I'll be back soon.....

I apologize for not keeping up with this blog. I'll be back to the swing of things in a few weeks. I've been extremely busy with work, conferences, etc. and any amount of time I've had outside of that really needed to be spent with my family. I promise I will be back soon. Hope you are all well and enjoying the beginning of the holiday season. Take care!

Nolan and his buddies....

New Jersey Lighthouse Tour

The New Jersey Lighthouse tour with the girls in the family was AWESOME! We all absolutely love lighthouses, especially Cape May Lighthouse, where we spent many of our summer vacations with the extended family. We actually vacationed in Sea Isle City but always went up to Cape May.

It was so relaxing to spend a weekend with the girls. My grandma is such a whipper snapper and the life of the party each time we're together. It was so nice getting to spend so much time with my aunt and cousins, who I don't get to see as often as I'd like. I'm very blessed to have such a wonderful family and I truly enjoyed and cherish my time with them.

My Aunt Teri planned the trip. She is so disgustingly organized! She made a cute little binder with the itinerary that literally documented hour by hour what we'd be doing, where we were going, etc. She had pics of all the lighthouses, little facts, etc. She's pretty amazing when it comes to organizing stuff like that.

My favorite lighthouse was the Twin Lights...very unique. My all time favorite remains Cape May, of course. So many wonderful memories of family vacations....just an all around feel-good type of weekend. Lighthouses are just so neat!

We are already planning for the Long Island Lighthouse Tour in the Spring and I cannot wait! I just can't wait to spend a weekend with the girls again. We will most likely extend the trip and go into NYC, as well. Our last trip to NYC was a blast and we'd all love to do it again.

If you like lighthouses, I highly recommend doing one of the regional weekend tours. You won't regret it.

Beth Moore Fans???

I know this isn't until next year, however, I will definitely be going. I'm spreading the word and hoping to round up many friends and family members to go along, as well. Hope to see you there!


http://www.lifeway.com/ev/events_detail_mainpage/0,2232,E%253D39%2526M%253D200979,00.html

Harvest Season

Ahhhhh......my absolute favorite time of year! God's presence in my life and on this earth is magnified ten-fold during the Harvest Season. It's just such a peaceful time in my life...a time when I allow my days to be about savoring those moments that I talked about earlier. A time the overwhelms me by the beauty of the earth and reminds me that this is just a tiny little sample of what awaits me in the Kingdom that I am promised as a believer. Amazing. God is truly amazing. I stand in awe at the gift I'm given in just the beauty of the earth alone. Truly amazing.

One of my favorite passages of the bible is found in Ecclesiastes 3:

1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
9 What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?
10 I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.
14 I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.
15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
19 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?
22 Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?


I know that it was a long one but I just love Ecclesiastes 3 and I read it over and over many times throughout the year, esp. during the Harvest Season. I am so thankful for such a loving, caring, protecting and forgiving God who never ceases to amaze me by surrounding me with His presence and His love.

I hope that each of you are able to take some time out to enjoy ambiance of Autumn...the warmth in the color of the leaves, the pumpkins patches, hayrides, scarecrows, yummy candles and, of course, Starbucks hot caramel apple cider :)

Summer's End

Unbelievable that summer is already over! We enjoyed a lot of fun times over summer. Kennywood, Idlewild, OCMD, swimming, picnics, playing in the yard...what more could one ask for? A longer summer, longer weekends, shorter work week....that's my wish! Sometimes I'm so caught up in the rush of "life" that I don't take time to sit back and savor the moment. Conversations between my friends and family always surround the same age old issue of how life is so crazy and how we have such minimal time to sit back and enjoy the "small" stuff in life. So sad but so true. My mom and grandma are such wonderful reminders to me when it comes to enjoying and appreciating the more "simple" things in life. I've observed both of them over the years doing just that all while teaching us along the way to do the same. We've made some wonderful memories this summer and we look forward to many more in the years to come.

Light the Night Walk 08

We participated in the Light the Night Walk, which benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, again this year. I became passionate about the walk when a good friend of mine, Mandy Claypoole, was diagnosed with leukemia. Mandy is a Physician Assistant that I worked with in Butler. I've always been involved in supporting charties and I wanted to have Nolan involved as soon as I could. We started last year with Light the Night and knew right away that it was a walk we'd always be involved in. To me, it was different than any other charity walk/fundraiser I've been involved in. It takes place in the evening hours b/c during the walk the participants carry illuminated balloons. There are big screens that play on each end of the field that have patient profiles/stories playing during the walk. They also have survivors speak before the walk. Senator Richard Kasunic is the honorary speaker for the Fayette Co. chapter of Light the Night and he does a fantastic job. This charity is also very personal to him as his wife, Laura, died of leukemia. My parents went to school with Rich and Laura and I went to school with his son Rich and his wife Laura (interesting that they both married Laura's, huh). All are very nice people.

Little did I know when we started this walk last year that I would also be walking in honor of my mom, Sandy. This year, in April, my mom was diagnosed with a Plasmacytoma (proliferation of malignant plasma cells) on her spine. A plasmactyoma is often a precursor to a much more serious illness known as Multiple Myeloma. My mom had radiation treatment at the Arnold Palmer Pavilion in Greensburg, PA. So far, she is recovering well and grateful for the wonderful staff of medical personnel at Arnold Palmer. She is looking forward with hope and faith in God for a long and healthy life ahead. Her next follow-up appointment is in Oct. and I will be sure to keep you posted. I will also continue to update you on Mandy, who is now in remission.

I would like to encourage each of you to become involved in some sort of charity work. There is so much out there one can do to help another. There are endless opportunities for volunteer work that won't cost you a dime but in turn will make you feel like the richest person on earth as your heart fills with overwhelming positive emotions.

I am so thankful and so very blessed that I was able to start participating in volunteer work at such a young age through my church and through Kids and Company in Connellsville. I am also very grateful that I was raised in family that encouraged me to help others and to truly see how much more rewarding it is to give than to receive. Any of you who know my mother know that she's our very own "Mother Theresa".

Reach out and touch someone....pick up the phone, write a letter (not an e-mail) or pay a visit. You will be amazed at how fruitful life can be when you open your heart to others.