room.  Waiting for 1:00. Playing with Aidan.

Walking down with two gentleman. ;) Holding a bouquet of flowers.  listing to a friend talk about bubble grenades. Enjoying my pearly whites.  Talking wedding party pictures. Being introduced as the wedding party.  Talking to all of my long lost friends and relatives.  Watching Adam walking to us.  

Drinking a strawberry shake and watching good friends eat cheese sauce with French fires.  The feeling of the wedding being over but there being another party after!  Running downstairs expecting to see my nephew but instead seeing my friends.  Eating chicken tacos at a long table. 

  Playing Frisbee golf for the fist time and getting a 78!! ;) Having the same exact score during Frisbee golf with my friend. Riding back in a mini van with the windows down and singing country music.  Hearing a friend tell about how he drove a stick shift for the first time and accidentally got it in 5th gear.  

Playing guillotine and bang at the same time!! Relieving stress as we played the piano. Being the outlaw twice in a row.  Eating brownies with powdered sugar on top.  Making jokes like "dis boy" and "hope you had a magical time." Laughing so hard my eyes got watery.  So thankful that my friends traveled 7 hours to be with us for this special weekend.  

Watching youtube videos and laughing all together.  Talking into the wee hours of the night,  Sadly saying goodbye.  But happily planning the next party.  I had a great weekend!!

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3

A Day at a Farm

It is very rare indeed, for me to really really enjoy an event.  There has been only a few events that I have done that I very much enjoyed.  I place these in a categories called "events that I had really fun at"
This newest event I went to was a trip to a small country farm.  I got to shadow the daily life of a farmer.  It was planting and plowing time.  And I got to sit in the big New Holland tractor and watch the big plow in the back do its work.  It was an experience I will never forget!  We had a lot of good laughs!

 The tractor's wheel is as big as I am!!

 As it slowly got cloudy,  I got to watch the big gray cloud roll in and soon it was pouring rain.  My friend and I went out and splashed in the puddles. 

 Then I followed my friend around as he did his regular chores around the farm including milking the cows! 

 This reminded me of Charlotte's Webb 

Joyfully in Him,

   Diana<3 

"Something Strewn"

Yesterday, my family hosts the leadership meeting for our church on Wednesday every month.  And my job is to make a treat for the men to eat during the meeting.

So this week I made Cinnamon Streusel Coffee cake.  The name means "something strewn" in Old German.  Also, when I make the dessert, I make a little extra for my two friends who come over during the meeting.  

It didn't take me too long to make this and was easier than I thought! 

 And here is the recipe for this amazing cake! 

Joyfully in Him,

   Diana<3 

hello spring

In this house, we do second chances, We do grace, We do mistakes, We do real, We do loud really well, We do hugs, We do love, We do family.  

 Family

like branches on a tree,

we all grow in different directions,

yet out roots remain as one. 

 I made some M&M oatmeal cookies last week.  I got a lot of compliments on them! 

Here is the recipe. 

 Yesterday I finally got out my pencils and paints and just sketched and painted. It's been a long time since I've done that! 

Joyfully in Him,
    Diana<3

"Just Feel that Summer Breeze..."

Spring is here.  The crocuses bloomed eight days earlier than last year.  All this 50 and 60 degree weather we are having is doing great for my flowers! Dad and I planted our garden this past Sunday. We planted spinach, carrots, radishes, and three rows of different kinds of lettuce: green leaf, red leaf, and spring mix.
(I didn't take a picture of our whole garden because I'm sure you don't want to see just dirt. So I added my feet and a packet of seeds.)

Dad bought me some lavender for my garden, so I have been waiting for the right day to plant it in there.

Joyfully in Him,
    Diana<3

The Paperman Short Film

My younger brother just recently showed me this video! I liked it so much I wanted it share it on here.

A Special DAY for a Special Girlie! Part 1

This past Saturday was Marie's Bridal shower!! I had so much fun preparing and planning for this day!  We didn't forget a single detail!  I helped Mom with the cooking and Kelle and Christina did the decorating.

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3

My First Ski Trip!

Last week, I got to go skiing for the very first time in my entire life!! I was a little scared at first (going down a steep hill standing up).  But my friends reassured me that it was very easy.
After an hour and a half of driving (or laughing and talking), we all tumbled out of the big green van.  Wilmont Mountain. wow!
Looking at the big hills made my knees cave in.
Mom was registering Jonathan and I and I was beginning to doubt whether I should have come or not.  But there was no time for negative thoughts, as I soon found myself walking to the ski rental building.  I told the man behind the counter my shoe size and a pair of yellow and black skis were soon in my hand.

I walked outside to meet one of my friends.  He told me how to put my skis on and how to push myself with the ski sticks.  I went up and down the bunny hill, thinking to myself how boring this is and I should have done this years ago, it was so easy.
Then the ski lesson started. I got to go down one of the bigger hills, and I didn't really get the slowing down part yet, so I couldn't stop.  I didn't know what to do.  And then, as if it was a miracle, I fell. I thought to myself, "Thank you God! "  So the ski instructor helped me work on stopping and slowing down.  As the day went on, I got less scared and I went on the bigger hills.
I am so thankful for my friends who stayed with me and helped me up when I fell.  They told me little tricks and helpful advice.  Everyone was so helpful.
Going on the ski lift at night was one of the best things I had ever done. Especially if you have a friend to go up with you!
I had the time of my life! All those negative thoughts were washed way and new thoughts of joy filled my head!! Feeling the wind blow against my face as I raced down the hill was an experience I can't describe. 
Soon the day was closing to an end. I stood at the end of a mountain with one of my friends watching people ski down one last time and break so fast that snow would fly everywhere.
Riding home, we all talked and laughed, and tried to take a picture (but the car was to bumpy), played iphone games, made imprints on the car windows, sang along to music in the background, and just had fun.  It did not seem like and hour and a half.
This trip was the best ski trip I have ever done. I will never forget it!  

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3

The Phantom of the Opera Play

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to go downtown Chicago and see the Phantom of the Opera Broadway play!  It was held in the Cadillac Theater.  I had so much fun!
I got a new dress and new shoes!  When the play first started, I new right then that is was going to be amazing.  It was my first time going to a real live play!  I enjoyed every minute of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joyfully in Him,
   Diana<3