Little did she know...

Just a little shout out to the man I call my husband (well, he is literally my husband, I don't just call him that ;) ). Here is to my hard-working husband who is willing to go above and beyond to do his best and be the best LEO that he can be. Sometimes this means that I get annoyed at him for working extra hours he doesn't technically have to work, but he does it because it's the right thing to do -and that integrity is part of the reason I married him in the first place. Here is to the countless times that he has resolved situations with homicidal/suicidal people so that everyone was able to leave alive. I have just a tiny handful of times that I remember him telling me "I almost had to shoot someone today". I know there's more times that he has never shared with me. Here's to the times he has gone to buy food/diapers/formula, the times he has gotten off shift and gone to wait with kids who have to be put in the foster system because he has a ...

Does it go without saying that I miss you? Because I do. Not every second of every day. But usually at an unexpected time, some sound or smell or song or movie or whatever will remind me of you. Lots of times it brings a smile to my face. Other times, it makes me want to cry.  Over the past couple of years I kept wanting to tell you about everything you are missing out on.  You were right. I had a baby boy. He's two now. He likes cheese and dancing (among many other things). We have taken him camping and hiking, and I have you to thank for teaching me to love the outdoors and the joys of camping (even in all the extreme weather conditions we seemed to attract). We have had weddings. And sibling reunions. And the cutest little Brasilian Johnson you have ever seen. We have had graduations and growth. Lots of mundane changes. Lots of extreme changes. A lot of crying and a lot of laughing. And you are missing it. That makes me deeply sad. But the more I th...

This is a rare Saturday: it's not snowing (like the above picture indicates)! And all of us are home with no place to rush  off to (partially because everyone is sick right now, but it's whatever)!  Cliche, but true, I am sitting here sipping my coffee and listening to the birds chirp outside (I probably should be outside myself) as well as the sad coughing of my kiddo (that part is not cliche).  Here's some other things that I have been listening to lately:  the Journeywomen podcast -any episode is recommendable! Probably the only podcast I fully keep up with.  Andrew Peterson's Resurrection Letters vol.1 -especially "His Heart Beats" and "Is He Worthy?" Streetlights Bible App -Romans, currently, because we are studying that on Sunday morning.  "should we move" by Seth Avett as Darling, because Clara reminded me that this song existed and then I wondered why I didn't own it, and then I bought it and the rest is history...

1. Go to Hippy Hole in the Black Hills (How have I never gone?) 2. Take Matt to the Devil's Bathtubs in the Black Hills. (twice in 2017) 3. International Travel before Amos needs a ticket (uh, this one's already a fail. oops)  4. Move to a bigger house (rent? buy?) 5. Camp in the Badlands (again, how have I never?) 6. Complete a Project 365 (I did not make it all 365 days in 2017, but I persevered.) 7. Take Amos up Harney Peak (or Black Elk Peak, whatever) 8. Print out at least ONE photo book (for Amos, or family, or the coffee table, or whatever) 9. Get back into rock climbing shape and go climb some rocks! 10. Ski again (it's been YEARS, people. PS I didn't break anything.) 11. 30 days of random acts of kindness (this would be fun to do with Amos as he gets older) 12. Research and support a child through a good charity. 13. Take an actual over-night backpacking trip. 14. A Red Rocks Concert -every concert I wanted to go to has sold out alre...

As a review, I am working on the Light Reader section in the reading challenge.  Books one and two:  A biography: Hillbilly Elegy -highly recommend A book with at least 400 pages -All the Light We Cannot See -also highly recommend Book three: A book about Christian living: Love into Light -good, challenging, convicting. Go read it. Book four:  A book for teens or young adults: Me and Earl and the Dying Girl -currently reading. I already don't love it. I did love The Fault in Our Starts. And I didn't love The Catcher in the Rye. This book is kind of reminding me of a mix of those two. Kind of. 

This song because of these lyrics:  (referring to love) "I know that it's great, its different It's when you give and give of yourself Until your tank is on empty  Just to be with the one you love. You bleed on the inside  At the thought of losing them. At least that's how I feel. That's how I feel." I got to watch my friends get engaged this morning  (with my boss/friend from back in the day)  in the coffee shop I worked at back in the day.  I shared a table with a crusty old guy who played with and sassed Amos while I took pictures. The store was full of their friends and she had no clue and he was so nervous. And it was perfect.  This morning was just another one of those small-town situations that filled up my love tank and made me happy that I didn't move away eight years ago like I thought I would.  Happy Valentine's Day to all you lovers and you haters! 

I think this was the year 2013. And here is a smattering of my summer.  I'll see how well my memory serves me to tell you what is happening. Remnants from a weekend at Hills Alive. My brother and I bought matching Honey Badger shirts #NoRegurts My niece gave me this picture from Choir Tour 2010. I love it. New TOMS. Too big. Still.  "Ask Salesperson for Mate" I think this is the floor to Custer Ambulance Service. But, don't quote me on that. Harney Peak. All the heart eyes. Sturgis Rally: best part is the snacks in the Emergency Department. A snake in the ambulance service parking lot. A Dew Drop Inn date (come back, Phil). My B.I.L in his space.   Harney Peak with some Texas Friends. Santa in the Summer. This brings back so many great (and not so great) work memories! Jarrett W in all his blonde hair glory. Phil in all his drummer dreams. I don't know, but I think...

This music Monday is brought to you courtesy of the Tramp household current obsession. Matt digs it. I dig it. Amos digs it. You can't go wrong!  Happy Monday!

Photo source Let's try this again, kids. This time for the win. And also because I gave myself a deadline (30 before 30). I am for sure going to complete the Light Reader section, and anything I do past that is a bonus!  Any and all book suggestions welcome!  Here's my first two books I grabbed from the library:  A biography: Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance A novel OR a book that is at least 400 pages: All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr (by the time I finish it, I will decide which category it is filling :) )  Both of these are books that I have been wanting to read for a long time, so I'm excited!

I don't want to say it, because I hard eye roll at the overabundance of blame-shifting and down-playing of the Millennial Generation. Every generation has its faults. Every generation is, to some extent, a bi-product of the former generation (y'all, everyone is responsible for their own decisions. Just know I believe that with my whole heart, so calm down). Every generation is impacting the next generation way more than they probably realize.  However, I am going to just put a little rant out there about my generation. More specifically, I am speaking to people in Christian circles. I don't know about you, but I have seen a fair share of articles posted out there along the lines of "Dear Church, this is how you have failed me". Maybe it's coming from the perspective of a "forgotten" single. Maybe it's coming from the perspective of a jaded, ultra-conservatively raised kid.  A lot of these articles that I have read have valid points. Some orga...

The most torturous drive-by tour we have endured yet! We were left gasping over all the rock formations around every corner. Since we were on a time crunch to get back to the midwest, we made the most of it and pulled over like crazy tourists every chance we got. We'll come baaaaackk, AZ. (But first, coffee. duh.)

These guys. Uhg. New album coming soooon! (one of my favorite concerts. see below for a sweaty, cheeser, picture) (PS, Amos was a teeny, tiny babe in my belly. And I forgot my I.D., so I got the X of shame on my hand before we entered the venue. Buuuuut. We also got to stand close enough to get spit on, so ya know. That was a win ;) )  (also, literally no idea who the chick in the floral shirt is. bonus person)