Noah's home!

Bloggers being a pain so I'm only posting a few of my fabulous pictures! =)

Best Birthday EVER.....minus Mark

ahhhh...Man! I had a huge post written out and then it got erased!

Sooo...I said I had a super fabulous birthday! We had a big party at my house because Noah is home! We were all in such a good mood because we are so stinking excited to have him home! I have the best family and I love them all so much! How in the world did we get so lucky! Thanks Mom and Dad!

Also... I was totally spoiled with presents and I feel sooo loved! Mark is finaly home and went to get me some Wendys and a movie so we can finish the day off right! Thanks everyone for making my day extra special!

My original post was much longer then this and included all the details about my fabulous presents, family, and friends! But now I don't have time because I have to go eat wendys and watch movies with the husband!

Books...Edited***

Soooo...it was somewhat evil of Kim to tag me in this seeing as she knows I have only read 5 books in my whole life. She is trying to expose my humiliation to the whole internet community.

1. One book that changed your life? In the Name of Jesus by Henri M. Nouwen. I read this book at a sm. group training retreat in High School and it turned the way I looked at Leadership upside down. The whole servant leadership thing seems more obvious to me now but at the time it changed how I looked at everything. Henri Nouwen remains my favorite author.

2. One book that you have read more than once? Malachy's baby book that Lauren got me. Baby grows up with Peter rabbit. I probably look at it every other week! =)

3. One book you would want on a desert island? The last Harry Potter book. I gotta know what happens!

4. One book that made you laugh? Boy by Roald Dahl. It's his auto-biography of his childhood. It's interesting and funny. I also enjoyed Flying Solo which follows him through his young adult years.

5. One book that made you cry? Harry Potter and the order of the phoenix. I don't want to spoil it for anyone... so.... all I will say is someone dies and it was really sad!

6. One book you wish had never been written? Can't think of one. I have not read enough I suppose. And if I didn't like it... I stopped reading it.

7.One book you are currently reading? I'm suppose to be reading a Henri Nouwen Book about Solitude with Sandy but we both keep forgetting, getting busy, or losing it! =)

8. One book you have been meaning to read? Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller and Wild at Heart by John Eldredge.

Now tag five people: most people I know pretty much have been tagged! Hmmmm...Sara, Steve, Sandy, Alan, and Jami...I think none of you all have been tagged yet.

OK and I tag Crystal! OMG I can't believe I didn't know you had not been tagged!

Awwwwhhhhh!

Sometimes Christians piss me off!

Luckily I did not have to "work" the Leadership Conference which allowed me the luxury of attending. I think one of the most powerful moments of the conference was the honesty and boldness of Bono in his interview with Bill Hybels. Bono said that AFTER spreading the gospel "The main thrust of the Scriptures is to meet Christ in working with the poor." He supports this claim with scripture. Some obnoxious judgmental Christians who did not even hear the interview go and take everything he said out of context and have them selves a little Bono bashing party. (Apparently this blog is not only about Bono bashing but will gladly bash Bill Hybels as well if the opportunity arises) I just don't understand things like that! The work Bono is doing is good! (And don't even get me started on the work Willow and Hybels are doing) So what is peoples problems and their behavior only justifies Bono's earlier qualms with the church and causes me to feel more distant from it. What ever happened to love!? This is the web site I'm referring too...I know there are a good number of other people out there who enjoy Bono bashing (Bill bashing as well for that matter) so here is a link so you can jump on the band wagon.... http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/archives/2006/08/rock_star_bono.php
BTW...I'm not referring to my BFF's who don't like Bono for what ever reasons they may have. I'm referring to Christian who spend more time bad talking Bono then they do trying to understand or even find out if what they are responding to is true!

Here are some of my favorite Bono quotes from the interview

-"I never had a problem with Christ, but Christians were difficult for me...they seem strange to me, and I know that I seem strange to them...they tend to judge people by surface problems...I grew very suspicious of Christians, but I was determined to learn more about the life of Christ."

-"I've always thought smack in the middle of a tension is a good place to be."

-"A lot of gospel music for me is lies, because it's people pretending that life is great...I'm more into the blues...I want my music to do something positive, but I want to be honest and own up to my earthly confusions."

- Bono talked about how ridiculous celebrity is and how it is opposite of the gospel why should he be more important then a fire fighter or a mother but as long as he has it he's not going to waste it..."Celebrity is currency--I'm going to spend mine."

-He said that people often say things to him like ,"you have a heart for the poor." and his response to that is "I am not Mother Teresa, I'm a rock star....but I have a head for the world's poor. I am strategic."

-"The church has historically been behind the curve...I think it's because the church is afraid of politics and I understand because all kinds of people have tried to use the church...but we're not about politics... " Here he was talking about the work the One Campaign is doing...He called on Christians to join in on the fight..."Your charity is important but your commitment to justice is what we really need...You'll be marching with a lot of colorful people, but just chill out."

-"Love thy neighbor is not advice. It's a command.... In a global community, the poor and the disadvantaged in Africa are our neighbors. He quoted Matthew 25:45: "Whatever you do for the least of my people that you do onto me."

- He talked about how the Lord's Prayer says,"your kingdom come your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven" and how that was his favorite part because he believes that it is literal..."Our purpose is to bring Heaven to Earth. The world is not a happy place for most people living on it. "He went on to say, "Let's walk together. Let's put on the marching boots if needed. Let's stand up for the least of these. ..This isn't a duty. It's an opportunity and an adventure."

I found this quote at this blog. It resonated with the way I'm feeling right now.

We need to remember the wise and rough words of Martin Luther, concerning the church. "She is a whore, but she is still my mother." We do not love the church because she is perfect or pure. We do not love our neighbors because they are perfect or pure. We love our neighbors because God tells us to. We love our neighbors because God has shown us love. We love our neighbors because God empowers us to do so.

Previous post

Sooo....I just want to let ya'll know that my previous post was not intended to be a hang Mark out to dry post. The little I wrote about Mark was only one small piece I included to further explain the extent of my fustration with that night. I thought I should clarify because many of you felt the need to come to his defense. Thanks for looking out for Mark. All is well. =)

pulling out my hair

So it's like 3:46 am and Malachy is up screaming! He has decided he dosen't want to sleep unless I'm laying next to him holding him. (it took me over an hour to get him to bed in the first place!) WEll obviously I can't sleep with him in his toddler bed all night every night. So when he woke up again at 3am I tucked him in gave him kisses , laid with him for a minute and said I love you good night. Now it's 4:15 and he is still screaming. Screaming, Crying, hyper-ventilating and nearly throwing up. It's so horrible. On top of that I had a horrible evenning at home and I was already feeling pushed beyond th capapcity of what could handle. Of course Mark is just sleeping and when the screams get loud enough to wake him up momentairly he just gets up long enough to tell me what I'm doing wrong before he returns to his sleep. Grrrrr....

Grrrrrr...

Random picture of me and my man! These were our "engagement" pictures! 4 years ago almost! Our 3rd Wedding Anniversery is Aug 23rd! Time flys when your having fun I guess.
People being grumpy is bringing me down! There is a full-ish moon maybe that's it! I however, am NOT grumpy. (for once!) Woo Hoo! Mark and I are taking Malachy to the zoo tomorrow! I'm so stinking excited! Also the Summit is this week and I don't have to work it! I just get to take it all in! I'm so lucky! I think it is going to be a good week! If I get some volunteers this week that would make it the best week EVER! I felt like there was something else but I can't remember what it is...oh well! =)

The Flyer Mark and I made to hopefully recruit some volunteers!