gracious's Xanga

4 years...still adventuring

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:27:30 GMT

Today is our anniversary. 4 whole years.

freeeeedoooom

Wed, 14 May 2008 17:03:49 GMT

just reporting from the new yaptop.

...it's a mac.

I'm in love.

and of course the first thing we did was play with photo booth...

another weekend another show

Tue, 13 May 2008 17:24:24 GMT

This weekend we hosted a band from JPUSA (that would be Jesus people USA if you were curious) gosh I love those people. I kid you not. This weekend was the second time Leper came up. They're an industrial goth band...yeah, they make goth look so good. ha.

This, would of course be the best opportunity to get some lovely hosanna shots. She's so full of life at the shows.

dancing dancing.

Her daddy opened up the show, so she got out her guitar and joined the team as well...she might even be a rockstar.

see the black fabric around her neck? Yeah, even she pulled out her goth insides...she got the fabric from our dear friend who danced for the band. ok, I'll show you a picture of her too...because she looked so good.

so that's where Hosanna got her dancing ideas from.

If you think that's scarry, I'm sorry.

making the jump.

Fri, 09 May 2008 23:19:14 GMT

we did it, we're making the jump....good-bye office 2003....hello garage band 08....

I'm going to get famous with this thing.

ok, maybe not so much so...but man will I be cool when all the kiddies get out their nerdy little laptops.

thank you IRS for stimulating my checking account!

our mascot

Tue, 06 May 2008 18:18:30 GMT

"Mom, do you have any money? I need some money" said a small, tattoo'd kitty faced, girl, we all know as Hosanna, Saturday night after an intensely great show at He-Brews Coffee and Music.

"umm no, honey, I don't have any money"

Hosanna and her little self, didn't take that for an answer. I watched her run off with her red hair flying wildly behind her.

"Daddy, I need a dollar, I need to buy a shirt"

Josh pulls out of his pocket a penny, and sends our red haired glory off. She darted across the room the merch table. After giving all the choices a good glance she picked out a nice yellow and green shirt with a couple of cute little forest creatures. She handed the guys her penny, because she knows how this works out...and it did. Work out that is. The guys from the band couldn't resist. She got that yellow and green with a cute little forest creatures, shirt.

...and she couldn't be more thrilled.

family pictures?

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:06:20 GMT

if it hasn't been established....my oldest hosanna...she's a ham. more then a ham, she's an energetic, creative, exciting, exuberant, you-get-the-idea, 2 year old.

and zuri is 6 months old...and slightly ill right now.

Today I attempted to take some nice pictures of the girls together...this was my result:

now, this one is cute...

and this one is silly...

and this one is sad

and this one is lovely.

reasons to love my girls

Sat, 19 Apr 2008 17:16:42 GMT

yep...thats reason enough for me!

ok, and this

Friday, April 18, 2008

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:10:46 GMT

I'm overwhelmed.
so I haven't updated. I don't like posting woe is me posts.

yet I am.

I feel like a bad parent.

My actions are perceived as opposite of their intention sometimes.

I seriously need a nap.

and it's raining.

But I like rain.

SNOW DAY

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:40:26 GMT

mmhhmmmm thats right. we're experiencing a canceled school, blizzard conditions, chill your toes and get some hot cocoa snow day.

lovely isn't it?

...and I thought it was april...silly me.

Fire Up 2008

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:00:08 GMT

I go through spurts of updating. Sometimes I update a lot, and try my hardest. Other times I realize, I just don't have time to update everyday....oh you know, you know. so here's that weekly update to keep those who may be interested, satisfied.

Wednesday started our weekend. Big show at the coffee shop. don't really want to talk about it. I ate big time as a "promoter" or booker, or whatever the heck you want to call the booking. The show was good in the shop, our kids loved it...but the end of the day, I wept bitterly for a good 20 minutes. There's pictures on the hee-bees myspace, if you're interested.

So that was Wednesday. Thursday we followed the tour up to Marquette, as usual. Thursday redeemed Wednesday, spiritually speaking. One of the opening bands on the tour we'll be having up here this summer. And that was great.

Friday came....early. Zuri had been up until 3 am teething...of course. Although, you might never know with these smiles

And we were on duty for set up at 7 am. We got there at 8:30. but that was ok. What were we doing? For those who aren't from around here and actually read this blog...I'll explain. Josh and I have had the opportunity to help out with a youth event very similar to acquire the fire...only more local....it's called Fire up Josh and I took on the roll of Floor managers, along with Josh teaching a workshop on Saturday.

We rocked the weekend pretty hard. Over and over we were lead to see more and more the ministry to the bands that come up here that we have. We speant most of the time in the hospitality room chatting with bands from local bands to some killer tooth and nail kids. I think there were something like 9 bands, and two speakers. So just music alone kept us busy.I love watching my husband in action. Doesn't matter who you are, where you're from...you should be in love with Jesus...more then music or anything. He got to pray with, and for, and in agreement with so many guys. Not to forget or fail to mention the pure craziness that is my love, Josh...

ok, i don't know why this picture won't flip...but there you go...Josh and Ben got signed....hott.

Hosanna's favorite group was Group 1 crew. Hip hop....man that girl could sing.....Hosanna took a ton of photo's of them...so here's one of them

Hosanna also took multiple photos of me...most of which were horrible. ha. So here's one for good measure.

Much of the weekend was speant with the flatfoot boys. They stayed with us at my mommys house, and were such a great encouragement over the weekend. They love Jesus. That is neat.

I couldn't help the humor of this photo...my ma was trying to take a nice picture of the band before they went on their way...and there's my love...no shirt, hanging out...ha

...and then there's this...see the simpson pj's under these punk rock pants? ahhhhhh yeah.

Another group of guys we really got to enjoy was the Mark White Band. They're from lower Michigan...and we love them because they are just doing what they feel called to do. And they gave us shirts. that are american apparel shirts....so comfy. Ok, ok my love is not determined by the quality of t-shirt. but boy, it doesn't hurt. Really these guys were great. They are just starting out...and Jesus has provided a ton for them. It's good to see that happen.

Also appearing this weekend was a tooth and nail tour of 5 bands. children 18:3 were on it. didn't know what to expect...If you have not listened to these guys, you need to. Man. good stuff. I want to be a punk rock girl...ok maybe not...but if I was, I would want to be here. Plus they're a group of siblings, and they're parents go with them everywhere. That is neat.

I could say more about the other musicians, like the married couple from Breaking the Silence, or the group kessler that was really bringing it, and connecting with our youth group. Our more local boys, cycledown, and survive the drive had a good time as well...and Josh got to pray with a couple of those guys. Lots of hurt in some of them right now. you know you know.

What else, what else? I feel like there's so much. I don't want to bore you.

dude, one of the speakers was a skateboarder...a flatland guy. Which I just want you to know, that I could totally kick his butt....via tony hawk. This guy speant a lot of time praying. And had a lot of love for the kids. He loves Keith Green. and so do I. That was neat.

Check out this trick...watch at least the end of the clip. It's sweet.

Obviously, it was such a fulfilling weekend. I'm so excited for this summer now. I can't wait to see what happens....cornerstone. shows. more of things like this weekend. ahhhh...one of our lovely girls mentioned over and over how fun it is to be a christian...you get taken care of, do sweet things that you would otherwise never do...and even go to heaven in the end....and you know....I think she's right.