7 Quick Takes (Volume 262)--The 50th Birthday Edition

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I can hardly believe it, but today is my 50th birthday. Yep. Let the teasing begin. This summer I was none too happy about this day approaching, but today I can honestly say I am. 50 years! Half a century! I have history, people! (Or I AM history . . . which is it?)

And so, to commemorate such an occasion, I've dug out pictures of my 50 years of life to remember where I've come from and mark the goodness of God in my life.

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I was a surprise baby, coming 9 months after my parents' wedding. My mother had been told she couldn't have children. Somebody was wrong, ya think?




I have good memories of childhood--playing with cousins, falling asleep at the drive-in theater, my mom supplying kool-aid and shoestring potatoes for tea parties with my little sister, and every little girl's dream, baby kitties. Here is a pic of little kindergartner Tami.

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The entrance to my second decade was marked by the arrival of my twin brothers when I was ten and my sister was eight. This picture is from my 11th birthday. My sister is on the left, a good friend on the right, and my brothers sit on my lap. I think I liked those little boogers. (Confession: still do.)


The teen years weren't too kind to me however. My girls were TONS prettier at 15 than I was. Can you say WOOF?


Here's proof I had a love of lizards BEFORE Ladies Man and Elmo. Meet my little chameleon I called Igor.


I think my senior picture proves I was alive and well during the Farrah Fawcett years.

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My twenties were full. I got married.


I taught junior high and high school math at Lincoln Christian. This picture is me at the quarter century mark. Don't you love the flying nun collar?


I also became a mother. Twice. Drummer Boy was born in 1990.


Drama Queen came in 1993. This picture was taken a few weeks before her first birthday when I was 30.

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God blessed us with two more kids in my thirties. Ladies Man came in 1995. Can you believe this kid was ever this small?! Believe it or not, he was my smallest baby! And obviously this picture was taken shortly after his birth. I look totally out of it!


Princess Dawdle made the scene in 1998. Here she is at five months old and me at 35.

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The year I turned 40 was a big year for our family. Princess Dawdle started kindergarten and I felt like the oldest mother alive. Drama Queen started middle school and Drummer Boy started high school. How in the world did I stay upright?

Must be the grace of God, because a few short years later, the migration of kids from our home began which has proven to be the toughest thing yet on this mama's heart. Drummer Boy started it off in 2008.



Drama Queen followed suit in 2011.


But some really cool things happened in my forties too. I started eating healthier and feel great, better than I ever did in my thirties. We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.


And I got to take an amazing trip to Africa.







All of this, plus tons of time with my wonderful family and friends. I really enjoyed my forties.

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And now I'm on to bigger and better things as I start the fifties. What might be next? What wonderful thing is on the horizon?

We might be planning a wedding or two, maybe even welcoming some grandkids into the mix. Weird. But I am up for it, I tell you.

50. Pshht. What's to be upset about? Life is very, very good. And the best is yet to come. It makes me want to do the happy dance . . . or at least sing a little ditty.

But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6

Good indeed. I hope you take some time to reflect on God's goodness to you this weekend and find more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary.

7 Quick Takes (Volume 261)--The Highlights of the Holidays Edition

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Yes, I have been MIA the last few weeks. You know how the holiday season can be. Something had to give. I decided to enjoy it and savor the moments instead of typing away alone in my office.

Lots happened in the last few weeks, too much to remember, so today you get the highlights.

Ladies Man will be playing tuba in Wind Ensemble next semester, so he brought home a tuba over Christmas vacation to practice. We've been regaled with Tuba Christmas songs ever since. His personal favorite was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer because of the cutesy little ba-da-dum-dum lead into the song. Believe it or not, I was partial to Silent Night. He wasn't too bad for someone who just started messing with it. Plus, that kid's silliness and enthusiasm is contagious.

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We spent Christmas Day with my family and had a great time. My sister bought our little nephews fake moustaches for their movie escapades. The boys weren't enamored with them (case in point, my little nephew thinks we're crazy), but we sure had a good time. I felt like saying, "Feliz Navidad!" All I needed was a sombrero.


(On a completely unrelated side note, can you believe my sister is the blonde in the red sweater? Our brothers are twins and as little girls we each claimed one as our "baby." MY "baby's" wife looks more like me than my sister--the woman on the far right and my sister's "baby's" wife looks more like her than I do--the woman next to me. Weird, huh? Or have I completely lost you?)

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I don't know why I didn't see it until yesterday, but Drummer Boy posted a fun composition on Christmas Day, his rendition of The Little Drummer Boy. Click the link for a listen. Do it. You won't be sorry. My son is a good composer.

The Little Drummer Boy

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On Sunday night, Ladies Man attended the big event of the year for high schoolers in our town, Snowball. It's bigger than Prom. He went with the daughter of our dear friends like he has every year. It's pretty obvious in this picture that I took a nap that afternoon--talk about bed head!


The kids were looking fly. (I hope Drama Queen and Drummer Boy aren't throwing up in their mouths after I used the word "fly.")


They like to wear unusual shoes. One year they donned Chuck Taylors. This year they decided to wear Sperrys. Isn't the difference in their feet hysterical?


When we took pictures with their group, the boys had a good time with the conference table.






Drama Queen's boyfriend went as well (but without her--both she and Ladies Man's girlfriend are no longer eligible to attend--sigh). But we got a super cute picture of them together before the event.

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While her brother and boyfriend stayed up all night playing video games after the dance, Drama Queen had to be to the airport by 3:30 AM to catch a flight with the Cornhusker Marching Band to the Gator Bowl in Florida. I was thrilled when a friend of ours from college posted this shot of the parade on Facebook. That's my girl!


Her instructor got this amazing shot of the snare line before the game.


And my cousin and his wife hooked up with her AT the game!

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Princess Dawdle joined her brother and some friends for sledding yesterday. I was so glad Ladies Man's girlfriend had the foresight to bring a camera. Look at the great shots she got!




Doesn't that last one just make you want to "ahhhhh?!" I think they like each other!

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By far my favorite pic of the season was this one, again taken my Ladies Man's girlfriend, completely capturing the goofy spirit at our house. I've really enjoyed hanging out with my people the last few weeks and soaking them in. God has been very, very good to us. This picture warms my heart and makes me smile. I sure do love these people.



I hope your holidays have been enjoyable as well. Now we begin another year anew. What will be in store? How about while you're waiting to find out, you take in more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary?

7 Quick Takes (Volume 260)

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We survived the musical at our church. I was super proud of all the people involved, around 50 people total. We made an awesome team, friends! Here's a great picture of the cast prior to our final performance.


It was fun having Ladies Man, his girlfriend and Princess Dawdle in the cast. Ladies Man played our singing minstrel. His girlfriend was the Evil Enchantress. And apparently Princess Dawdle was a poor peasant girl as evidenced by her blouse.

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A former student of mine brought her family down to watch and wrote this review on her own blog.

Watching Christmas in Another Land Part 1: Arcadia Found in Nebraska

Thanks, Gretchen!

But the favorite part of the weekend for our entire crew was this message left on our church's Facebook page Friday night.

The Christmas musical was AMAZING tonight!!! Kevin and Tami Boesiger have written another musical that is so professionally done, that I felt like I was at a Broadway Play.
BEST part of this though, was when my 18 year old son walked out of the church saying, "I finally get it after all these years, about Jesus, with it being told like a Disney Fairytale! It even had a happy ending!" This is was from a young man who has not wanted anything to do with religion for the past two years...and he is STILL singing in his bedroom,"I AM REDEEMED!". THANK YOU, KEVIN AND TAMI, CAST, AND CCC ! WELL DONE!!!
(He even wants to go see it again tomorrow or Sunday!)
BLESSINGS!!!

This is why we do this, friends! I am thankful to know our efforts touched one young man.

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Kevin's been sporting his pappy beard for a month now. Drama Queen, who is constantly comparing us to our animal look-a-likes, thought he looked like Elmo when he tried on Ladies Man's new glasses. What do you think?


Never one to let it go, Drama Queen must have been the one to leave this little ditty drawn in our shower, don't you think?


Silly girl! I am happy to report the pappy beard is no more. No more ribbing for Kevin and shaving has worked to his advantage because, well, um, he looks so good to me now . . .

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Princess Dawdle's brothers put on their very best to be her "Man Candy Monday" entry on Facebook.


Mmmmm . . . yeah. Sadly, I don't think they made the cut.

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Princess Dawdle thought she was being funny when she posted this on Facebook and tagged me saying, "So maybe you're not this bad, but . . ."

Post by Jamie's World.

Ha ha, sister! I do believe we are BOTH getting better.

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Ladies Man has too much time on his hands, I think. In the midst of production week, he created this for his trombone buddies.


Yes, that is him, balancing his pbone on his chin. The saying is VERY appropriate. Nice work, bub.

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And now to get you into the Christmas spirit (or totally repulse you, you decide), here's a pic of Ladies Man wearing the same Christmas hat he sported his very first Christmas when he was one month old.



And that's a wrap this fine Friday, folks. May you enjoy your weekend and catch more Quick Takes at Conversion Diary!

Sorry, friends. No time for Quick Takes this week. Come see what I've been doing instead.