Rip that bandaid off!

Whew! He made it. If anyone is even still checking this page, sorry for the lack of posts. Crazy weeks up here in Chicago, but Michael did make it and finished (with AMAZING GRADES!) his masters degree. I’m still working hard to get everything finished up at work in the next few weeks, because we can’t stay still for too long. In August, we’ll be on the move again to….DALLAS! (I guess that means we’ll have to change our blog name).

For all our California friends, we’ll be visiting the first full week of July so hopefully we’ll get to see a bunch of you while we’re there. Thanks for all your prayers for us this year. We wouldn’t have made it without them!

Our Bouncing Baby

Isn’t s/he cute?

Sorry, it gets a little bumpy at the beginning while I adjust the camera, but you can see the baby using its little arms to get some good jumps in there.  I was blown away.  Keep growing, little one.  We’re so eager to jump through this life with you!

Help me reach my goal!

Hi friends,

Many of you know that I have blessed in the last year to work in my dream job as Director of Advancement for PASS network of life-affirming care in the south suburbs of Chicago. I am reminded daily that there is a huge need for our type of service all over America, but especially here. Did you know…

• that a high school boy is almost 9 times more likely to commit suicide after his first sexual experience?
• that this year, in the south suburbs, one out of four babies conceived will be aborted?
• that a woman in crisis is almost 6 times more likely to be physically abused?
• that in the evangelical church, one out of six women has had at least one abortion?

PASS network of life-affirming care is trying to fight the battle on all four of these fronts through prevention, crisis intervention, housing, and restoration programs and ministries. Last year…

• 17,000 students signed Abstinent Until Marriage pledges through our abstinence education program.
• Through our pregnancy care centers, we had a 94% sucess rate of helping a woman choose life for herself and her baby, thanks to the ultrasound machine, as well as all of the great programs and resources we were able to offer her (i.e. prenatal classes, postpartum classes, mother’s room, etc.)
• We “adopted” the Shepherd’s House maternity home, which provides housing for up to 16 women in semi-private living conditions in order to offer a woman a safe place to go for healing and planning.
• Through our post-abortion counseling, we ministered to men and women who have suffered in silence for years from their abortion choice.

This ministry is very important to me as we continue to expand our services to truly be able to answer the need in the south suburbs. On May 10th, we are hosting our 25th anniversary Hike for Life. I would like to raise $1,000 for PASS. Will you help me? Please visit my hike page to see how I’m doing, and if possible, make a donation towards this amazing minsitry. Thank you for your prayers and support. Together, let’s try to reduce abortion across America…starting in the south suburbs of Chicago!

Weekend Pictures 2

Pizza you eat with a fork
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By the lake
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how-cold.jpg (These are the handles of a ladder down into the lake that have frozen over and over again by the splashing water). 
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Double Blessing

On top of being able to see the Cones a few weeks ago, Christine was already planning a trip out to see us.  God bless her and her willingness to buy a ticket just to come visit.  It was such an encouraging weekend for me, and let’s just say, it was very good for this twin to get some sister time.  What a comfort to my soul.  Thanks, Chris!  Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the weekend.  

Profile  
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Museum of Science and Industry
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Every day they put out a new batch of eggs that will probably hatch that day.  One side holds the eggs, the other holds the new chicks.  Totally AWESOME!  If you look closely, you can see the little beak.   
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This poor little chick kept falling asleep while standing up.  If you could adopt them from the museum, we would have a pet by now.    
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Earth Exhibit.  Of course we went there.  (It actually was very fun!)
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Fairy Castle.  (My pictures didn’t come out very well here.  Go check it out here as it’s a very interesting exhibit.  In fact, supposedly, the chapel in the castle actually has a relic of the cross of Christ in it.  If you were 5 inches tall, you could hold services there!)
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Main Street.  There was this fun little area that was decorated like a turn of the century street.  We got malts and ice cream from the shop then went for a walk.
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U-Boat.  The first boat since the 1800’s to be boarded and not destroyed.  Awesome!   
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Enough for today.  I’ll show the rest tomorrow.