Friday, December 27, 2013

Favorite Faces

We know what he's thinking, we'll let you do the guessing.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Christmas '13

Feel free to check out our blog from the last year for life updates, thoughts, and random musings.

Thinking about this last year, we included a few thoughts here that haven’t made it out yet but have been brewing in our minds!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Jeremy, Maria, and jones

Looking Back

Life

Baby jones has been by far the biggest adjustment to our lives since we’ve been married. In fact, he consumes us. But we can’t be more thankful for a healthy baby and transitioning to parenthood has been incredible, while hard. Having a baby has also shown us the pure miracle of it…we’ve become painfully aware of the many cases of miscarriage, birth complications, or just couples that haven’t been able to have kids. It’s been a good reminder to never take our kid for granted and to thank God for the treasure He’s given us…even when that treasure is screaming at 2am. We aren’t selfish, so if you need a baby fix wash your hands and come over and hold him. We’ll even let you change a diaper, or four of them.

Death

This past year we lost two cousins, a great-grandma, twins born to another cousin, and Jeremy’s long-time barber. It’s been strange to have family & friends that have been around most of our lives suddenly gone. It’s also been a great reminder that we were made to meet our maker, and if our lives don’t reflect that reality then we’ve somewhat missed the point.

Holiday Rant

The commercialism and the materialism that has seemed to become associated with the holiday season has us a little frustrated this year. Black Friday deals starting on Thursday, Cyber Monday that lasts all week, and just the idea that we need more, better, or bigger. I guess it scratches American consumers right where we itch, and we shouldn’t be surprised.

It also has us thinking about what to teach our kids about Christmas, Thanksgiving, and New Years. It’s been good to unravel the holiday lies we’ve latched on to, and focus on what really matters. Christ’s birth truly is something to celebrate. Saint Nicholas is quite different than the Santa portrayed today. New Years is about more than resolutions that last a month. We truly do have lots to be thankful for, not just the seasonal bargains.

Our proposed alternative: how about Black Friday deals for milk, eggs and bread!!

Looking Forward

We are really excited for the holidays, even if this post sounds grumpy :)

We love the thought of:

- - Spending time with family.

- - Holiday foods like Mom T’s strudel, wassail, peppermint nougats, and candy canes.

- - Starting a New Year. Dropping old habits, and implementing better ones.

- - Singing Christmas Carols and being sung too.

Again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Years!

Vacation: 2013

Vacation for us has become a little bit where we go, and mostly who we go with. Here's a few from 2013.

We drove down to Florida for a New Year's cruise and I'd recommend this for several reasons:

1. The Caribbean in January. Enough said.

2. Cruise lines usually have some good deals last minute, making for a fairly cheap 5 day getaway.

3. Driving there was long, but was a great time for us to connect through conversation and time spent together. It also showed us some beautiful country through the Appalachians.

4. New Years on a cruise ship was just fun. Making new friends. Sitting by a pool with a 360 degree ocean view. Private island for a day. Food anytime. Naps anytime. Reading books, crazy I know.

In February we did a sibling stay-cation in Fort Wayne, complete with home cooked breakfast, a trip to the library, mustache & eyebrow glasses, and the occasional appearance of one warthog.

2013 was Dad & Mom T's 40th anniversary so we all celebrated with them in Orlando. Hanging with the kids is always fun, I'm just glad I didn't have to fly with them.

Made it to our first PGA tour event while down there...was pretty cool watching Tiger, DJ, Rory, Westwood, and others up close.

Seeing Gpa & Gma Pfister in Venice was awesome too! Gpa served up the typical Gma-Style Ham Sandwich with an ice-cold Yuengling I still haven't forgotten about.

July with Dad & Mom S was at Sapphire Valley in North Carolina. I used to think other places than NE Indiana were pretty because they were different, but now I'm convinced that the flatness of where I live just can't compare to the hills, mountains, valleys, and forests of MI, OH, NC, and VA. Pictures can't do justice for those sights, only stir memories.

July was also the Tuckers usual in the UP. I love this place the more I go back. Best part is poor cell service, once we hit the lake road, the cell goes off. That's the real vacation.

Friday, November 22, 2013

"It is Finished!"

I've been reading Oswald Chamber's devotion My Utmost for His Highest. It's been awesome, and I thought I'd share one of my favorites from yesterday.

J

Nov. 21, 2013

I have finished the work which You have given Me to do —John 17:4

The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment in history of the very mind and intent of God. There is no place for seeing Jesus Christ as a martyr. His death was not something that happened to Him— something that might have been prevented. His death was the very reason He came.

Never build your case for forgiveness on the idea that God is our Father and He will forgive us because He loves us. That contradicts the revealed truth of God in Jesus Christ. It makes the Cross unnecessary, and the redemption “much ado about nothing.” God forgives sin only because of the death of Christ. God could forgive people in no other way than by the death of His Son, and Jesus is exalted as Savior because of His death. “We see Jesus . . . for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor . . .” (Hebrews 2:9). The greatest note of triumph ever sounded in the ears of a startled universe was that sounded on the Cross of Christ— “It is finished!” (John 19:30). That is the final word in the redemption of humankind.

Anything that lessens or completely obliterates the holiness of God, through a false view of His love, contradicts the truth of God as revealed by Jesus Christ. Never allow yourself to believe that Jesus Christ stands with us, and against God, out of pity and compassion, or that He became a curse for us out of sympathy for us. Jesus Christ became a curse for us by divine decree. Our part in realizing the tremendous meaning of His curse is the conviction of sin. Conviction is given to us as a gift of shame and repentance; it is the great mercy of God. Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is the measure of His hatred.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Time well wasted

I was warned...

Warned about diapers. Two weeks ago I changed 3 diapers in 10 minutes. Some days it would make sense to just leave him on the changing table.

Warned about free time, or the lack thereof. I've had to say no to golf. Projects got shoved to the back-burner. I crawl into bed at night and wonder what happened with my day. Date nights, a clean garage, and time to think have all but disappeared.

Warned about the sleep. Jones slept 3 nights in a row for 8 hours and got his parents all pumped up. The real average has been a long nap of 3-5 hrs and the rest of the time waking up every 2.5 hours. I usually get to put him to bed but earlier this week I let Maria do it...I was so tired it felt like I was going to drop him.

What I wasn't warned about was that my new favorite past-time would become letting Jones fall asleep on my chest. Maybe it's the warm body. Maybe it's the smell of that baby hair. I don't know but somehow I can sit down, he'll put his head on my chest and we'll just chill out for an hour...or maybe two. Sometimes we fall asleep, or just zone out. Either way, I never imagined I could spend so much time doing nothing but staring at our little man. I'm living in the moment, because I know I'm gonna miss this some day...

J

Thursday, October 17, 2013

39.5 weeks!

Jesus, Thank you for the past 9 years. When I began my journey with you I had nothing to bring but a broken and empty heart. You've taken ashes and made beauty in a life that was bound for hell. Today I am rejoicing over your amazing work in my life and thankful for the joy you have given me. Walking with you has made life always bearable, (even though not always easy) but I always have something SO good to cling to.. something more than what I can see/understand to believe in. Today I am publicly feeling the need to profess YOU ARE FAITHFUL. YOU ARE GOOD. I'm so thankful you opened my eyes so I could see you, my ears so that I can hear you, that you taught me it is far better to walk in the light than in the darkness. That you've taught me how to forgive and how to live forgiven.
I cannot anticipate the overwhelming joy of the next couple of days as Jeremy and I get ready for Lil Stig's entrance into this world without recalling the sorrow of parting with my heaven bound children Clint and baby Stig last May.. I think that it's making my joy over this child even sweeter, and I do not know what tomorrow holds but I trust the God who holds tomorrow and who has brought me through until today. Thank you to each one who has lifted up this pregnancy in prayer and encouraged us along the way. We love you. We praise God that today we have made it to 39.5 weeks! To God be the glory!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWM2qG-nU-Y&list=PLd-9BigkB3N8dkThDDgp5aQEfacsI2vJk

The City Harmonic (Feat. JJ Heller) - Holy (Wedding Day) (Official Music Video)

www.youtube.com

From the 2013 JUNO-Award Winning Album "I Have A Dream (It Feels Like Home)" https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/i-have

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Secondhand treasure!

Sadly, garage sale season is almost over. Thankfully Craigslist helps us make it through the long, winter months till we can again haggle with our neighbors over junk that nobody's wife wants in the garage.

Tonight I triumphantly post the best garage sale find...so far...

Standing at a cool 10 inches, this beautiful canister holds that oh-so-lovely drink, brewed to a steamy hot temperature. A temperature i will add that maintains it's steamy hotness ALL DAY LONG...

The lid that seals my delicious coffee drink magically turns into an 8 oz cup as soon as it's flipped over. Wonderful.

At only $5.00 this could possibly be the steal of a lifetime. Also came stock with a nifty handle.

Be jealous you coffee drinking, bargain hounds...

You deserve what?

This week I ran into someone that I believe felt entitled to something they didn't deserve.

This has turned from a pet peeve of mine into something that makes my blood boil.

Turns out I hate it when someone feels entitled to something they don't deserve, and they let you know it.

What I learned today is I hate it even more when I discover this entitlement in myself.

I also learned that the majority of what I have, I don't deserve.

Again, you deserve what?

J

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Lance: A cousin story...

This is a story called Lance.
A story of yesterday, the saddest day I can remember.

I woke up with a headache.
The pounding type that kept slamming memories through my mind.

Memories like being babysat by someone who wasn't fast enough to catch us as we ran around Uncle C & Aunt J's house. She got squirted with SuperSoaker 150's, called a Bossy Cow, and probably hated little boys.

Memories of the rise and fall of lego kingdoms in Grandma's basement.

Memories of watching Zelda get beaten in 64 bit graphics...and rematch after rematch of NFL Blitz.

An electric guitar rendition of the National Anthem.

Hauling corn from the field and using the jake brake past the high school band practice.

A trip to Webster Lake in a red mustang where we got talked into a 30 mph kneeboard jump over the ski ramp. We had Taco Bell that day.

Riding wheelies on Spencer and Ty's blasters...it was ok because they weren't ours.

Playing chess together once. Only once because it wasn't fun to lose.

Going to watch Happy the Clown from WFFT 55 live.

Memories that flood back every time I hear Fall Out Boy, Bad Company, or Warren Zevon on the radio,

Borrowing some Amish outfits from my neighbor and celebrating Halloween. One of the most outrageous nights of my life.

Memories of talks where we both agreed our dad's knew little about being high school boys.

That one winter where three cousins decided to drive 1300 miles and spray their grandpa with squirt guns.

Memories of a man that sat beside me in church, and in jail.

Memories that go on and on and can't possibly be recounted, or blogged about in one sitting.

Here's the twist to the story, the story is titled Lance but it isn't really about him.

As my mind is still distracted with memories, and as tears still come to man that has tried so long not to cry...all I can think about is the real story.

The story of a Groom presenting his spotless Bride to The Father. Lance wasn't perfect, but he didn't have to be...and I can't wait to see him again.

J