I'm celebrating small victories today. 

Joshua's travel team had a tournament in Brighton this weekend. Normally I would have just hopped into the car and gone off to the tournament and gotten fast food.  This weekend I took the time to slice cucumbers, pack sandwiches for the kids, put carrots and nuts and grape tomatoes into containers, sliced lemons and filled a jug with ice water to drink, and put in some strawberries for something sweet.  No fast food for the Kuhns this weekend.  Then there was a cook-out afterwards.  I brought my own whole wheat buns and cut up lettuce, tomatoes, and onions to top my one burger.  I did not have any chips, cookies, or fattening salads.  It wasn't that difficult.

I have not had any Coke for a week.  This is no small victory.  I drank so much Coke that they are going to miss me.  A day in the life of Nan included at least three 32 ounce Coca-Colas a day.  Yikes!!!  That's $3.00 a day on sugar pop with empty calories.  That's $21.00 a week and ultimately $1092.00 a year spent on supporting my Coke habit, not to mention the pounds that have accumulated on my body through those calories.

I've been preparing and cooking my own foods this last week.  My family is also eating healthier this week, much to Joshua's dismay.  He is not as on board as the rest of us.  Lizzie is excited at the prospect of eating healthy.  Eric has been very supportive of my efforts as well.  This Biggest Loser Competition has been just the kick in the butt that I have needed to jump start my life again.

Thank You Jesus!

Day 4

I did it!!!  Personal victory for me.  I conquered the Woodhaven hill.  I have to say that this week has been one of the toughest things that I have experienced in my whole life.  I know that it sounds a bit dramatic, but it's true.

This experience is going so much deeper for me than just the exercise.  I am trying to break patterns and yes bondages that I have held for a very long time.  I apparently don't ever do things that I am not good at.  I used to joke that I never participate in an arena where I can't win.

I very quickly realized that this endeavour was not going to be easy for me.  I had to work harder at this than I have worked at something in a long time.  There are just things that I can't do, not yet anyway.  It has made me angry.  I mean really angry.  How did I get to this point?  Where did I go off the path?  When did I become a passive observer in my own life?  And sadly, how is this affecting the rest of my family?  God has surely been dealing with me this week and I don't like it.  In fact I HATE IT!

Hebrews 6:10-12

10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. 11 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. 12 We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.

I have unfortunately become lazy.  Procrastination has become my constant companion.  Now the road back is uphill and it lives in Woodhaven.

Pressed Down Shaken Together

Pressed own shaken together running out all over,

stomp on the grapes,

tread out the new wine,

Give thanks to the Lord forever.

If your bless him, then he'll bless you,

and fill you up with a wine that's new.

So

Stomp on the grapes tread out the new wine

Give thanks to the Lord forever.

As I was getting my butt kicked real good today, this little diddy came to my mind.  When I was a teen this was a song that our youth leader sang with us.  At one point he had to lead worship out at camp and made my friend and me come up and lead the motions.  Way outside my comfort zone I might add. This song kept running through my mind as I was making my attempt at running today.   I am outside my comport zone, not just flirting with the edge but way out there like Pluto. When I came home I looked up the reference in the bible.  I really like how it applies to all of us going through this training together.

It made me think.  I am certainly feeling pressed down and shaken.

Luke 6:38-40

Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure -pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return." 39 And He also spoke a parable to them: "A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit ? 40 "A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher.

I really like the message that God is teaching here.  It is about generosity and getting a good measure, more than what your paid for and more than your deserve.  Essentially if you buy a bag of potato chips (Not that I would do that. LOL), you pay for a bunch of air.  This passages has to do with not only getting what you "pay for" so to speak, but they have pressed it down, crushed it together to be able to get as much in as possible and then some. 

These trainers are pressing us down.  They are giving to us, we are giving to each other, and we are all doing it for the glory of Him who has made us in His image.  We are becoming fully trained so that we may become like the teacher.  I don't want to be like the blind falling into a pit.

Day 1

I know it is going to sound stupid, but I just did one of the scariest things I have ever done.  I have joined with my  brothers and sisters in Christ and embarked upon a journey called, "Metro's Biggest Loser".  For any of you who have ever watched the show you kind of have an idea of how it is going to go.  I must admit that I myself have never watched an entire season, but I know the premise.

Metro South Church, my church, has taken this formula, added a God  perspective, blended it all together, and came up with "Metro's Biggest Loser".  Don't let the church thing fool you.  These people are butt kicking, whip you into shape, take no excuses, trainers. 

We gathered, all shapes, all sizes, all ages, and all fitness abilities in front of Anytime Fitness in Flat Rock.  Chatting and laughing in anticipation of what was about to happen.  Fear of the unknown mixed with excited nervousness, and a healthy dose of determination.  A multitude of reasons brought us to this one place for this one purpose, a life changing encounter with God at the center of it all.

As I experienced each of the activities I made a mental check on the list.  Looming down at the bottom of my list was running the mile at Trenton High School.  Dread and fear washed over me like waves of the ocean in hurricane season.  It has always been so easy to quit in the past.  I could find an acceptable reason why I couldn't, but now no reason is acceptable.  I had run smack dab into my fears.  "I know I am going to be last."  (Pride)  "So what, I won't quit." (Determination)  "What if I can't do it?" (Fear)  "I can do it!" (Perseverance)  "Will people laugh at me?" (Ego)  We cheered for each other. (Camaraderie)

I am so excited to be a part of something that is such a "God thing" that it is going to blow everyone away.  I don't think we can even begin to imagine the lives that are going to be changed.  I know that no matter where I end up in this journey, I know that right here, right now, I am ALL IN!

They are stars!!!

Joshua and Elizabeth are both in acting. Elizabeth had her first performance in a production called "Go Fish" in January. Joshua did a showcase of his acting workshop in February. They both did such nice jobs and wanted to do it again. This time they are in the same production called "E I E I Oops!" They will be having their production on Sunday, April 20th.

Wrestling has taken over our lives!!!

Well Joshua is about done with wrestling. He has been rolling around on the mat so to speak for the last four months. He has stayed in good condition all through the winter.

I have to say however that I have had a hard time as a mom watching my son summarily defeated match after match. I has gotten so bad that he is getting "hurt" and forfeiting matches instead of sticking it out and just losing. It is the first sport that he has come across that he is not really good at.

When I first got married to a football nut I used to say, "My child will never play football. It is dumb and the players just run around knocking into each other." Now after experiencing the anguish of seeing my son suffer through other sports, football is my favorite. Who would think it.

Trunk or Treat 2007

A Day in the Life...

Today was one of those days that I wonder where the justice in life is. I have a small boy in my class that brought a knife to school today. It was found by mistake. It was just a small (less than 3 inches thank goodness) pocket knife. He came to me to tell me that it was his. He began to cry and said that his mom and dad did not know that he had it and that he did not mean to bring it to school. It fell out of his pocket on accident. I wish that was the end of the story. He then went on to tell me that this tiny little knife was in his possession because when he comes up to the playground after school there are big kids there that jump him and hurt him. One of his friends gave him the knife for protection. I told him not to come up to the playground alone. I told him to not come up to the playground at all. I asked him what did he think was going to happen when he "little kid" pulled a knife on them "big mean kids". After I turned the knife into the office, I went and told him that I appreciated his honesty and that he needed to go home and tell his parents because they were going to be getting a phone call from the office. He broke down and was crying with heart wrenching sobs. As he slid down the wall sobbing, I began to cry.

What has happened to this world. I have this little boy in my class, not an angel but not a problem. He is one of my kindergarten safeties and does a fabulous job with the children. He takes his job seriously and I really like him. This nice boy is now facing at least five days of suspension pending a hearing that could determine that he might be expelled. All because he felt powerless. As always nothing will probably happen to the bullies, even if they are found. Bullies rarely get caught. Bullies rarely get punished. My poor child will now have this incident on his permanent record. Yes, it does exist and it is computerized now.

I was crying because I felt bad for him.

I was crying because I felt powerless to help him.

I was crying because no child should feel like they need a knife for protection.

I was crying because I had to be the one to turn him in.

Skipping on the Playground

At what age do we lose our childish exuberance?

I was in the drive through lane at the Taco Bell the other night, (Which by the way needs to be another topic for another time. The evils of driving thru late at night.) when I saw youthful exuberance. One little high school girl was working behind the counter when her other little high school friends came in after practice. You would have thought that they were reunited after years of seeing each other. The hugging, the giggling, and the jumping up and down seemed quite over the top. Then I began to wonder. When was the last time that I became that enthusiastic about anything, especially the meeting of friends after my day was nearly complete?

There was something a bit sad as I sat there late at night feeding my face with way too much fast food, sugary Mt. Dew pop, and my Carmel Apple Empanada. When did commercial fast food become the substitute for the bigger joys in life. The small pleasure now go unnoticed and have been replace with things that leave you feeling sick, bloated, and all to often dissatisfied?

A few days have past and the gnawing feeling of somehow I am completely missing the mark in my life get pushed to the back burner. Its not gone but I begin tending to the urgent in my life. Then it happens again. I am out on the playground watching the kids playing at school. We as adults call this recess "duty". We have reduced this childhood pleasure to adult "duty". All of the teachers are sitting on the bench hoping that the time will speed up and we can just get back to business. That when it hit. There was a group of three girls from the 1st or 2nd grade. They were holding hands and skipping in a line, and singing "Loo! Loo! Skip to my Loo." They were covering a lot of playground territory. The first grade teacher grabbed my hand and the other first grade teacher's hand and we began to skip around the playground as well. (Side note-I teach 5th grade.) Yes my feet hurt and I was winded, but it felt good.

Mark 10:15
I tell you the truth, you must accept the kingdom of God as if you were a little child, or you will never enter it."

Heartbreak in the Kuhn Household

Well it has begun. . .football season. Joshua and Eric had their first game on Saturday. They lost 32-0. Everybody came to see and suport Joshua. Auntie, Uncle Chris, Grace, Zachary, Uncle Troy, Abbie, Aiden, Uncel Chad, Aunt Shawn, Brian and Savannah. All of the kids had fun running around and dodging the bees. Joshua got named as one of the captians. He was really excited. He was on the field almost the whole game, so apparently he is a stud.

Later that day Elizabeth went shopping with Tracie and Maddie. Poor Elizabeth was with me in a clothing store and she walked by a clothing display rack and it fell on her. I heard the blood curdling scream, looked at her and it looked like she had blood pouring out of her eye. The employees rushed us into a back room at the store. They gave us a gauze and ice. We drove off to the emergency room. There they treated her for her injury. She got to have x-rays of her head to make sure that no bones were broken. She got to see the x-ray of her head. She thought it was cool.

All turned out ok. It was quite the eventful day.

Near History Review

Joshua gets his football equipment.

Next week he starts conditioning. He goes 5:30-8:00 M-F.

Gracie spends the night and the girls went to the movies, made crafts, and played dress-up.

Elizabeth meets Zackary at lunch last week.

Joshua holds Zackary for the first time.

The kids had a great time at VBS

Joshua loved the singing and dancing.

Elizabeth liked the singing and the picnic.

Her favorite part was putting the cows up for doing the daily challenges.

The kids and I went to a family fun fair.

They loved going down the inflatable Titanic

Lizzie Won the Hula Hoop challenge for her age group, $25.00 to Target.

Vacation Bible School

It is that time of year again. Vacation Bible School. This year's theme is Avalance Ranch. The Dearborn churchputs on the best VBS program. The kids have a lot of fun. This year each of the children have received a cool t-shirt and a colored bandana. The decorations are great and everything runs smoothly. Best of all, the kids are excited about learning about Jesus. I know that this may be controversial to some, but when the packaging is exciting the kids become excited. Yesterday's verse was: The Lord is the only true God, Jeremiah 10:10.

Summer Bowling Fun!

The kids get a color sheet each week. At the bowling banquet they will each receive a book full of all of the color sheets that they completed while they bowled. They also get pins for strikes, spares, 30 point games, 40 point games, and a patch for 50 point games. Elizabeth has earned each of these.

Maddie plays the crane game. she is obsessed with it. Unfrtuanately this is not one of the games that is easy to win so each week she goes away upset.

The most important part for Elizabeth is looking good!

The Toledo Zoo

The butterfly exhibit at the zoo was wonderful. We got to see all kinds of butterflies as the flew all around us. One of the butterflies actually landed on Joshua's shoes.



It was a really hot day. I rented a wagon so the children could rest occasionally. Oh my! Thrying to pull both of the children in the wagon was a trip. I really got my exercise.

Gilead has their cool T-shirts! Here is grandpa's car.

Cruisin' Telegraph

This is the third annual Telegraph Cruise. My dad has his hot rod and a passion for cruisin'. Gilead Baptist Church had thier cars show contest and my dad was one of the judges. It is really great to see so many people coming out and ejoying the cruise. Joshua, Elezabeth and I got up early to go and see the parade of old cars. There were a ton of Edsels. I saw my dream car. It was a purple car of some old make and model. That part is not so important to me. I just love that it was so purpley.

Geauga Lake Vacation Fun!!!

Penny and Lizzie meet Snoopy at the gate.

Lizzie strikes a pose. Joshua and Elizabeth try to shoot someone with the foam balls. Uncle Troy has his own ideas about combat.

Can you find Aiden?
Lizzie becomes fearless and rides all kinds of rides. Daddy joins in the fun.

There were 22 of us that went to Geauga Lake for the weekend. It couldn't have been more fun. Out of the 22 only 8 of us were adults. We had 4 teenagers and the rest were kids. Talk about a mob of children. We never had a lost child scare. Joshua was a roller coster monster. I got to go on roller costers. This is something I probably haven't done in seven years. The weather was beautiful for both the amusement park and the waterpark.

This Is The Headspin.

One of Joshua's new favorite rides.

I like it when they love each other :)

Happy Birthday Michelle!

On Saturday Eric and I had to go to 3 different engagements. The first one was the party that I threw for my 5 year old, Elizabeth. The second was a surprise party for my sister-in-law Michelle. And the last was a wedding reception for my husband's boss's son.

I have appointed myself as the official photographer for any occasion. If you are taking the pictures you usually do not end up in one. I took this picture of Michelle. Isn't she beautiful!

Lizzie has a beach themed birthday party

Each child got their own fishy cupcake.

Auntie made a mermaid cake.

Thank you Aunite!

Lizzie had her party from 12:00-2:00. We had hamburgers, hot dogs, and octopi on a bed of mac-and-cheese "seaweed". Everyone thought that the mac-and-cheese was green beans. The kids made crafts, played games, and swam.

Happy Birthday to You!

Lizzie gets a new bike!

Grandpa runs the grill.