Anna's Blog: January 2010

Thursday, January 28, 2010

In Loving Memory

We wanted to do something special to remember Alaina...so on Feb 1st (the day she went to be with Jesus) and on Feb 6th (her birthday) we are going to wear green (her favorite color)!

She was a coffee lover so if you would like to you can join us in ordering her favorite Starbucks drink...Non-fat Iced Caramel Macchiato with whip cream and extra caramel (I think I got that right...if I didn't please let me know:).

Thank you!

What a blast!

For his birthday Phillip decided to have a party at Play Dazium in Mahoney State Park. We have gone there several times for various birthdays, but we haven't gone recently. It was fun when we were small and could just fly through the tubes, so I wasn't quite sure about how fun it was going to be now that some of us aren't as small as we used to be...and crawling through tubes...

But I needn't have worried. Crawling was a lot harder...but not impossible:) And being older you could throw the balls a lot harder at the intended victim..which came in very handy *smile*

The slides were long and very fun!

The Matychuks, creative as always blew up 15 balloons, wrote Happy Birthday on them and put $1 bill in each one:)

The whole group:)

P.S. Crawling through tunnels is not good for the knees....trust me!!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

A month ago today...

...or yesterday...but I at least I am only a day late:)

On December 19th my wonderful brother, Dan, was united as one with, my wonderful sis' Bethany Wissmann. It was beautiful! God had been the center of their relationship, and was the center of their wedding. Truly remarkable!

The couple!!

Bethany, and the Wissmann's have done wedding posts...so I tried to choose some different pics! I LOVE their wedding pictures, ALL of them so it was hard to pick:) Christopher Maxwell did an amazing job!

Getting Ready

Hmm....which earrings should I wear?

God was so good in regards to all the sewing that had to be done. I was a little nervous about the flower girl dress...but I loved how it turned out, Alyathia made it look perfect:)

The Maid of Honor

(I just loved this picture...)

::Making the most of every opportunity::

While I was giving someone a hug at the wedding they remarked "you smell good...what perfume are you wearing?" And I had to laugh...and reply "that I wasn't wearing perfume, but I had spent the morning getting ready with over half-a-dozen different hairsprays."

And finally, what we had all been waiting for...it wasn't a dream anymore

This is one of my favorites...

My sister-in-law Abby did the flowers...they were breathtaking!

The Groom

Dan, what can I say? You have been the big brother that everyone dreams about. The very best. Thank you for all the time you have invested in my life. Thanks for letting me tag along with you out to Virginia the first time...it was truly a memorable experience! And when Bethany came along...you still found little ways to show that you did still love me too. You wisdom sound advice mean more to me then you will ever know. thanks for always being open to talk about anything, be it happy, sad, hard or easy. Your open spirit and constant referral to Scripture has encouraged me so much. I look forward to coming and having more long talks in you new apartment. Love you, Dan!

Best Buddies

~The Bride~

Bethany, again I am not sure I can get words to express my thoughts. I always thought that you would be perfect for Dan...but then you came along and swept him off his feet...and I wasn't quite so sure anymore *smile* But I see now that I didn't have to worry too much:) Having you as a sister totally outweighs anything else! How an I properly thank you for how much you have helped me this last year? From writing me e-mails, to talking, listening, hugs, listening, prayer, thoughts...and more. They meant so much to me. May God reward you in a way that only He can. I can't wait to come and visit your little home...and catch up on everything:) Love ya, your Anna-girl:)

It was truly a blessing to be in the wedding! We had so much fun together:)

~Precious

The ceremony...just a couple pics:)

The "twins"

The wonderful cello player...and my AMAZING piano teacher!!!!

The photographer did an incredible job of capturing the special little moments of the day...and not just of Dan and Bethany:)

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Beasley!!!

XOXO

"For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;

His faithfulness continues through all generations."

Psalm 100:5

Pictures by Christopher Maxwell

Monday, January 18, 2010

The beginning...

...of a new room!!! I have been wanting to re-do my room for a while, but mom said I had to wait for the new year. So a week after we began 2010, I began with the first step...

1. Saying goodbye to the old look!

2. Taping the trim

3. Enlisting an older brother to help paint:)

The paint color is a beautiful Creamy color...I love it!

(special thanks to my "painter friend" for supplying me with it;)

I know you will all want to see pictures of the new-look!! But...I am not quite done. The transformation of my room is dependent of several things, time, money and some good sales. All of which could take a little time. But I will keep you updated on the progress!!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

"God comforts us not to make us comfortable,

but to make us comforters."

~John Henry Jowett

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

I have learned to be content what ever the circumstances...(Phil 4:11)

Paul while being denied every comfort, wrote the above words from a dark prison cell.

A story is told of a king who went to his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak said it was tired of life and determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree. The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine. The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and produce fruit as large as peaches. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.

And so it went through out the garden.

Yet coming to a violet, the king found its face as bright and happy as ever and said, "Well, violet, I'm glad to find one brave little flower n the midst of this discouragement. You don't seem to be the least disheartened." The violet responded, "No, I'm not. I know I'm small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one. Since I knew you wanted, I 'm determined to be the best little violet I can be."

Others may do a greater work,

But you have your part to do;

And no one in God's family

Can do it as well as you.

People who are God's without reservation have learned to "be content what ever the circumstances." His will becomes their will and they desire to do for Him whatever He desires them to do. They strip themselves of everything, and in their nakedness find everything restored a hundredfold.

~Streams in the dessert