tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82506359911488898862024-03-05T03:04:34.208-08:00I am Crowned ProjectGina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-20751553236925436192018-01-18T20:02:00.000-08:002018-01-18T20:13:49.876-08:00Create Space in Your World and Watch it Grow<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for all the encouragement on the video I just recently shared about embarking on my new path of becoming an author!!!!! Uplifting Words are vitamins to my soul and I want you to know I have loved reading your comments and I am taking it all in. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Like I expressed I have found so much freedom and healing in sharing my progress and o</span>ne of the ways I will be sharing is through writing and incorporating pictures that inspire me along the way. <span style="font-family: inherit;">My hope is that as I continue to share you are inspired to embark on the dreams that are living on the inside of you. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, What has been the first step in my writing process thus far? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can tell you there has been LOT’S of steps along the way to bring me to this point in my life right here, right now. But the first step here that I am learning is the do diligence of what it means to </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">C R E A T E S P A C E</span> </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">in my world so I can actually feel the manifestation of this dream taking place. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can tell you it is hard for me to know what I can say yes to and what I must say no to. While learning this lesson and probably always will be learning, the thing I go back to is, if this world is always evolving that means so are we (or at least we should be) then we must remain flexible within ourselves to adjust when needed. The beauty in the process is to learn the capacity in which your time and energy is allotted for. The people that are meant to be on this path with you will understand this process and the people that do not understand are meant for something else. Know, that is okay. If we want to achieve anything bigger than ourselves there is this word I have begun to know...it’s called “Sacrifice.” Sacrifice should be a bit difficult and it should make us a bit uncomfortable and if it doesn’t make us a “bit” than it should make us “VERY.” This Sacrifice will create traction and with traction it will create reaction and with reaction it will create movement and with movement it will create an outcome. We all hope for a good outcome of course but there are no promises or guarantees in life that tells us so. This is where I say “Trust the Process”. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I create this space in my world I can tell you it feels right, it feels good and that’s when I know this path is leading to somewhere. The sacrifice has already been difficult and it has most certainly been uncomfortable but I can tell you it’s all pushing me toward something much bigger than I. Anything bigger than we doesn’t need to be 100% clear for us to understand but we must keep moving so the clearer it will become. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsX8MZmQMuLcJmhaqySvPd-jmKris_y8TbMBGIyySPUsLqRRIA8noVd7Vh2MLTAtGbMaJP0-PrMe-dpZJUD5EKy8bXGPbfQe97lrf7qQFokVK7UKjX3V7wAKdAm5RE9iXIKiM4kf0Jjj0/s1600/IMG_4235.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsX8MZmQMuLcJmhaqySvPd-jmKris_y8TbMBGIyySPUsLqRRIA8noVd7Vh2MLTAtGbMaJP0-PrMe-dpZJUD5EKy8bXGPbfQe97lrf7qQFokVK7UKjX3V7wAKdAm5RE9iXIKiM4kf0Jjj0/s640/IMG_4235.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Allow things to become with the space you've been given and watch it grow.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I hope my first step has helped you become aware of the space you are creating within your dreams. Keep up the good work my friends. </span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-50739761870077346402018-01-17T21:42:00.000-08:002018-01-17T21:43:27.813-08:00My Passion, My Purpose<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">Here's the truth...this video took me about six try's. I was nervous, I was scared, I had a million different ideas running </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">through</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"> my head with how I was going to </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">creatively</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"> present this short clip to you all. If I would have listened to all the noise in my head I would have never taken this step. I'm learning to quiet the noise and listen to the beat of my heart. The more I listen to my what my heart is saying and follow that </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">rhythem</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;"> the less complicated things become and the happier I am with the outcome. I figure I will have plenty of opportunities in the near future where I can allow my creative juices to flow while in this process. The main thing is to Just Do It. It is a good feeling to let go of this "idea" of how things "should" be and get to this place of allowing things to become. SO! Here I am sharing something I never thought I would be ready to share but here I am doing it. I am SO excited to take you all on this journey with me. Stay tuned for more to come and lets commit this year, 2018 as a year of making our dreams a reality. Thanks for the support and love. Enjoy the </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: -0.11999999731779099px;">video and my it inspire you with the journey you are on. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4La69DSpjL0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4La69DSpjL0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Much Love,</span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-65347443862526263292017-11-30T21:18:00.001-08:002017-11-30T21:18:07.761-08:00Can We Do This Life Alone? <div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The ticking time bomb has officially exploded. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How are you doing? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How is Ryan doing? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How is work going? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How are you feeling? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I can only play the “I am good” for so long. I don’t do fake very well. I’ve always been a horrible liar. I can feel when there is tension in the air and then I try and try to make things airy and light for so long until KaBOOM the bomb goes off. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am naturally a very optimistic person. I can take any bad situation and find good or beauty in it somehow. It is how I manage to move on from things. I don’t like feeling like there is weight of any sort hanging over me. So yes, I am one who addresses issues head on. I don’t mind conflict because to me conflict means solving something that obviously is bothering a person so instead of doing a dance around nonsense I’d rather talk about. Which then, can cause friction with the other person because they are NOT willing to talk about it. Then there I go trying to force someone to talk about something they don’t care to discuss at the moment. So, guess what the result of that turns into? Lots of Damage. Saying things I don’t mean to say just because I want to solve an issue I think I can foresee and so I think “before it gets worse let’s deal with it” and then there ya have it gets worse REALLY FAST. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I should know better. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s the thing if you know me well you know I am fast, VERY fast with saying hurtful words. SURPRISE!!! Yup it’s true! It’s a way of me crying out “everything is not okay.” Not the best way to express my feelings I know. We all handle situations differently. One can be expressive and one can try to solve everything internally, one can find addictions to num the pain, while the other is an emotional roller coaster. You get my drift. Which is the wrong or right way? There isn’t one but we all should TRY to get better at how we express ourselves. Don’t we all wish we could be perfect when it came to this kind of stuff. I don’t care if you are the calmest person or have every fancy degree known to man kind about how to communicate or manage pain. The bottom line is there are times in our lives where life just SUCKS. It SUCKS. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We can have all the faith in the world, we can have all the money in the world, we can be the healthiest person, be the most organized person and still fall apart because shit happens. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s the thing. My husband and I have been at each other throats for a couple weeks now. There’s been tension, there’s been moments of trying but we get no where. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1yjOTWEu8GrCfNOGIz_TIx2C9svojKmyNX6o59vwVDm5dNRyg3BIoQMCItD4q8IevPzE1np4W_OiavpcjQN6KXhkj-BylIMRgLCe-Aj9g_jVBzT8v9zy5pxKVr6Ir1XtXzkzLjTl4bk/s1600/IMG_2820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1yjOTWEu8GrCfNOGIz_TIx2C9svojKmyNX6o59vwVDm5dNRyg3BIoQMCItD4q8IevPzE1np4W_OiavpcjQN6KXhkj-BylIMRgLCe-Aj9g_jVBzT8v9zy5pxKVr6Ir1XtXzkzLjTl4bk/s640/IMG_2820.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3 1/2 months ago having lost our second child I can say I’ve been better. My grieving hasn’t been near as bad as the first loss we went through with loosing our stillborn Annabelle. I learned so much having gone through a stillborn and I can say that, well, that wrecked me. Every piece of me to my core. So, here I am now watching my mind, my thoughts, how I engage with people, what to say yes or no to (even though I still say yes to more than I should). But I’ve tried to stay focused for the most part on the outlets that I know bring healing. I’ve learned SO much about myself and I’ve have gotten to this place of knowing how to listen to my soul. I can say I am the happy with my life. Really I am living my dream. This was NOT the case before with our first loss. As good of a job that I have done I have also had this fear of what will come up from all this pain that my family and I have endured. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As much as I’ve learned, I know that when loss happens our life is effected by it somehow. Period. That is part of the process and I can’t deny that. I’ve learned to be thankful for it because I want whatever needs to come out to show its face and move on. The thing is moving on is not that easy. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Most people don’t want to take the time to heal and so it is normal, especially if you’ve gone through a similar situation more than once. Being that this is the case for me I am wanting to move on even quicker. My mindset has been this...The fear of not going back to the past. We’ve worked too hard and we’ve come this far to NOT go back. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today though there are no smiles. There have been lots and lots of tears. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s not me this time who is having a hard time with life it is my husband and that has brought up so much more pain than I even know what to do with. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to give him all the answers. I want to do everything in my power to help but I can’t. Before I didn’t have any power to see life and beauty and now that I do it’s hard for me to see someone that does not. I make sure the house is so clean, I plan fun events, I say “let’s go on a bike ride” I do, do, do thinking that is how my husband may see all the beauty I see and in return he doesn’t. It’s hard now that the tables are turned and being patient I am learning is not my strong suite. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well how was I patient enough to go through my shit...my tendencies are so different than my husbands. I talked and wrote about everything and my husband doesn’t express anything. Lol. Typical man and woman relationship right?! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So here I am learning again. The difference between a man and a woman are extreme. My husband carries a different weight than I do. He is the sole provider in our family. He protects us at all cost. He is always thinking of safety and is so aware of his surroundings when he is with us. He fathers our children by knowing them in ways only a father can know them. As a mom we carry our babies, we feel them kick, we go through the changes in our bodies and so as we have a deep connection by carrying our child and through all that I am realizing my husbands mind has been operating on a different level than mine. He is thinking of ways to provide and protect. Even though a man’s body doesn’t feel the changes a woman body does through pregnancy we have to honor that a man’s mind and emotions do change too. Everything is expanding in different ways. When we lost our two babies my husband has done the best job at being present as a husband and father. Although, he has had moments here and there of feeling and showing pain through all of this he hasn’t necessarily had the time to allow his mind to slow down enough because he has been so busy picking up the pieces that have fallen apart with all we have been through as a family and there has been lots and lots of pieces that have fallen apart.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have thought...It’s no wonder why people don’t last in a marriage when moments of pain creep in. We are so opposite that in times of pain our bodies naturally want to shutdown, disengage, or num all the feelings we feel. It is so easy to find other outlets, addictions or ways to escape the pain. Temptations surround us on a daily basis don’t they? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s the thing is my husband and I have both discovered that we have to WANT TO if we WANT TO make this work. We have this thing that we say to each other. We say “I am not afraid of this” whatever it is. As much as fear wants to grip us, we know our daily thought process HAS to change the voice inside our head and we have to rewrite the story into the story we want to see. So that’s what we do. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So what do we do from here? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well one of us MUST be stronger than the other and we MUST be okay with it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I pray.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I ask for guidance.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I call friends I trust. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I create outlets that clear our mind. (Like writing, meditation, I read a book, listen to podcast etc.) </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A few months before our loss I started seeing a life coach. I started this because a very special friend of mine was telling me about her experience with this life coach and I wanted to meet her. I booked 6 sessions and really had no idea where it would go. Well, little did I know a few months later we would loose our son Ethan and all this time I’ve been taking to fuel myself is now what is carrying me through this point right here right now. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Little did know. I just followed what my heart was saying and went with it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My life coach is amazing. She listens, she cares, she has been through SO much, has so many more years ahead of me and creates a place of trust. She’s helped me to stay in tune with myself and helps me understand what that truly means. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes in life things or people come our way and it’s up to us to seize the moment. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am a firm, firm believer we CAN NOT DO THIS LIFE ALONE. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As husband and wife this is our focus right now. Reminding each other that yes as much as we both need each other we also need an outside source to help us. Receiving help is NOT a sign of weakness it is a sign of STRENGTH. We “think” we got this! But guess what WE DON’T. People that say they do I turn my head because I was that person and then one day I said “I Don’t Got This.” WOW! It was so liberating to say those words. Let me tell you when we learn to say this a weight immediately lifts and the person you truly are at your core begins to revel the true you. It’s that person you’ve been missing this whole time. We all have our own process of getting to this point and that’s okay. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My husband and I have found a rhythm and every once in a while the instruments that we are need a tune up. This is our tune up and we are not afraid of it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A consent melody is being birthed in us and I love the melody that we are creating. It is so worth finishing to me because I’ve seen the fruit a process like this produces. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My friend called me the other day and she said something I never thought about. She said “Gina your two babies are two different people. Annabelle is her own person and Ethan is his own person. Both of them are different and both are bringing out something different in you. Get to know Ethan and don’t look back.”</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">That was SO powerful to me. As much as I thought I was doing a good job I was subconsciously comparing my losses as the same and they are not the same, they are different. I was so afraid to repeat history but really we are creating a new kind of history in us. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My husband expressed to me something that hit me. He said “Gina you see beauty and I don’t. I am not there yet” and I have to be patient with him getting there. I preach all the time how we all have our own process and now it’s time to watch that process take place in my husband. I am so excited for him because I know the feeling. I can’t wait to see the beauty he will begin to see. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">You guys can I tell you...after all this we went out the other night. We talked and talked. My life coach advised before we talked to have a goal in mind and so that’s what we did. Our goal was to move forward and lay a foundation down of how we were going to move forward. </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Well, the next day my husband went to work and things were clicking. These past couple of days it has been insane to watch the tune up process begin. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What changed? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our attitude. I remember my husband asking in the middle of an argument and he asked “what needs to change.” I said “it always begins with something so simple but we have habits of making everything so complicated.” And the first thing that came to my mind was “An attitude adjustment.” So that’s what I said out loud and when I said that I then said “change the story you are telling yourself.” </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You guys we have that power inside of us to change the story that keeps replaying in our mind. It takes practice but it can happen. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You can change one cord in the melody and it can change the entire song. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Find the rhythm to your song. Find the beat that works for you and do it. You are strong enough and Brave enough to do it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Like Nike says “Just Do It” haha right?! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So get out there and do it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you need help let me know. I would be more than happy to share my life coaches information with you or any other tools I have that have personally helped me. I would love to help anyway I can. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for following my family's story. Thank you for reading my blogs and hearing my heart through this messy process. We are always a work in progress and I have learned to be okay with it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My hope is by reading our story you are encouraged and know that you are not alone. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would love to hear from you. Be blessed. </span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-35082452618353644422017-11-06T22:25:00.000-08:002017-11-06T22:25:55.190-08:00Celebration of Life <div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The day I found out about the loss of our baby I was 4 1/2 months along. My family and I were one week shy of finding out the sex of our baby. There was so much we were looking forward to. Our two girls (8 & 6yrs old) were at some pretty FUN ages to be super involved with the whole process. This moment for them was huge. After they have been begging and begging for another sibling the moment was finally here. They had already been planning our gender reveal party. Yes! Two little girls planning a party. They made sure we talked about it and at times I would find the two of them sitting at the computer looking up ideas and creative ways to announce if the baby was a boy or girl.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We set our date, sent out as many texts as we could to all of our friends and family with the idea of sending out invitations next. So when we received the news about our loss I knew our girls were bound to ask us if we knew if we were having a boy or girl. So, I asked the doctor is there anyway we can find out if I had a boy or girl? She replied with a "Yes! We can do a blood test and you will know in a week."</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Having experienced a still born 3 1/2 yrs prior to this we had the gift of knowing the sex of our child which is a girl and named her, Annabelle Grace. So this moment was very special as we know so many people don't even get this far in the process. Our children in Heaven are very much a part of our family and although we don't get to watch them grow on earth we still have experienced them in ways that are so beautiful just as if we had the gift to be with them. They have shown us glimpses of their </span>personalities<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and glimpses of a their beautiful life that we very much feel a part of. It most certainly does not replace having them here in our arms but they have given us a new pair of eyes to see life in a </span></span><span style="color: #454545;">completely</span><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> different way and </span>that<span style="font-family: inherit;"> has been what is so beautiful. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My husband and I were on the same page about finding out the sex of this baby because we knew this would add more beauty of our family and an even deeper connection that we had already been experiencing with this child. Sure enough when we picked the girls up from school that day and shared with them the news of out loss. Our six year old after shedding lots of tears said "do you know if it was a boy or girl and are we still going to have our party?" My first response was "actually honey, we will get to found out if we had a boy or girl in one week but we won't be having a party." She was excited to know that we were going to get to find out BUT she was sad about not having a party. She said "but I want to tell everybody. When we do find out can I still tell all my friends?" Oh my goodness my heart just sunk...I just hugged her and told her how much I loved her and her sweet spirit about wanting to still share with people. </span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">As we anxiously waited six days later...August 30, 2017 my phone rang and it was the specialist doctor I had been seeing throughout my pregnancy. The news we were looking most forward to had arrived and here I was anxiously </span><span style="color: #454545;">waiting</span><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for the reveal. She said "the results came back and it looks like you had a</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> baby BOY."As my heart sunk into my chest, I knew. I knew we had a boy. I had already had two dreams...one prior to my pregnancy and one during and both dreams I saw a little boy. Oh, so many mixed emotions. </span></span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">It is so hard to try and switch the thoughts from what you were already planning for to then </span><span style="color: #454545;">trying</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> to reason with what was reality now. I let it all out. I mean ALL of it. I called my husband to share the news and thankfully he was at a place in his day where he was able to come home and we could walk through this together. When he walked through the door I voiced all my frustrations, my anger, my confusions and disbeliefs. He held me and let me sob. Nothing made sense. I was searching for some kind of comfort in knowing this was going to happen but instead all I kept saying was "my dreams were so real, I held my son in my arms, I saw me deliver him, I saw Mylee (my youngest) holding him and feeding him a bottle. This shouldn't be what's happening." </span><span style="color: #454545;">With </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">broken hearts, just minutes later my husband and I couldn't </span><span style="color: #454545;">help it though, </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">we looked at each other with a very honest excitement and said "WE DID IT! WE MADE A BOY!" We laughed of course but went right back into shedding more tears. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5ES6x1wZbF5kwvXVKDSlMVYJYiEYQEwI8mKV9Np1ZhGbpJiQGZBWOVWQ2aEeMGcQzcAX4Obbfk5uSMq73LmDrFz-pFbiEq13AGQhrjKjCFU_4yWOh-___qbzlJtZBF5LQR7iqurp4zM/s1600/A49A4747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho5ES6x1wZbF5kwvXVKDSlMVYJYiEYQEwI8mKV9Np1ZhGbpJiQGZBWOVWQ2aEeMGcQzcAX4Obbfk5uSMq73LmDrFz-pFbiEq13AGQhrjKjCFU_4yWOh-___qbzlJtZBF5LQR7iqurp4zM/s640/A49A4747.jpg" width="426" /></span></a></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Now, with the question..."what are we going to name him?" There was this name that I loved while my husband and I were dating. The name was ETHAN. The story is, I met my husband's youngest cousin who was about 7yrs old at the time and his name was Ethan and when I met him there was something so so special about this kid that I told my husband (boyfriend at the time) "if we ever have a boy I want his name to be Ethan." My husband never said no so when we were talking names I said "ya know I never looked up the meaning of Ethan." So we did and WOW when we did, was it ever so fitting.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Ethan means: Strong, Solid, Safe and Consent. </b></span></div>
</div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD6dSaczdDZvecvZ8o2GlFv3RF_z9jEVAUI07zq3IFVATFDKqe0hJUaGplN5POASXoS6hV6SQrFWe3fd5NeMmO7B562HeaojlDm6BDyN2tu8u-RNe0a4annAGlqaA1spGwSEWir9IWGU/s1600/A49A4869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1143" data-original-width="1600" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifD6dSaczdDZvecvZ8o2GlFv3RF_z9jEVAUI07zq3IFVATFDKqe0hJUaGplN5POASXoS6hV6SQrFWe3fd5NeMmO7B562HeaojlDm6BDyN2tu8u-RNe0a4annAGlqaA1spGwSEWir9IWGU/s640/A49A4869.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you watched our video in the blog post from August 28, 2017 you will understand why the meaning of this name Ethan was so fitting. In the video I share about how we have built a solid foundation as a family after the loss of Annabelle. Annabelle's loss shook our entire world. I explained it in the video that when we went through our loss with her our life had felt like a house that has been destroyed and really that is pretty much what happened in our lives. Everything you could imagine was destroyed. So, here we are more than three years later and experiencing a whirlwind of the emotions all over again and the one thing we kept saying was how much we have grown and learned and how our foundation is so solid. Those words Strong, Solid, Safe and Consent have been so evident both physically and mentally. Nothing about this kind of a loss is easy. In fact just the other day I expressed to my husband how going through a stillbirth and now a late term miscarriage feels so </span>lonely. But isn't that how going through tragic moments in general feel like anyway? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">For me the lonely part is walking around with the idea of no one has any memory of this child but me and my family, and no one knows the depth of this hurt and pain unless you have gone through this type of a loss. One day you have a body that is changing within a pregnancy and then when you loose the baby you are still dealing with so many different changes connected to your pregnancy but now there is no baby. Nothing seems right. It </span><span style="color: #454545;">really is a mental and physical roller coaster.</span><span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> There are only a select few that I have learned I can share my thoughts and emotions with. I have to be careful. I have learned it is very uncommon for people to talk about a loss. Even talking to people who have gone through it can be tricky. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know loss in general can be like this but I guess what I'm trying to say is I have nothing to show from it so I have had to find outlets on how to cope with handling going on with everyday life by still embracing these changes my mind and body are still going through. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQW980a6DWeuG66R1rvKASV2gJd8s3zLePsDCYVxERn7vKs-9IjJX5xZHhdIxSf7AEwTBpyNzobbYGBiLQqkZCnT1dvXgHBu8ttXeK_RpRbkTjKBzcWBJYoFL5sYeczjtTn2C8bJVC2pU/s1600/A49A4869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A few ways I have learned to cope with what I go through is to not only sharing through blogs and pictures but I have also learned how to listen to my kids. They seem to have just the right ideas and the right thing to say at the right times. Children are quite amazing. They have required me to listen more and more as I pick up on all this. So thats what I did. My six year old daughter's voice kept ringing through my head..."mom can I still share, can we still have a party?" Deep down inside I wanted all of that too SO the light bulb went off in my head and said why not? Why not, still have our party and make it a Balloon Release Party. SO that's exactly what we did. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSkqujAGvy2qO4Rj-hdn66mbLkJz_MNiCiIZ0ex7E9AtjfDPJF2S-c19Ff3K7XBYxc6Vz7oc3MOcYbUZFgOmll22fb3GGnlldHN_sNcELUZq_0BKiUXXM-DLVp7Vz_ZxHQ51av10qJlA/s1600/A49A4774-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSkqujAGvy2qO4Rj-hdn66mbLkJz_MNiCiIZ0ex7E9AtjfDPJF2S-c19Ff3K7XBYxc6Vz7oc3MOcYbUZFgOmll22fb3GGnlldHN_sNcELUZq_0BKiUXXM-DLVp7Vz_ZxHQ51av10qJlA/s640/A49A4774-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We ordered 100 balloons and friends and family gathered with us and we released every one of those 100 balloons. It was so beautiful and so overwhelming in a very good way. We took 30 minutes to embrace this moment and that 30 min we will never, EVER forget. It meant so much to us that so many people would even show up for something like this and honor a life that never took one breath. Before we released the balloons my husband and I shared at the party how we believe that at the moment of conception life begins and every life serves a great purpose. Sometimes we have to wait for that purpose to reveal itself. We have learned the more we become aware of the purpose we find beauty. We choose to see beauty in the process and as hard as it is beauty is there. It is there in our everyday moments and that it what we choose to hold on too. Annabelle and Ethan live with us and I get to experience a glimpse of Heaven on Earth because that is how beautiful and how special those moments are to me. So here we are wanting to share this moment with you too. I would like to say a big thank you to friends Christian Frank who captured all the photos you see and Kristin and Brooklyn Merwin for capturing some video footage of the night. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfEbVgRKe3C11hQydXKHfKmjyvyebQ1XgvVy8fM8NQuHGwZ8lQwRQhMHhCynkLzHeDBUCh2yFtwT00z16qh5olSwHxBQWAC-Ai1CTV-KftiSplZCa-xWX-oO26LyidOeqxRrrwchLryM/s1600/A49A4806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="1600" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJfEbVgRKe3C11hQydXKHfKmjyvyebQ1XgvVy8fM8NQuHGwZ8lQwRQhMHhCynkLzHeDBUCh2yFtwT00z16qh5olSwHxBQWAC-Ai1CTV-KftiSplZCa-xWX-oO26LyidOeqxRrrwchLryM/s640/A49A4806.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSkqujAGvy2qO4Rj-hdn66mbLkJz_MNiCiIZ0ex7E9AtjfDPJF2S-c19Ff3K7XBYxc6Vz7oc3MOcYbUZFgOmll22fb3GGnlldHN_sNcELUZq_0BKiUXXM-DLVp7Vz_ZxHQ51av10qJlA/s1600/A49A4774-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So many magical moments happened this night. One that specifically happened was captured by my friend Kristin Merwin. As she was videoing the sun displayed something we had never seen before and I hope when you watch it, it brings hope to whatever you are going through. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C-hrxMusYc8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C-hrxMusYc8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Trust me it is so hard to celebrate in tragic moments but the message that lays so deep within me and my families hearts is to share that Beauty is EVERYWHERE. Become so aware that you notice the beauty that is right in front of you. The earth is always speaking to us and I believe our loved ones spirits never die. They speak to us through ways that catch our attention. If we just open our hearts up to believe we will then open up our eyes to see. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Try it. Beauty awaits just for YOU. </span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCy7dwFKd7MerNdRVOCy5ShLILSCf9e3PWu6pPkOvhrmlnQgNTp5FRHjHrPLM5nOgYZgBmlsLObJm5Cw5QzPCn25-7rHDbSwe_7C9lyHQ04iowfxMdLeZNH4f4p74yr-PJj8i-Tor5sw/s1600/A49A4967.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiCy7dwFKd7MerNdRVOCy5ShLILSCf9e3PWu6pPkOvhrmlnQgNTp5FRHjHrPLM5nOgYZgBmlsLObJm5Cw5QzPCn25-7rHDbSwe_7C9lyHQ04iowfxMdLeZNH4f4p74yr-PJj8i-Tor5sw/s640/A49A4967.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for joining and reading about the story of our little Ethan Ryan Dobmeier.</span></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-78671186011232839492017-09-19T21:17:00.002-07:002017-09-19T21:26:16.915-07:00A note to Mom's who have Lost a Child <div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've been laughing and smiling a lot lately. My husband and I have found ourselves laughing together more than we normally do too. I've been asking to watch funny movies and wanting to input "FUNNY" into my life. I can't help but relate this to the gift our baby has left us with. While I was pregnant I felt this deep desire to laugh and I felt like our baby was going to bring this sense of humor that would add so much laughter to our family. There was even moments during my pregnancy where I would stop and say to our baby "you are a comedian" because of funny things that would happen. It is SO hard to wrap my mind around death and loss in general. I try my hardest to pay close attention to each stage of the process and while I was pregnant that is what I did. I began to know our child in ways only a mom can know their child. Life begins in the womb and I believe purpose begins with that too. I've chosen to look at the loss of our baby in a light that would seem so hard to find. But I've taken this laughter as a gift. A gift that I am choosing to embrace and getting to know. I am naturally NOT a sarcastic or witty person. In fact I am always in awe of people who are and think it's quite attractive actually. So, here I am patting myself on the back and remembering how I am thankful for this gift that our baby has given to us. We may not hold our babies in our arms or raise them like we desire too, but everyday we get to know our babies more and more in a new kind of way. This puts me in awe and my prayer is that all woman who go through a loss of a child can experience a glimpse of their child on earth. Everyday we encounter beauty, some days we just have to look harder than others. When beauty appears the gift is there for us to embrace. So embrace it. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IZqvDdENkmJnkIg7jVr2RpFTgS8BM1Qi1GAQhwDdvH-Due7qig9k1mg4XkaQ3Z_Tm9Olh7ip3Ii-Heyclk-rNkPHTEANxhcdnfr8Gf23jagKyBCB7dMlRvWvfURVpbgf2_2RzrL8ZHE/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IZqvDdENkmJnkIg7jVr2RpFTgS8BM1Qi1GAQhwDdvH-Due7qig9k1mg4XkaQ3Z_Tm9Olh7ip3Ii-Heyclk-rNkPHTEANxhcdnfr8Gf23jagKyBCB7dMlRvWvfURVpbgf2_2RzrL8ZHE/s640/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-29893649964551238992017-08-31T21:46:00.001-07:002017-08-31T21:46:19.359-07:00Grieving Brings Healing <div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Woke up early, did my hair, got dressed (thank God) put make up on, put a smile on my face and snapped a picture. Engaged with people today, met new people and enjoyed it. Why am I telling you this? Well, because Grief can cause us to not want to do any of these things and guess what? That's okay. I had a day yesterday where I sat in mismatch clothes, with no make up on, didn't wash my hair and cried A LOT. Both examples are part of the process. Neither is right or wrong and neither is positive or negative.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hojL7M3vo4BHULD-sKpeF9g2g3RD3DNWxFvNRr55MDRWdoeTNdviigdcXB_XXBvGjqdzPiKr0x7-50oq_hbpHYk0_kdgin19ptxB0lwct0wBhpeqvYyJDioD303xYRK3843EXJqqbPo/s1600/IMG_5898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1hojL7M3vo4BHULD-sKpeF9g2g3RD3DNWxFvNRr55MDRWdoeTNdviigdcXB_XXBvGjqdzPiKr0x7-50oq_hbpHYk0_kdgin19ptxB0lwct0wBhpeqvYyJDioD303xYRK3843EXJqqbPo/s640/IMG_5898.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we went through our first loss, my husband and I attended a Grief and Recovery class that the hospital offers for families who have lost a child. One of the questions was this, "Do you believe there is a wrong or right way to grieve?" I answered "Yes!" Expressing how anything that is negative must be wrong and anything that was positive must be right. Such as, if I was depressed, suicidal, wanting a divorce, questioning anything and everything...I thought that was all negative ways to grieve. Positive ways I thought were thinking good thoughts, telling people how good I am doing, going back to work with a smile on my face and picking up right where we left off. The person leading the class said "have any of you had any of those thoughts that Gina mentioned?" Everyone in the room said "yes, I have had suicidal thoughts, I went through a divorce, I am depressed etc..." Then the person leading the group said "let me tell you, there is no wrong way or right way to grieve." I left with so many thoughts going through my head because the truth was I felt ALL of those feelings I had expressed, I just didn't know I could express them or even feel them. For days I have thought about everyone in that room and how they expressed their heart so freely. What I saw was healing and freedom in their eyes. Instead of questioning anyone, I chose to listen and from that one experience I learned. I learned everyone goes through a process and it's not about right or wrong.</span><span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I thought to myself "How naïve and prideful that I thought this way" but really it set me free. Free in such a way that I felt I had to come to terms with my own thoughts and emotions and be honest with the reality and truth of where I was at in my life. l thought to myself "if I am not honest with those thoughts, they will only keep growing until I actually take action to one of those thoughts or I will live a very unhappy life" dealing with all other kinds of issues and then as I grow old I would think "how did I end up here?" I started to see the unhealthy perspective and in that moment I had to choose to lean into this truth and reality that I had going on with myself.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The beauty was when I expressed my thoughts my husband was not afraid of any of it. But guess what? Shortly after I went through my process he then went through his. And now it was my turn to not be afraid of his process. It was so hard. Because we realized neither one of us could fix each other, but we could be there for each other with an open mind and open soul to allow this freedom in creating honesty in our life, for the rest of our lives.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Honesty changed EVERYTHING.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Had ONE of us made the choice to not move forward in these areas our story would NOT have played out this way.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a marriage two people must be willing. At times one is pulling the other. In fact we are hardly ever strong at the same time. We have moments where we are both strong BUT most of the time when I am weak Ryan is stronger and when he is weak I am stronger. But ideally when neither of us are strong (which happens) we know God is always there. How do we know He is there? Because we talk to him just as we talk to a friend. The beauty in discovering what honesty did in our own lives opened us up to be so honest with God and realize He can handle ANYTHING. God has heard it all and I think because we've been fed lies from man or religion we had such a closed mind to not even allow us to be real with God. I wrote this quote in a blog I posted a few years back and I said "When we become Real with God He becomes Real to us." It's true. Too many of us deny God even exists and to be honest we did the same thing for a time walking through all the pain and junk that we walked through. But it didn't matter how far we ran or how much we yelled, cussed at or denied him, HE was STILL there. We make God out to be WAY more complicated than He really is and all He wants from us is to invite Him into the process. He's not there to pound us into the ground or stop blessings from getting to us because we didn't do x, y and z. He just wants us to come to Him undone and show us the loving father that He is. His Beauty is always there. His Hope is always there. We just have to be willing to pay attention to it.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some people do and some people don't but at some point we must. Our life is all worth something and we all have something to give.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span>Nothing ever goes to waste and we've learned to endure the hard times because we know it is within those moments something will rise above our situation and it will be worth it ALL.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We've experienced it first hand, the beauty to embrace it all. Here we are still standing and choosing to do this all over again. To walk through another loss, but this time our faith and our love for one another will not be shaken. Marriage is a series of these kinds of events and when you find someone who is willing to walk through one event after another...oh my friend, the possibilities for you and your spouse are endless.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It takes time. It takes work, both individually and collectively. It takes being uncomfortable, and it takes being honest with yourself and one another. It is a messy process, but the process is worth it all.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Invite yourself into the messy process. Invite God into it too and invite others with whom you can trust to walk through the process with you too. It is so important to not walk out this process alone. You don't need to do what we do and feel like you have to share with the world, but you can share with a friend or someone who is able to help walk through the trenches with you.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_-1016012287426975417p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_-1016012287426975417s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Grieving effects everyone no matter if your married or not, have kids or no kids, have family or no family. It effects everyone so differently. Once you've opened up your heart to grieve and heal you will be able to see other people in a different light too. It is truly amazing the gift that is hidden when honesty begins. Allow honesty to become real in your life and watch the healing process begin for YOU.<span class="m_-1016012287426975417Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-17457062543697436092017-08-28T10:31:00.000-07:002017-08-28T10:32:54.601-07:00Peace in the Midst of a Storm <div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">How do you share something so devastating and somehow hope you can do it justice? I guess you just do the best you can right? Well, that is what my husband and I did. We want to say thanks for all the thoughts and prayers in advance as we walk through another loss. We stand on Peace and Strength in the midst of this storm. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4mmqUrANH1U/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4mmqUrANH1U?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thank you for watching</div>
<br />Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-91771075238005532752017-08-18T14:36:00.001-07:002017-08-18T14:36:49.708-07:00Four Months<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 months pregnant.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0WhmmuoNU7fg2w0fTr92QFVNIjdmN4lzD-naTFjGoA9rQU20w6vfEzgqrRSeZOI47YrcakZgNm6N9RQhyb5P3nhCS2tePoUAOuEhAbQHZnxwqQvBC31lViWbbU1p_j9zaFkpquS0XkU/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0WhmmuoNU7fg2w0fTr92QFVNIjdmN4lzD-naTFjGoA9rQU20w6vfEzgqrRSeZOI47YrcakZgNm6N9RQhyb5P3nhCS2tePoUAOuEhAbQHZnxwqQvBC31lViWbbU1p_j9zaFkpquS0XkU/s640/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #454545; text-align: center;"> So what's it been like for me?</span><span style="color: #454545; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">Well, I'm Pregnant! I'm tired, I wanna eat ALL the time. I feel like crap at night time (totally a new experience for me). I am normally a night owl and I feel like I can crash at 8pm every night. My legs are already getting really achy, usually that happens to me later on but I guess when they say the more babies you have the more your body remembers and the quicker your symptoms pop up too. It's ALL TRUE. My body is not hiding anything and I am completely okay with that.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> </span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's fun being pregnant with our fourth because the things that I used to care about I don't and I have embraced that my body is growing a so is the human being inside me and so I am letting myself take it all in. I don't care about trying to wear my "normal" clothes as long as I can. I've already bought materiality shorts and jeans and it feels SO good. I am comfortable and that is all that matters. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I remember with my first pregnancy I used to think it was so cool that I could wear my jeans up until I was 8months pregnant and now I'm like SCREW it. Let's just be pregnant. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A friend text me the other day and said something so awesome. She said "I am thankful for the symptoms but it is hard to go through the emotions." She nailed it. That's exactly how I feel. I've come to a place in knowing my body will do what it needs to do and I am not going to force anything upon it. If I'm tired I lay down, if I am hungry I eat, if I feel like crap I say it and if I think I look beautiful I show it off. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">People look at me and say "oh it must be nice to be skinny while your pregnant" but what people don't know is my body changes JUST like everyone else's. We all are our own worst critic right?! TRUST me I can go into a lot of TMI with you but I will spare you all the changes going on with me physically. But what I will share with you are the changes that are going on with me Mentally and Emotionally. That I am NOT shy about and I will NOT hold back. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The reality is for MOST pregnant mamas we want healthy babies. We want to experience a full term pregnancy, we want to experience natural child labor and no imperfections whatsoever. But if you talk to a mom who has experienced labor you know those experiences are not always the case. When you don't have a good experience fear naturally try's to grip you and pump you up with every thought that can possibly go wrong. Even if you haven't had a good experienced fear can grip you too, right?! </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, that was me for about the first 4 weeks into this pregnancy. Due to my last pregnancy ending in my child being a still born, getting pregnant mentally and emotionally was NOT easy and with that naturally comes some crazy thoughts that have ran through my head.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzQ65m-rUQBFLQiITL1v4rqR0ZaMeDk5byJ5_7znwQLtOFEF__oZcyPBV_FFcR7fAnu_vlpaijwgVtOvIKWSsOzJJ-fc2c30SGEwhUFX-EjFsA6RYnCCe_qydFYYFvDvB4lKZbDc0zMQ/s1600/IMG_5610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRzQ65m-rUQBFLQiITL1v4rqR0ZaMeDk5byJ5_7znwQLtOFEF__oZcyPBV_FFcR7fAnu_vlpaijwgVtOvIKWSsOzJJ-fc2c30SGEwhUFX-EjFsA6RYnCCe_qydFYYFvDvB4lKZbDc0zMQ/s640/IMG_5610.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have I beat myself up over it? NO. In fact one of the first words out of my mouth when I found out I was pregnant was, "I don't think I have the faith to follow through with this." As if I can send the baby back or something right? A lot of people would probably gasp if they heard me say that, friends might correct me and people may try to encourage me to think otherwise. I get it, had I not experience what I did I probably would be that friend too. But because I did experience what I did, I let myself feel the feelings and deal with them. All you peeps reading, don't freak out okay. I didn't entertain the thought to the point of giving up my child. I felt those thoughts because I knew at some point I was going to have to face them.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've gone through any pain whatsoever in your life I would probably say you are inhuman to me if you don't have some kind of mental games that you have to put yourself in check with from time to time. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It doesn't mean that I don't have the faith to go through this again it just means I am human and our human mind remembers our past hurts, even when we don't want to. Another friend shared with me that our muscle memory stores painful situations. That's why one day out of the blue we will be like "today just seems off" and the more we think our muscle memory triggers these emotions that remind us about what may have happened that day years ago or not long ago. It is really unreal how the body, soul and spirit work. So, try not to beat yourself up if you have a day like this. It's normal and it doesn't mean you are not strong it just means you are human. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So what did I do when I felt like I didn't have the faith to carry this child? I told my husband. He didn't correct me or condemn me instead he said "Gina I can only imagine, you carried our last child and that is something I will never know or experience." That has been such a beautiful reality for us in our marriage. That there are just some things that each of us will carry that are different from each other and we have to be patient with each other through the process. It's taken us facing several moments where I have broken down because I want my husband to understand the feelings I feel carrying a child, but each time I broke down we realized we both have experienced our pain differently. And that is okay. He is there for me and I am there for him. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After those four weeks there seemed to be this peace and this knowing that I believed in myself and in my body that I can do this. I would speak to my body and say "I am one with this pregnancy", knowing no matter what this child is already serving a great purpose. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I will be honest even though I have more faith now I do notice before every doctor visit I will take a deep breath and remind myself "everything is going to be okay." If I lay down for an ultra sound I notice I get a little nervous and I don't look at the screen until I can hear that heartbeat. There is a relief every time when you hear those words "the baby looks great, the baby is growing perfectly, what a strong heartbeat." The truth when women say "all I want is a healthy child" has become SO real to me. I know it's super fun to try to figure out the gender of your child and if people ask "do you have any feelings yet if you can tell if your having a boy or girl?" But really deep down inside all I'm praying for is a healthy pregnancy the whole way through. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Our 8 and 6yr old girls are SO excited for us to find out the gender of our baby and of course so are WE but I will tell you it's been a total BLAST having older kids as we walk through this experience with them. I always thought I would have my kids all close together but you know we can't control everything and honestly one of the reasons why it was so hard to think about another baby was because after our loss there was the age gap. Why "the </span><span style="color: #454545;">the</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> gap" is such a big deal I really don't know but I think we make the whole gap thing a bigger deal than it really is and ITS NOT! It's been the greatest joy for us to see how involved our girls have already been and how much they are taking on this new joy in our lives. They are planning our gender reveal party, they are already talking about who wants to wake up in the middle of the night, who gets to feed the baby, who gets to help mom and so on. It's been so fun! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyW-QVsPZ1KGD3mV_W7uKDJiljN4UF2rGSjoWjqwXsrfoy5dOA0zhI0_iVMqTXxI8d2dV7Kq-bn5TnpeIucR47qNkxR2kovsMeuvY2xGXkLezRa_XYiYTQ_1MzZixTqcUXNyjPxEMhCVk/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyW-QVsPZ1KGD3mV_W7uKDJiljN4UF2rGSjoWjqwXsrfoy5dOA0zhI0_iVMqTXxI8d2dV7Kq-bn5TnpeIucR47qNkxR2kovsMeuvY2xGXkLezRa_XYiYTQ_1MzZixTqcUXNyjPxEMhCVk/s640/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have such a sense of peace that has really filled my soul and I am soaking it all up at the moment. We have SO appreciated all the love, prayers and support from everyone who has celebrated with us in this next chapter of our lives. It's true when people say you can feel the love because that is what my family and I have been experiencing...nothing but love.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God is so good and it is beautiful to see how he turns ashes to beauty. Annabelle's life taught us to live daily and to focus on whatever is happening in our lives right. To not exhaust ourselves with the future but to embrace every moment as they come. I am so thankful we chose to take this next step. The trusting part, the faith part and the believing part has been a process and I know it will continue to be. So here I am at 4 months into this pregnancy sharing this part with you and thankful to be at a place where I can share it with true joy. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thanks for staying up to date with us. We love you and are so excited to keep sharing our updates with you. </span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-65313628378573362302017-08-09T21:36:00.000-07:002017-08-09T21:37:27.392-07:00Welcome to Our Next Chapter <div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I recently heard this on a video I found on youtube. It was one of those days where I was listening to one video after another so I don’t even remember who even said this but all I know is it stood out to me. This man said…<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“There will never be a point in your life where its the right time to do a great thing.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If your waiting for the perfect moment and perfect timing its not going to happen.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">You know what you have to do is to CREATE the perfect time and the perfect opportunity and the perfect situation.”<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When I heard this it hit me pretty hard, this idea that I have the ability to create TIME in my life. Then I thought some more and said “wait a minute, this is exactly what me and my family have been doing over the last couple of years” Creating a new life for ourselves and with that came an awareness that we are so done sitting around, waiting for the perfect time or perfect moment, but what we can do is CREATE it. We ALL have this power inside us. For some of us it is when we hit rock bottom (whatever rock bottom is for you). I have noticed our “Rock Bottom” is really how much we are able to tolerate. Some are just willing to tolerate more emotionally physically, spiritually, financially, relationally etc…than others but at one point we do reach our breaking point. <span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many of you know that 3 years ago we lost our third child as a stillborn. I was six months along when I delivered Annabelle Grace. When we as a family experienced her loss it lead to one loss after another. The moment this happened in our lives it was like everything prior in our life had been erased and here we were starting with a blank slate and it was up to us what we were going to do with it. What we were able to tolerate had reached its peek and there we stood face to face with it all. We didn’t see it at the time, but little did we know, Annabelle’s life was giving us a new life. A good one that is. But it really didn’t seem that way at first. We began to ask a lot of questions. How are we going to respond to this? Is the situation going to improve our lives? Is this situation going to make us stronger as individuals and as a family? These were some hard questions. At the time my husband went into survival mode which is VERY common for men and as a woman I fell into a downward spiral. I have written several blogs describing our experiences but since then we as a family have carved out some time rebuilding us. I have taken a year away from blogging about our personal life which has lead us to work out some things that have really needed our attention.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Many people have asked if we would consider having another baby. Some knowing our situation and some innocently not knowing. It is a common question to ask, right? Sometimes it was easy to answer and sometimes it was hard. There are lots of questions or remarks that have been hard for me to answer or hear over the years and to be honest I still have moments. It is so easy to get offended and so easy to misjudge people and assume the worst when really, the truth is, no matter which way you look at it when a friend, a family member or someone you may know is going through a lot it is just hard all around. For the ones going through the pain it is in our human nature to want sympathy at times, for someone to notice our hurt or even understand just a little. It is our job to remind ourselves through the process that some people will be there and some people we thought would be there may not. The beauty is we meet new friends along the way and our environment can’t help but change a little and for some a whole lot. Our situations change us and that is okay. Your perceptions change, your appreciations for life change and your views change. While going through a healing process it is SO important to be understanding of others as well. Meaning, we shouldn’t set our expectations too high. People will not be there for you 24/7. People will not always understand. Your best friend may not have the words to say, and not everyone you think will be in your life forever will. AND GUESS WHAT?? Never will you be able to live up to all those standards either. If we set our expectations too high we will be left with disappointment for the rest of our lives. Now, some people are intentional and have absolutely no filter and some simply choose to remain naive and ignorant and those people you do not need in your life. For some it may be just a phase for you to have to distance yourself in the relationship and you never know, they can eventually come back into your life, but for some you just need to wipe your hands clean and let go. Again we have the power to create what we allow in our lives or what we don’t. This takes time.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">For our family our attention couldn’t be about how people were with us or how people would approach us and so on. We were going through enough spiritually, emotionally, physically, financially…in ALL areas you could imagine that we just didn’t have the time or energy to acknowledge the other chaos around us. Our girls would ask us on occasion to have another baby and my husband and I would visit the conversation at times, but I really didn’t like the pressure I felt when we did talk about it and the conversation never came to any conclusion. I think a part of me was afraid to move forward. I would think "what if I get pregnant and we lose everything again." At times I would have such a positive attitude and think “if we did it once, we can do it again” nothing would phase us and just as fast as that thought would come another one would come saying “but what if we don’t?” Thoughts move fast don’t they? It doesn’t matter how much faith or strength you have, the thoughts come and go quickly. Training your mind to be beat those negative thoughts to the punch is mandatory. It's not a matter of if they come but when they do what is your response. Dwelling on the past does no good. The fact is the past will always be there, fear will always be there, negative thoughts will always be there, but realizing that you have just as much control and power over all of them is something that we all need to recognize.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eventually what happened for us is when Ryan went into survival mode and I went though my downward spiral we begin to shut out and num all the feelings just to stay afloat in other areas. Let me tell ya, eventually the numbing wears off and at some point you have to identify the pain you are experiencing head on. I heard on another video someone say “that problem, whatever your problem is, you can not ignore it. That problem will not go away. You won’t wake up one day and it won’t be there anymore. It will be there and it will haunt you for the rest of your life and I am hear to tell you, DEAL WITH IT! The sooner you deal with it the sooner you can create a solution for it and the sooner you deal it will the sooner you will begin to feel fulfillment!” and he is absolutely RIGHT!</span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most people do not experience this because naturally as humans we do everything in our power to fight against pain. Knowing this and talking to lots and lots of people who have gone through a tremendous amount of loss and pain we knew we didn’t want to be like most people and in that moment we agreed that we were going to take our situation and somehow make it meaningful and hopefully beautiful. We didn't quite know how we were going to do that but we just knew we were. In our life before Annabelle we had already experienced what it was like to live life on Auto Pilot. Like I said before, we were drained, our marriage was drained, our finances were drained, our kids were drained, our relationship with God was drained and everything else you can imagine.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<br /></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It sure is hard to remain patient. Still, to this day when we find ourselves trying to "fix" each other, one of us has to quickly remind ourselves that it is not our job to fix one another. If we are intentional about experiencing a better life than we have to know that nothing is going to happen overnight. SO, no matter what junk comes out or unexpected thoughts that cross our minds we vow to be there for each other during the process. It's not been the prettiest process. Trust me it's been easy (more on my end) to escape the easy way out and call it quits. I struggle with this and I don't hide it because we all are a work in progress. I mean, doesn't everyone want to skip ahead to the pretty parts and leave out all the ugly parts of a story. Wouldn't you agree though the ugly parts are the best parts of every story because that is what truly makes us who we are today. If we choose to skip ahead our appreciation and perception would never change. Our struggles and pain are meant to change us in a healthy way and if we don't allow time for our soul to heal we will never see the beautiful exchange that can take place and that WANTS to take place in our life.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I think the biggest thing for us that we have realized thus far in our healing process is that when facing our pain we have now gained such an appreciation, an awareness and an ability to become present in our life. And you know when that exchanged happened? When we finally were able to admit to ourselves that everything was not okay in our world. I love what Tony Robbins says “If we can remain humble and hungry, we can WIN.” I am telling you, instant freedom comes when you can humble yourself and speak truth to those things that don't need to be in your life anymore. Whatever it is that holds you back from freedom has probably been because you have been ignorant to the truth and you have not wanted to face the truth of your current situation. Yes, it is hard to trust again. Yes, it is hard to believe good things can happen again or that we can even forgive each other again. BUT is it possible? ABSOLUTELY!<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I write this blog I want you to know our hearts desire is as we invite you into this next chapter of our lives that you will be enlightened in such a way where it will bring some hope that you can connect to. Whatever your situation might be right now, know there IS a brighter tomorrow. That there is beauty in store for you. Healing and a joy that will flood your soul. We were CREATED to enjoy life to the absolute fullest and if you are not enjoying life then you are not living. I am NOT talking about all your dreams coming true kind of living. I am talking about a loving yourself, forgiving others, experiencing a life that gives…kind of living. You can have all the bells and whistles and still be the most miserable person. It is finding true freedom within yourself that will allow you to live freely.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, here we were. The time came. There was a moment when all of my fears, all my thoughts and all my emotions visited me face to face. I am excited to share this because I really didn’t think we would get here, but here we are.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I asked my girls one day, “give me one good reason why you want mom to have another baby.” I was not looking for the typical answer that all kids say like “Cause we want one.” I was looking for a solid answer that made sense. Well, with no hesitation my oldest gave me an answer that I had never thought about. She shares her answer in the video below so you will just have to watch it...</span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Her answer truly healed a wound in my heart almost immediately. There are some people that know the time is right to either have more kids or not. For my family and I little did we know we really had to create this so called "perfect time." I am a strong believer that nothing in this life is perfect, but I do believe you can create “perfect” situations by inviting in conversations around it. Not hiding the conversation or being afraid of it but embracing it in such a way where it becomes perfect for you and your family. Not everyone needs to understand all the details. The main thing is you understand it and it is right for you. What my daughters answer did for us is realize this new space we had created as a family had made more space in our life to now give more. This was such an important moment to me because we really haven’t experienced being in a place like this before. When it came to another child I just knew it had to be an honest and true decision. So here I am ready to announce that </span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">YES! WE ARE HAVING ANOHER BABY!!!</span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This child was planned, this child has been talked about, prayed for and really has come at the perfect time for our family. Any obstacle or resistance that comes our way I have now realized it is up to us how we respond to it.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Friends, can I just tell you to please focus on your life that is right in front of you. Don’t try to skip ahead. Look for the beauty in every situation you are in. I promise, beauty is there. Hold on to those little promises. They are just for you. The past is the past. We learn and grow from the past but we do not remain there.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p2" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"></span><br /></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As we continue to share our story with you, we pray you find healing and freedom. If you have read this far, THANK YOU! We would love for you to watch our video if you haven’t already as we share our excitement with you. We look so forward to sharing more throughout the process.<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you again for taking time to read our blog…Stay tuned for updates along way!!!<span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/oSyFsZYbPz8/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oSyFsZYbPz8?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="m_8938925882352053224p1" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: center;">
<span class="m_8938925882352053224s1"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="m_8938925882352053224Apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-60361801704769653382017-07-31T22:16:00.000-07:002017-07-31T22:25:24.488-07:00Kid's Independence <div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
Today I told my girls "ya know I'm going to REALLY miss you two when you go back to school." </div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
This time of year comes every year and you would think I'm ready for it, but it seems I never am. It's like their Birthday or Christmas. You notice those little things that make you think how fast time goes by. They grow a little bigger over summer break. Not only in size but their heart grows bigger, their minds, their thoughts, their personalities, the way they express themselves, their interests, their relationship as siblings and daughters, their questions and answers. There is always more to learn and more to do and it seems like every year they are so excited to experience more. In the same token I like to soak up all these feelings I am experiencing because wise moms who have crossed my path and who have experienced much more than I, have told me to do so. So, I remind myself to listen to them and so far its paid off pretty nicely as I do enjoy motherhood.</div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
As I explore my thoughts as a mom I can't help but take a minute and hope they hold on to those little nuggets that I take time to pour into them day in and day out. Thoughts like...I hope they listen, I hope they are polite, fair, attentive, respectful, truthful and friendly, I hope they notice the people around them in a positive light and love others for who they are. They are still young and they have a long way to go but with each step they take I pray they discover more and more of who they are and they find freedom in those areas even when I can't be involved every step of the way. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rIMTXrlHlhBDjHcdcmWouM7wMUrD8v4s_WZjNMvlhcSyQ6KzQZrbeErpGG6xJUbpBm7_flzptfq-tlesB-SYxjed-btg__N6ZNG_aHHJYr54PHvklKti7EKYO1nn-quQrIVhKO_RODU/s1600/IMG_5345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: 12px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2rIMTXrlHlhBDjHcdcmWouM7wMUrD8v4s_WZjNMvlhcSyQ6KzQZrbeErpGG6xJUbpBm7_flzptfq-tlesB-SYxjed-btg__N6ZNG_aHHJYr54PHvklKti7EKYO1nn-quQrIVhKO_RODU/s640/IMG_5345.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: normal;">
There may be moments where they will be treated unfairly and they have to stand up for themselves and in those moments I have to trust them. There are different stages in this game of life and we are at the stage where we are now teaching our girls about the power they have to listen to the voice within. Kids are capable of much more than we know and it is so important that we as parents don't allow fear to grip us but we allow fearful moments to turn into teaching moments. If kids know mom and dad are not afraid to give them responsibility and we allow for opportunities to mess up in front of us, then I believe the stronger they will recognize the power that lies within them to trust themselves too. Sending our kids off to school can be a very overwhelming experience but keeping a healthy perception is key as life moves on. I love that they have teachers other than me, I love that they are influenced and exposed to different ways in learning and receiving. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPi_3WS22-_NBnC85seIzhGj6JlIAc4fforl3ppT2Sz5e6bBa0-q62GwS0ZBMHStqMVIzUWuhArianKXf5x7A5IquC2wRvUDtReUxqZxL18nihPuNJMukiBgrxmJgpbsUPdq41hHXVqI/s1600/IMG_5343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPi_3WS22-_NBnC85seIzhGj6JlIAc4fforl3ppT2Sz5e6bBa0-q62GwS0ZBMHStqMVIzUWuhArianKXf5x7A5IquC2wRvUDtReUxqZxL18nihPuNJMukiBgrxmJgpbsUPdq41hHXVqI/s640/IMG_5343.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">So here I am reminding myself as much as I will miss them during the day, I also am excited to see them grow and explore in another new school year with many more to come. It's not easy to see independence grow, but it sure is a beautiful thing when you believe in the work you do as a parent. So parents, believe in yourself, trust the work you do and have confidence they will do even better. Because, let's face it, their life teaches us the same thing in return. How to be better. We just have to be open to see it and receive it. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">With every new step</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">With every new stage </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">With every new season </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">Is an opportunity to grow </span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">and e</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">xplore even more. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">Don't look back. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">Embrace the new and </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";">Keep moving forward.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "helvetica";"><i>Thank you to all the teachers who pour out so much time and energy to teach our kids. We are thankful for you. Praying for one beautiful school year for all your kids, students and families. </i></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-21781199915637484152017-02-24T15:39:00.001-08:002017-02-24T17:16:57.451-08:00Live Life, Celebrate Life <span style="font-family: inherit;">This past weekend I was given the opportunity to photograph a beautiful Engagement Party for some vey close family friends that I so love and adore. We have been friends since I was a kid. In fact I babysat the soon to be groom and his brother when they were kids. Not only that but once I showed up at this event I felt right at home. Many of you know that I come from a big Italian Family. You may see a lot of photos on my Facebook or Instagram of my family because my immediate family is all I have in AZ. I never grew up with cousins or distant relatives. I have one Uncle that lives in Arizona who is the coolest guy you will ever meet and sing just like Frank Sinatra. I had one set of Grandparents on my mothers side who lived in Arizona as well. My grandfather passed when I was in Jr. High and my grandmother passed when I was in college. Eventually my other set of Grandparents on my father side moved to Arizona and I was able to spend many precious years with them too before they passed. Originally with family being from Italy most of our family migrated primarily to the Chicago, IL area and to Canada. Thankfully my mom worked for the airlines so growing up we traveled a lot. My sisters and I LOVED Summer vacations. It never failed the night before a big trip us sisters wouldn’t be able to sleep because we were so excited to go see family. When we returned home from our trips my parents would hear endless cries that were more like sobbing as if we were mourning a death. OH BOY! Did we ever pile on every kind of guilt trip you could imagine as to why we had to leave and why, OH WHY, Did you make us grow up in Arizona??!! Oh goodness it was awful. Just thinking about it I have to say I’m so sorry mom and dad. But I know my sisters would probably say “nope we aren’t sorry," LOL! We still have our moments trust me. Just last week my sisters and I were talking about our childhood memories visiting family and no joke we were all in tears. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But somehow, someway my parents made a way to integrate the Italian culture even though we were FAR from it living it the sunny state of AZ. We attended lots of Italians gatherings and had a lot of friends we called Aunts and Uncles and their family we would call our family. If you know anything about the Italian culture you know we do everything BIG! The food is a BIG, our music is a BIG, the memories we create are a BIG, which makes our celebrations VERY BIG, which then leads to the LOVE we feel, express and give is VERY BIG too. To people we might sound like we are yelling at each other but all that is, is the passion we have to LOVE so BIG that we just can't help but to yell and sometimes YES when there is a disagreement that breaks out you better believe there is some REAL YELLING going on too, haha! There is no shame in hiding or expressing our feelings. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Every culture has something we gotta work on right, haha! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I say all this to express the joy I felt attending and capturing this beautiful engagement party. It felt like home to me, the minute I walked through the doors people I didn't even know were greeting me with hugs and kisses and even the soon to be Brides Nonna starts speaking to me in Italian. I would just smile and node my head just the way I used to do with my grandmother and what was so great is she even did what my grandmother used to do, she would grab my face and think the world of me too, lol! I left with my heart filled to the max and the minute I walked out of those doors I called my mom and went straight to my parents house to give them a hug. I know family is something not everybody has nor do you stay on good terms with. Trust me we have plenty of that in our family too. But can I just say no matter who you call family make time to hold them close. If you have kids teach them the essence of what Family looks like and teach them to celebrate life, food, people and culture in a healthy and beautiful way. It may be foreign to you or it may be very close to you. Either way I encourage you to discover it and create it today. We can all learn from each others ways and see culture and diversity as a beautiful thing. So, today I am happy to share my beautiful culture with you along with some very beautiful people that have worked so hard to be where they are today. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meet Evan and Erika, they have been dating each other for nine years. Over Christmas Break Evan propose to Erika in the beautiful Napa Valley, CA.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbl20cA-0Sgl38LbYqVCPEGr0vEIl7uEiUmskBvp636x9cAn_gCP0sn-BPp2rf8ViO5Wwv_AC4iYK7K8wtfW5d10VO-nqWMH7rbWjmms2wSeemAUjcCHxR6Pb9ZEztt_iOPLCmrIWKzto/s1600/IMG_3379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbl20cA-0Sgl38LbYqVCPEGr0vEIl7uEiUmskBvp636x9cAn_gCP0sn-BPp2rf8ViO5Wwv_AC4iYK7K8wtfW5d10VO-nqWMH7rbWjmms2wSeemAUjcCHxR6Pb9ZEztt_iOPLCmrIWKzto/s640/IMG_3379.jpg" width="410" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Evan Graduated from ASU with a four year degree in Criminal Justice with moving onto one year in the Police Academy. Erika has a Masters in Speech Pathology from ASU, and studied abroad three different summers in Italy. To see their family and friends come along side them, support them and now celebrate them was a very beautiful thing to witness.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BpwXvbcz6KOOpqnVMjjFgXPBwTOkJT9aVFoOI0snhF06gaAVFv75QDgIX3N92SqdMWi2yGoBc-Yagji774e9OO8UtHaDJktt2Lx_RL5vONVIdxos-ZGPsrHorOZb3ty-hehG4kZbc_Y/s1600/IMG_3362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2BpwXvbcz6KOOpqnVMjjFgXPBwTOkJT9aVFoOI0snhF06gaAVFv75QDgIX3N92SqdMWi2yGoBc-Yagji774e9OO8UtHaDJktt2Lx_RL5vONVIdxos-ZGPsrHorOZb3ty-hehG4kZbc_Y/s640/IMG_3362.jpg" width="522" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">All the food and pastries you see was all made from scratch even down to the herbs and lemons straight from the backyard and much much more. I shot over 500+ images and somehow narrowed it down to 230+ but here on the blog I am sharing as many as I can with you. This celebration was one to remember and I hope as you look through these pictures you are inspired to celebrate life, share life and create one beautiful life to live. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgfYdrrQ6pJBnshulSwfFjAoZIbIlsiBpWvKtw3P6Ww-lg5vvnSbo0shk8vWhVoI9Z8yD6diieAnEyTBY1BMhNt3f7RK_ROvLXqtPGjJKSLdrhw5nWLvjgkB2kO9OTmSZjqlUx7IrZM4/s1600/IMG_3167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNgfYdrrQ6pJBnshulSwfFjAoZIbIlsiBpWvKtw3P6Ww-lg5vvnSbo0shk8vWhVoI9Z8yD6diieAnEyTBY1BMhNt3f7RK_ROvLXqtPGjJKSLdrhw5nWLvjgkB2kO9OTmSZjqlUx7IrZM4/s640/IMG_3167.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NQpq0SFhw_YWiajDYRjRiQfypcD9aIovncRVaghbRo7KV_MFggdXAjudTRWAOtXOGDBMk2jysCxsjPwqMpeggHRirXsVTXdgQyE86XowP5aqTjESPLX7bZSC7X-kP3LZ-lWjV52PurE/s1600/IMG_3169.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4NQpq0SFhw_YWiajDYRjRiQfypcD9aIovncRVaghbRo7KV_MFggdXAjudTRWAOtXOGDBMk2jysCxsjPwqMpeggHRirXsVTXdgQyE86XowP5aqTjESPLX7bZSC7X-kP3LZ-lWjV52PurE/s640/IMG_3169.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81Ja5tGZxersssKoaWr_BWCu8dIkgfYG14Camf9sRFOFKzNhRQLVHlaT3wWj32lKsY5hyphenhyphenIIi9DWlygAovSJGzztfgDHj2MWaidJ-g3wT6wjpYn8NXZcQ8LYO-7bLvDmLkjTr6nIeeo00/s1600/IMG_3171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj81Ja5tGZxersssKoaWr_BWCu8dIkgfYG14Camf9sRFOFKzNhRQLVHlaT3wWj32lKsY5hyphenhyphenIIi9DWlygAovSJGzztfgDHj2MWaidJ-g3wT6wjpYn8NXZcQ8LYO-7bLvDmLkjTr6nIeeo00/s640/IMG_3171.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpGfgKgnRjvHmLGeDHL4Wq5I-vGXUCAHto3-nl4grlq510ukvzB4kBJ_THwMFRn2dSFdW1a2tVX2YlegiHpiPQdSfpphQ2qJlyJwSkEPrSfoe38DIxO2IFUGWzWYa0jEbgpFR_3YHk504/s1600/IMG_3225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpGfgKgnRjvHmLGeDHL4Wq5I-vGXUCAHto3-nl4grlq510ukvzB4kBJ_THwMFRn2dSFdW1a2tVX2YlegiHpiPQdSfpphQ2qJlyJwSkEPrSfoe38DIxO2IFUGWzWYa0jEbgpFR_3YHk504/s640/IMG_3225.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kiAq6NNOzPU2cYdRFGNotrlGvbQStizU1gD1P33k0QSldR9lfrXfn7Ru1mQLQN-lfo1TOKJP54JIvDlasdnVArrWHBYcWb_Nz6M6G0YTplsguQu4vEA6Wa-HsrmAAbi9CsniZz43XSQ/s1600/IMG_3191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="404" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kiAq6NNOzPU2cYdRFGNotrlGvbQStizU1gD1P33k0QSldR9lfrXfn7Ru1mQLQN-lfo1TOKJP54JIvDlasdnVArrWHBYcWb_Nz6M6G0YTplsguQu4vEA6Wa-HsrmAAbi9CsniZz43XSQ/s640/IMG_3191.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzMnHL181ZRWxNsZTm4z0tUJUa_sKVOknuWEStpdZ9ORVrXu413aqvvEjQFfHXcgCF0hWITBF1Su0DBofwgL_y4bCsiL4Aq1bPHH66NuNC7P-ocbNrI4MTlFxO8_J2IioZVu66yhktXg/s1600/IMG_3197.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYzMnHL181ZRWxNsZTm4z0tUJUa_sKVOknuWEStpdZ9ORVrXu413aqvvEjQFfHXcgCF0hWITBF1Su0DBofwgL_y4bCsiL4Aq1bPHH66NuNC7P-ocbNrI4MTlFxO8_J2IioZVu66yhktXg/s640/IMG_3197.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26b_xrPjN9pYS88JB1lL7P-1ncdAI49jnlA2u8pO_J-1F6PdVBXs9Jf9MfHRf1GES1-PH_IKovzU545E0dNlox-GptItaXodsN1sKfpx5E0dOOfFHd1Kth-WWdyWWr3iTc5O455uSyxs/s1600/IMG_3200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26b_xrPjN9pYS88JB1lL7P-1ncdAI49jnlA2u8pO_J-1F6PdVBXs9Jf9MfHRf1GES1-PH_IKovzU545E0dNlox-GptItaXodsN1sKfpx5E0dOOfFHd1Kth-WWdyWWr3iTc5O455uSyxs/s640/IMG_3200.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_s3PqQDAZNl4M9-QsFWn4WcCUFwlieia9vnD11axi9uuXHelgbJexMWc6ilcwi_ZKrXauOPdQdS25y0Gu226t6KRSc8w7zEaWljMmBC1IVmOgznTTRgMtHCePovpll7HCAPSTiL3f84/s1600/IMG_3250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA_s3PqQDAZNl4M9-QsFWn4WcCUFwlieia9vnD11axi9uuXHelgbJexMWc6ilcwi_ZKrXauOPdQdS25y0Gu226t6KRSc8w7zEaWljMmBC1IVmOgznTTRgMtHCePovpll7HCAPSTiL3f84/s640/IMG_3250.jpg" width="505" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguovep8T3ixOJGaKJbUQDcTfvE8gLsNo1iQYwYsRLvRYxC82lUev-ni-Twt9MTnoRS5rfzSWdGiM1Q7m90bhDHGBr9tEeRiPqt40mjEvHr8sJdJxYyDnka3K6p_kj4sgwiDSwirX7Bl2E/s1600/IMG_3209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguovep8T3ixOJGaKJbUQDcTfvE8gLsNo1iQYwYsRLvRYxC82lUev-ni-Twt9MTnoRS5rfzSWdGiM1Q7m90bhDHGBr9tEeRiPqt40mjEvHr8sJdJxYyDnka3K6p_kj4sgwiDSwirX7Bl2E/s640/IMG_3209.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj6Mo5F2Dm89k-wO9_3LeoHmzFI5GM0puZCe1bivoNUJpnj8M1FZ5JgeK8qv1XIWg-tea_TsdChsJlJ6eM8O7rWwefMeJC7kIQOiaaFV3UcLXRUX5_KtPupkRzvtgvzibrB6xpK9Tm9I/s1600/IMG_3516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj6Mo5F2Dm89k-wO9_3LeoHmzFI5GM0puZCe1bivoNUJpnj8M1FZ5JgeK8qv1XIWg-tea_TsdChsJlJ6eM8O7rWwefMeJC7kIQOiaaFV3UcLXRUX5_KtPupkRzvtgvzibrB6xpK9Tm9I/s640/IMG_3516.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh043h0RGxNwHNVxPDJ7sacKA14G_78mexcXwmiQzucxcOOd0Lu4EkG50p8Ex1XG2aC4NEolQomV2wRG3PGz6olhfZTq4angMXzAaz0VI4W3Fgo90xFFFHS7DGyQaots7mxCdQijD02SFg/s1600/IMG_3215.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh043h0RGxNwHNVxPDJ7sacKA14G_78mexcXwmiQzucxcOOd0Lu4EkG50p8Ex1XG2aC4NEolQomV2wRG3PGz6olhfZTq4angMXzAaz0VI4W3Fgo90xFFFHS7DGyQaots7mxCdQijD02SFg/s640/IMG_3215.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUyX8xnnb8_5MhSIdTHGcOjU5a2PDEOzxdQXXepjUKvtbf8eSE62EzPFpjpgB3YiPWnN3cIx7-f-rYG1yAr8AnNnffE2W6mrRdJHpFRD9yQMgE5JMyQClsWKezc6Pa2ztwdjoVXh3rkg/s1600/IMG_3222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiUyX8xnnb8_5MhSIdTHGcOjU5a2PDEOzxdQXXepjUKvtbf8eSE62EzPFpjpgB3YiPWnN3cIx7-f-rYG1yAr8AnNnffE2W6mrRdJHpFRD9yQMgE5JMyQClsWKezc6Pa2ztwdjoVXh3rkg/s640/IMG_3222.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7bWGl7OAcpnU8vmfyWwMqzuvFNAAl2g1ecdKkO6Zdc3UG2RUSw2lLY88Or11JdqwAgvWZ1xnAq-1wtkXMbO8OjiDHyQvuTQJs50kq81AMzelmMv0RPJqHCnfltyGRglx-i724YX5L0g/s1600/IMG_3272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="411" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7bWGl7OAcpnU8vmfyWwMqzuvFNAAl2g1ecdKkO6Zdc3UG2RUSw2lLY88Or11JdqwAgvWZ1xnAq-1wtkXMbO8OjiDHyQvuTQJs50kq81AMzelmMv0RPJqHCnfltyGRglx-i724YX5L0g/s640/IMG_3272.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-ykxeZmFLtjHKiyh-iskJyMfBSMa8dvtiVwgKy2L-HsK50SdIrXcg4_DamwgKYtv51hsS8RB3iJleuFxxixrvP70BjjcH5naGRePnZRwBUnAvV64wxNzurdvzw32jSPXfSfGOyWwN2M/s1600/IMG_3279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic-ykxeZmFLtjHKiyh-iskJyMfBSMa8dvtiVwgKy2L-HsK50SdIrXcg4_DamwgKYtv51hsS8RB3iJleuFxxixrvP70BjjcH5naGRePnZRwBUnAvV64wxNzurdvzw32jSPXfSfGOyWwN2M/s640/IMG_3279.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98SNgFw9hr-b7R-Yqo-0GiTTwvikdEKCjNVOeBnbZUXiL6qX3jHPTi7l2w7-L-3mxK6kINcbcziRNq5FKN5N1zxmPJuGzzKWlQItnkuCKWMY09doMEnVQKbUOrRyx8_65wijCNkKlg9s/s1600/IMG_3286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98SNgFw9hr-b7R-Yqo-0GiTTwvikdEKCjNVOeBnbZUXiL6qX3jHPTi7l2w7-L-3mxK6kINcbcziRNq5FKN5N1zxmPJuGzzKWlQItnkuCKWMY09doMEnVQKbUOrRyx8_65wijCNkKlg9s/s640/IMG_3286.jpg" width="401" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHb9ANHX6YwJc_mMIRwLdMxpYb4gZfneZbxaeB1fhyeasgr_NnjR5IXmgspWiiNpDKxgfIMT9WSCZH0xMeSEs7apx0vGuYqa1uipbevhsFUVmZbVojNK8Lh_qoanElRB1Y3HFtQkrqkaA/s1600/IMG_3288.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHb9ANHX6YwJc_mMIRwLdMxpYb4gZfneZbxaeB1fhyeasgr_NnjR5IXmgspWiiNpDKxgfIMT9WSCZH0xMeSEs7apx0vGuYqa1uipbevhsFUVmZbVojNK8Lh_qoanElRB1Y3HFtQkrqkaA/s640/IMG_3288.jpg" width="425" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfKp2xUEj3klwD7KnBcnt6-Zw0CCcKTaWEdXYasnQQghAmzzbIUBCy9JfLcHfYXTiHwgGrvpPngIhAEBA_W1lJYsyWXymK1BsFm04gbUq3gdWqHuTxjibeRo-FXGDpuTMwTbg2Brpdnc/s1600/IMG_3317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZfKp2xUEj3klwD7KnBcnt6-Zw0CCcKTaWEdXYasnQQghAmzzbIUBCy9JfLcHfYXTiHwgGrvpPngIhAEBA_W1lJYsyWXymK1BsFm04gbUq3gdWqHuTxjibeRo-FXGDpuTMwTbg2Brpdnc/s640/IMG_3317.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7GTDbyl2uHTPTVmIou5nh15WtQiCrKGGpQZu1_55oniLQhobtgKLfrqHgRtT-LQUdPVeFc6Lk3kOfrSl5w70TMCDTjsjmAVpMFpZ3lix9HmiZdQJsDRQEbUwswjJKLpIfwHvs4GUeBY/s1600/IMG_3320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7GTDbyl2uHTPTVmIou5nh15WtQiCrKGGpQZu1_55oniLQhobtgKLfrqHgRtT-LQUdPVeFc6Lk3kOfrSl5w70TMCDTjsjmAVpMFpZ3lix9HmiZdQJsDRQEbUwswjJKLpIfwHvs4GUeBY/s640/IMG_3320.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hq7DT4awTNiD_71xXpoeQbj9XCfduX8sXhVrFeQF1c3Io8AzWTXq13Std60z3xvCVfghWJHGhtqLmcPqoiGOtXPLNr9rMnTaL6LiaCoUdypKY0zO7xBu4f81yoTiQ8jmpDf57Dc5llo/s1600/IMG_3354.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2hq7DT4awTNiD_71xXpoeQbj9XCfduX8sXhVrFeQF1c3Io8AzWTXq13Std60z3xvCVfghWJHGhtqLmcPqoiGOtXPLNr9rMnTaL6LiaCoUdypKY0zO7xBu4f81yoTiQ8jmpDf57Dc5llo/s640/IMG_3354.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgJHcrAcSf7RgsBp7m4SxWzHHojU6okSyJGixatdkySy75XoYkV_hMIBvMwiJbLB1jRNhdIOC8XB2un1mNL41EneldEkly5r6rPgPuuGtG2B-kuMMO4Cegy9th2BxblVpdxUyftwj0H8/s1600/IMG_3356.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgJHcrAcSf7RgsBp7m4SxWzHHojU6okSyJGixatdkySy75XoYkV_hMIBvMwiJbLB1jRNhdIOC8XB2un1mNL41EneldEkly5r6rPgPuuGtG2B-kuMMO4Cegy9th2BxblVpdxUyftwj0H8/s640/IMG_3356.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinocXOACur-Pl6XgNUp6m9PUMhhKzKkwvZJcWlYCfxzAjRAQISnDMRLt9kLEXMyz6On378MqqAD9vDVW6pJlDHFS3ixnVP5H9deA_-6ZTBEaXOczIhHq49CQYXv-kJMMLAkshw5g_Cx10/s1600/IMG_3492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinocXOACur-Pl6XgNUp6m9PUMhhKzKkwvZJcWlYCfxzAjRAQISnDMRLt9kLEXMyz6On378MqqAD9vDVW6pJlDHFS3ixnVP5H9deA_-6ZTBEaXOczIhHq49CQYXv-kJMMLAkshw5g_Cx10/s640/IMG_3492.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHULbopIhwS9pP1k_PT8rC1VG1Uk7Aja6Q4lvUpUvcQ3x-KP2YCD3Gi0guksZM8YuhNDZgb_MW52ClibzqSMG6GRPMECb6FX3y5dSv_EtxirT18Go_3nEk8l8jUTiBxlRaaMoxuVA8LDI/s1600/IMG_3425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHULbopIhwS9pP1k_PT8rC1VG1Uk7Aja6Q4lvUpUvcQ3x-KP2YCD3Gi0guksZM8YuhNDZgb_MW52ClibzqSMG6GRPMECb6FX3y5dSv_EtxirT18Go_3nEk8l8jUTiBxlRaaMoxuVA8LDI/s640/IMG_3425.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8qiSuyALMwHixduRYjEw3UfU2a2nM_vkAv1SjTExmY7TwUrtPuVMpTG4xgag0bZew9yfp0-EFqYXBXbekP_qXN9i4eEsMXu9svI7R_sNVMZ4lPPxVgsJZJzowcsQzj6bbfw4UN2Riqs/s1600/IMG_3463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-8qiSuyALMwHixduRYjEw3UfU2a2nM_vkAv1SjTExmY7TwUrtPuVMpTG4xgag0bZew9yfp0-EFqYXBXbekP_qXN9i4eEsMXu9svI7R_sNVMZ4lPPxVgsJZJzowcsQzj6bbfw4UN2Riqs/s640/IMG_3463.jpg" width="430" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83I1yC6_QuJ8PuCNrX_DM4WPHoQd7-VGwKP9MjZJVvQlU6OBc-wS-5KJCcVHAlopGfZ7hPquM6Jhqtet5JniQ-n8m2yZItSNGWRt-FmsVmfGx6bVKKv90MzSPju06wTMPni-n7FwpsU/s1600/IMG_3474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL83I1yC6_QuJ8PuCNrX_DM4WPHoQd7-VGwKP9MjZJVvQlU6OBc-wS-5KJCcVHAlopGfZ7hPquM6Jhqtet5JniQ-n8m2yZItSNGWRt-FmsVmfGx6bVKKv90MzSPju06wTMPni-n7FwpsU/s640/IMG_3474.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0JGsb3Ot4mb8lp1WCvKnXrAzDGWyjOLPdwqvQ6YxSytkt1q-4iRC_YERplpMKp-4EdCraWkpB7lCHr2NprPjaeb_qsEn8P7uxxbaKIkTd0bH_04ISE7UIKNvVVudWvUyQhFjN4PZI9c/s1600/IMG_3476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX0JGsb3Ot4mb8lp1WCvKnXrAzDGWyjOLPdwqvQ6YxSytkt1q-4iRC_YERplpMKp-4EdCraWkpB7lCHr2NprPjaeb_qsEn8P7uxxbaKIkTd0bH_04ISE7UIKNvVVudWvUyQhFjN4PZI9c/s640/IMG_3476.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XRRiZou3kBcwCnhkgukiA3NcjzvxWdcLVkCGWRHWXixMlpQ5Z_mF9Uc5M2ug6rPcPQcj3MiheyF0It22sC_IBOffASV703dQ-9piofNRBD0Q1zzWe7_vxYxr6pi9EZhrs9bchcd8JKo/s1600/IMG_3485.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6XRRiZou3kBcwCnhkgukiA3NcjzvxWdcLVkCGWRHWXixMlpQ5Z_mF9Uc5M2ug6rPcPQcj3MiheyF0It22sC_IBOffASV703dQ-9piofNRBD0Q1zzWe7_vxYxr6pi9EZhrs9bchcd8JKo/s640/IMG_3485.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojq9AkB9bSFHJ0gE_WtYNtg8B8DRr9bc_2b85cmeNjGv9RVFhxhqnEuNGW4iNqv6fVMTMoqtdbXY7VU6hJ4-xLOllt2TyjW1SmXM1wUTvzPjsTZzlvLRLen6ckaqD4q8DFBcnpYzNuW0/s1600/IMG_3514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojq9AkB9bSFHJ0gE_WtYNtg8B8DRr9bc_2b85cmeNjGv9RVFhxhqnEuNGW4iNqv6fVMTMoqtdbXY7VU6hJ4-xLOllt2TyjW1SmXM1wUTvzPjsTZzlvLRLen6ckaqD4q8DFBcnpYzNuW0/s640/IMG_3514.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzWgtnUUJQrmpQUZ8GYug9UQOjh348fv9OM8dcu1Er7UVaolUxfCqMViNwa8WZN0hH2J7DGufwWie5kGmc6d7YIQVc_dGfWB14kI_Z4AqwXxCgl1vQnCgzqXIqRf_Gqy3lxBg-XfxOAg/s1600/IMG_3535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzWgtnUUJQrmpQUZ8GYug9UQOjh348fv9OM8dcu1Er7UVaolUxfCqMViNwa8WZN0hH2J7DGufwWie5kGmc6d7YIQVc_dGfWB14kI_Z4AqwXxCgl1vQnCgzqXIqRf_Gqy3lxBg-XfxOAg/s640/IMG_3535.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdV7Cfs1wKw88lp4eYlye2PN8DyEUW-NNWzqRjtfdPdYCrjOG5pL3oSyzuoGpPSBV2QG-j3DhBSZ1yV22VkdX6m-cVD0YMhHHtoUEZG0BejmXfimHP0_LzbwUus5S-XcGKnO0tZdkZ8Bw/s1600/IMG_3548.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdV7Cfs1wKw88lp4eYlye2PN8DyEUW-NNWzqRjtfdPdYCrjOG5pL3oSyzuoGpPSBV2QG-j3DhBSZ1yV22VkdX6m-cVD0YMhHHtoUEZG0BejmXfimHP0_LzbwUus5S-XcGKnO0tZdkZ8Bw/s640/IMG_3548.jpg" width="602" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqdktgHqGcRFmmMXFHIs5qyUzhpjDNGqL2wRp1BzYYW8cCkmbHBWfmHjz2u92FXbLSzojsryn70tLmyt5GupdncXI3v3sJ1bYQ6DwJwU1rZYipZWOUQq-JsBkvXbOU_wEHz6PSgAKP5w/s1600/IMG_3566.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqdktgHqGcRFmmMXFHIs5qyUzhpjDNGqL2wRp1BzYYW8cCkmbHBWfmHjz2u92FXbLSzojsryn70tLmyt5GupdncXI3v3sJ1bYQ6DwJwU1rZYipZWOUQq-JsBkvXbOU_wEHz6PSgAKP5w/s640/IMG_3566.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gRHpfYe94582H3KjzddoAFpo7ly7NgSA0cDhN-5QB_qAlWqgErZlKpA_NnwTkCOODmJG9-PYfvdH2PTKiurL0B0UFNDRKj08ho_RZvGROgQm30tfN3zczcwV1Xix2aE7JewM85p77FQ/s1600/IMG_3572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7gRHpfYe94582H3KjzddoAFpo7ly7NgSA0cDhN-5QB_qAlWqgErZlKpA_NnwTkCOODmJG9-PYfvdH2PTKiurL0B0UFNDRKj08ho_RZvGROgQm30tfN3zczcwV1Xix2aE7JewM85p77FQ/s640/IMG_3572.jpg" width="422" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOhoQwpw2c2xv3cCtUL6gR1pK_-GVZleo9H5e6QJzbkftktvEVGx57YOYXqm914YlrPbNCjbTOszwwROGTi5ZZ5o-Vy_GAaBc7bUkALS95W423gj8NYT1vZpSuz5GDRs4VE-YgipWAp0/s1600/IMG_3575.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOhoQwpw2c2xv3cCtUL6gR1pK_-GVZleo9H5e6QJzbkftktvEVGx57YOYXqm914YlrPbNCjbTOszwwROGTi5ZZ5o-Vy_GAaBc7bUkALS95W423gj8NYT1vZpSuz5GDRs4VE-YgipWAp0/s640/IMG_3575.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJzvcHjLU94SlPyymUJ2Tq8ueIpvnucL1p4EwuhotvGP1qE6NsXQk6PsJmxfNY5lELZcQeOdKYL5jfi0LNnDrk2ghPlKxK5JoTuFC0QxHINS30PU2EMoO8ynz7VC3WxSsg8qOrhMwaHA/s1600/IMG_3576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjJzvcHjLU94SlPyymUJ2Tq8ueIpvnucL1p4EwuhotvGP1qE6NsXQk6PsJmxfNY5lELZcQeOdKYL5jfi0LNnDrk2ghPlKxK5JoTuFC0QxHINS30PU2EMoO8ynz7VC3WxSsg8qOrhMwaHA/s640/IMG_3576.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFUu9IpKy_V42epFncpxrXzXCW4L12DbzSgrGkwK_Y9lV7hZvCFmxcIvmRLKNd8UlByk5tEgKgTkV2UTu48-ANmB-9AGbXAO61VgEFldtxV3MvPfABvYwWp-rjl6YeejG4_LIdZhIUrU/s1600/IMG_3586.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFUu9IpKy_V42epFncpxrXzXCW4L12DbzSgrGkwK_Y9lV7hZvCFmxcIvmRLKNd8UlByk5tEgKgTkV2UTu48-ANmB-9AGbXAO61VgEFldtxV3MvPfABvYwWp-rjl6YeejG4_LIdZhIUrU/s640/IMG_3586.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFeh-Jnzg0WvMboEUzxMwcf0nQ-h1HwFMlecpg9LD_PaA7NlFy4RJkuJXhcXbazQD7t8kFsAU7FUwokNut7z2lLagLMborPJI3Fsyb0oQxnKWSf1vmj9gy6BhVrB5yZ0w5wzGQ2g31h4/s1600/IMG_3595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFeh-Jnzg0WvMboEUzxMwcf0nQ-h1HwFMlecpg9LD_PaA7NlFy4RJkuJXhcXbazQD7t8kFsAU7FUwokNut7z2lLagLMborPJI3Fsyb0oQxnKWSf1vmj9gy6BhVrB5yZ0w5wzGQ2g31h4/s640/IMG_3595.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJxDRYodxQSKunbvP8ygxAn2Vu2OFZXQl4mA-8NdEl4S5KPjJJNoPR-fEmeVoUIsKFdhJzdUvxv6Yu0slQDhkw7j2z_nJYCiZ1vACNRa0PLYs0ZKudZVZc_-vQPK243BfhS34AU4i0Zo/s1600/IMG_3600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisJxDRYodxQSKunbvP8ygxAn2Vu2OFZXQl4mA-8NdEl4S5KPjJJNoPR-fEmeVoUIsKFdhJzdUvxv6Yu0slQDhkw7j2z_nJYCiZ1vACNRa0PLYs0ZKudZVZc_-vQPK243BfhS34AU4i0Zo/s640/IMG_3600.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKirTAHZZLSS8MqAEpe9pTM6E4T8pWCLE2tNszA1-C5PKsIRv_MuKgw2u5CawnKl8e-FFgQLZxaJFBDXqyaS5Mq1c_oDcvbBTcMc2mQQT_fBft-VUWf7DEBzZ9qAiGWX1OFMwA9au8NF0/s1600/IMG_3613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKirTAHZZLSS8MqAEpe9pTM6E4T8pWCLE2tNszA1-C5PKsIRv_MuKgw2u5CawnKl8e-FFgQLZxaJFBDXqyaS5Mq1c_oDcvbBTcMc2mQQT_fBft-VUWf7DEBzZ9qAiGWX1OFMwA9au8NF0/s640/IMG_3613.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3FHLOsEnvwQf4jM928Bew_nHBPstYBtYDln8nb_pK2mE9oMfmkHlNyPKXcGd5wY4DQYLjEdTWMAxPrmJnkoT6FWDJ4t45OH6p7Mjoh_-LQhvosxiRa-WAF572eAM1s8x1HU06mn5VfQ/s1600/IMG_3615.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3FHLOsEnvwQf4jM928Bew_nHBPstYBtYDln8nb_pK2mE9oMfmkHlNyPKXcGd5wY4DQYLjEdTWMAxPrmJnkoT6FWDJ4t45OH6p7Mjoh_-LQhvosxiRa-WAF572eAM1s8x1HU06mn5VfQ/s640/IMG_3615.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrAan1A-oauST8QdfVPeOdHYoYGXIZyiZUtDrGM4fBizra91tjv8RALlGGHF3J5OKgpMT3yptK3DhqRHISxJs7xCScAat6hBgtv1UEXYIW4FVn4ScX9sr1M7oh5JWSzbxCk5CVtQZ28k/s1600/IMG_3621.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrAan1A-oauST8QdfVPeOdHYoYGXIZyiZUtDrGM4fBizra91tjv8RALlGGHF3J5OKgpMT3yptK3DhqRHISxJs7xCScAat6hBgtv1UEXYIW4FVn4ScX9sr1M7oh5JWSzbxCk5CVtQZ28k/s640/IMG_3621.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFdH9otfd685Z9UYqpFlW1Rg5XXuq0hwyuEM_JevS3FJwPa88-osy_x3RmqG-C1XhrDazTEJOr1z_FL70A9RHFlFRKmWlQ2hGLPc61lqvuJ0gmG-ZPvSMvBLquK4pXEPBrzzvLVrsUa4/s1600/IMG_3623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJFdH9otfd685Z9UYqpFlW1Rg5XXuq0hwyuEM_JevS3FJwPa88-osy_x3RmqG-C1XhrDazTEJOr1z_FL70A9RHFlFRKmWlQ2hGLPc61lqvuJ0gmG-ZPvSMvBLquK4pXEPBrzzvLVrsUa4/s640/IMG_3623.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-MShPmnA_rN-wsYQvcYBOq7ybladFyiYXkavIkOg3_qj15NTj64SP3tHJ-Ho7qXOiQ8nKzoA98-iePBwTmMipgfQ3okcmZvTZNS7kyWOR-GIHw_x7iCLfgBWhsaPl_ce1xDkqHv2WnE/s1600/IMG_3626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq-MShPmnA_rN-wsYQvcYBOq7ybladFyiYXkavIkOg3_qj15NTj64SP3tHJ-Ho7qXOiQ8nKzoA98-iePBwTmMipgfQ3okcmZvTZNS7kyWOR-GIHw_x7iCLfgBWhsaPl_ce1xDkqHv2WnE/s640/IMG_3626.jpg" width="414" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGPOxtV1nuJ9BJ3KuGkYfPxKyWW9UjmKEylHu-rRGNogB7Ep9nZBQjH1yFmVq399MaJt3QPcd-LntB9azH_PCJ1P5aJr2NLdmlB924hCKb9kJVwrYHufMWyUdp7X90JyY5LfWdk0fG3k/s1600/IMG_3634.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRGPOxtV1nuJ9BJ3KuGkYfPxKyWW9UjmKEylHu-rRGNogB7Ep9nZBQjH1yFmVq399MaJt3QPcd-LntB9azH_PCJ1P5aJr2NLdmlB924hCKb9kJVwrYHufMWyUdp7X90JyY5LfWdk0fG3k/s640/IMG_3634.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rCW-SfQJXS8Cfl4Ah04s9xhjhaas5bhZg68Rbk5yBUjFle3QrTbdkQC_wYuTCUmvC_mcrYu6rcc4Rde_2zrMlDEzh4L1G-H_E2Ne753ItCh9MMylbn2MdMUsZauBFk0Zb329g1tfCBg/s1600/IMG_3635.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rCW-SfQJXS8Cfl4Ah04s9xhjhaas5bhZg68Rbk5yBUjFle3QrTbdkQC_wYuTCUmvC_mcrYu6rcc4Rde_2zrMlDEzh4L1G-H_E2Ne753ItCh9MMylbn2MdMUsZauBFk0Zb329g1tfCBg/s640/IMG_3635.jpg" width="434" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mSNKyMlDmR-O6IlH0JEdXaO8goEDru8RwUa2wdhNex2lmipdVevTnjfJu1O1WkONQLQB7apqckg1OqaYSyhyphenhyphenCDvdLEUP5HgzfTR119xV48AW6EcjnoWydRSOiZ9JamgeJBrsJc7MIFE/s1600/IMG_3639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mSNKyMlDmR-O6IlH0JEdXaO8goEDru8RwUa2wdhNex2lmipdVevTnjfJu1O1WkONQLQB7apqckg1OqaYSyhyphenhyphenCDvdLEUP5HgzfTR119xV48AW6EcjnoWydRSOiZ9JamgeJBrsJc7MIFE/s640/IMG_3639.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VWpkRnMPRRZ7sQ18XDcyRTMue_jpiadfdlk-x7hCWHSFRkoi2nwlF6qeN3B046fD8mridPx9QhMGLHV2Y8tdBKtsPAC3bzrejzj6O-FX-M-1_Q1WQr8eWTGslDiARgYQnLPhPJIMU0Q/s1600/IMG_3661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_VWpkRnMPRRZ7sQ18XDcyRTMue_jpiadfdlk-x7hCWHSFRkoi2nwlF6qeN3B046fD8mridPx9QhMGLHV2Y8tdBKtsPAC3bzrejzj6O-FX-M-1_Q1WQr8eWTGslDiARgYQnLPhPJIMU0Q/s640/IMG_3661.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojEq5ATcdPF8DXN7AKsJC21WGfeQsxuOBmDuzECb2xqcpzsOlQKAoQeSb8DcLYqmB9zAIysP6hvIBczt3b3g9WYfRYv8vXgijRk8uAXyEdb_oBknxAr36XPSeEw9oiAq8pBEbbxJDv44/s1600/IMG_3666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojEq5ATcdPF8DXN7AKsJC21WGfeQsxuOBmDuzECb2xqcpzsOlQKAoQeSb8DcLYqmB9zAIysP6hvIBczt3b3g9WYfRYv8vXgijRk8uAXyEdb_oBknxAr36XPSeEw9oiAq8pBEbbxJDv44/s640/IMG_3666.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBSYADK23aozUy9F2kfdBaWKbJ4f8Igq70ifDsgkcExeejUEcPQDLgbT6crmPWT5kCC2dEVYi070_bwtDLQfCk2vvgELlGp6V2rw_DTJ0l38oUYYWLHjwBLA3CrJTEnCp1rZ8dAXJBi8/s1600/IMG_3669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyBSYADK23aozUy9F2kfdBaWKbJ4f8Igq70ifDsgkcExeejUEcPQDLgbT6crmPWT5kCC2dEVYi070_bwtDLQfCk2vvgELlGp6V2rw_DTJ0l38oUYYWLHjwBLA3CrJTEnCp1rZ8dAXJBi8/s640/IMG_3669.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPXjaOgZBrMiFVrXcQSavvvCW_H_Z6n6XL0i2aT3xTBNl2Edyh7_fvBkvMzW-4U87_TiTVMe9nc8LdOoGtWHkoFMOIvvVnx14JpRaBT5QVeFgRFb2odswubxMXWY2PIHViLmZyM2Tuy4/s1600/IMG_3674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqPXjaOgZBrMiFVrXcQSavvvCW_H_Z6n6XL0i2aT3xTBNl2Edyh7_fvBkvMzW-4U87_TiTVMe9nc8LdOoGtWHkoFMOIvvVnx14JpRaBT5QVeFgRFb2odswubxMXWY2PIHViLmZyM2Tuy4/s640/IMG_3674.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXY6TeUZ-GLf1mYMOzpJPsJF5KVwAM0piLwCYUllBDHRAp0ZtW25wWoWcuG6kU7oJBhFPo7SqWFA3_6LunbVVopiAdD_SYIjpjPseayZkye7lpHN6TsKrIdJC9Te8_VG7MoDJCtJrkTI/s1600/IMG_3677.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBXY6TeUZ-GLf1mYMOzpJPsJF5KVwAM0piLwCYUllBDHRAp0ZtW25wWoWcuG6kU7oJBhFPo7SqWFA3_6LunbVVopiAdD_SYIjpjPseayZkye7lpHN6TsKrIdJC9Te8_VG7MoDJCtJrkTI/s640/IMG_3677.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5r09FO_8t1fiLYMlCZ0gSsSOxUMGOmsF-boH6Pinb3pLvNFr3a3-dV4A8LYFJhQPQ7jA66FjqeC2FvOzvlhNXxhMEGcUn-iHTVoq-kDjevoDfsc-m_bYAJ7xkrsWxQaLXlD4GWW8cBI/s1600/IMG_3681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC5r09FO_8t1fiLYMlCZ0gSsSOxUMGOmsF-boH6Pinb3pLvNFr3a3-dV4A8LYFJhQPQ7jA66FjqeC2FvOzvlhNXxhMEGcUn-iHTVoq-kDjevoDfsc-m_bYAJ7xkrsWxQaLXlD4GWW8cBI/s640/IMG_3681.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFs-g-muL1Z5Sr8ib9yMMzzah0uZiyDYWoJCNwvnJ3SYaKr956YjmD_q-divtaJ1jJj_JdFQG4b6LAIyp5YLnTA-8BlaxTxdEWCeVew9-Xa7vS9UYb7mhyphenhyphenvw-mofYV38q4_J6IZfEiv4s/s1600/IMG_3690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFs-g-muL1Z5Sr8ib9yMMzzah0uZiyDYWoJCNwvnJ3SYaKr956YjmD_q-divtaJ1jJj_JdFQG4b6LAIyp5YLnTA-8BlaxTxdEWCeVew9-Xa7vS9UYb7mhyphenhyphenvw-mofYV38q4_J6IZfEiv4s/s640/IMG_3690.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0DonT7Y0RYVK_6qER4kguiFiqV3eh4DCjHEsj9545Omr3GvPsN3KMeNY4VwU65f0VodEkJQZTdK3MWb8KKbcMXvKRKGeglcShGRV0081SR3Os0Y2V_otfcXLlv57alCFIR5dghQiiW4/s1600/IMG_3697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw0DonT7Y0RYVK_6qER4kguiFiqV3eh4DCjHEsj9545Omr3GvPsN3KMeNY4VwU65f0VodEkJQZTdK3MWb8KKbcMXvKRKGeglcShGRV0081SR3Os0Y2V_otfcXLlv57alCFIR5dghQiiW4/s640/IMG_3697.jpg" width="410" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeo9i5I_RT4cN6vQPDUlpWpe3vFURWcnaHessLNnfAfsBhkvUbgtuWeJJvXHlnE7Eij_bp8wZqpjiVU2DnbcnJ4ycVS-LJN0CZGoMI2KHTqeq8kA2g-O3pCGDUktnAX1He8w2DUJuVTM/s1600/IMG_3719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKeo9i5I_RT4cN6vQPDUlpWpe3vFURWcnaHessLNnfAfsBhkvUbgtuWeJJvXHlnE7Eij_bp8wZqpjiVU2DnbcnJ4ycVS-LJN0CZGoMI2KHTqeq8kA2g-O3pCGDUktnAX1He8w2DUJuVTM/s640/IMG_3719.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrFuAwTqmWzlr8kBC9tTjyk7d_aUA9R5-cMWkUQRm7CezGYey1GpWyS4upwPE1bWeIpleeL_LgNSoAcWZGarub3bAlQdc5RoMDqpgFAZt5y1bMBNiQmjYY2reDwR9YJs2honYePlKf4E/s1600/IMG_3740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGrFuAwTqmWzlr8kBC9tTjyk7d_aUA9R5-cMWkUQRm7CezGYey1GpWyS4upwPE1bWeIpleeL_LgNSoAcWZGarub3bAlQdc5RoMDqpgFAZt5y1bMBNiQmjYY2reDwR9YJs2honYePlKf4E/s640/IMG_3740.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyslIPsl2NTPSlQDeS0C7dYu6rN4Ph8Hz8N_fV6YgA8oOSspM9OWtLv9byXtVZMpIOvKDze0SFQomps-AQlkWwaiZIQaJxuLPcXKBsrDfKUeku6yMQRWBqAKO-hebke9kUkKhAZB-dSA/s640/IMG_3756.jpg" width="640" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCdwT4KLz7C9piWN8ug91UfIIB-KNA9ffONBTUuMqPRd2JXWOQD7oBTHiFYslV8kfx6alEJVXdvlsN1o4E20OmRbMvJO0bJx1W7hENJirOneTKGHPc9SHb4-AQc6ndOgodptsjTwu9iI/s1600/IMG_3755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCdwT4KLz7C9piWN8ug91UfIIB-KNA9ffONBTUuMqPRd2JXWOQD7oBTHiFYslV8kfx6alEJVXdvlsN1o4E20OmRbMvJO0bJx1W7hENJirOneTKGHPc9SHb4-AQc6ndOgodptsjTwu9iI/s640/IMG_3755.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK6ozfhcpMRQSQHvYhcQ60A_k6Qwitzso9L4xkuGy4EFPSdzT1kA_2hcpj0h9wtHiqSY1qY1uN5KS7OB1pSP8tkQc_HSAZpTaD_DcjOak1iWEJnfFWWfoW1mX3IOOaEMuJn5CdDGh_4E/s1600/IMG_3770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdK6ozfhcpMRQSQHvYhcQ60A_k6Qwitzso9L4xkuGy4EFPSdzT1kA_2hcpj0h9wtHiqSY1qY1uN5KS7OB1pSP8tkQc_HSAZpTaD_DcjOak1iWEJnfFWWfoW1mX3IOOaEMuJn5CdDGh_4E/s640/IMG_3770.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqd2zKCyejKlT2ZcvY8FZkVkBAcHKFEIusYvpsxqV2PiOQ-Xn3H1E4MENQRHxrCyTrVbNlk89L0B-HPYsWDjJdejiS5WSVoTIUb2RnzVBhMcpTUYrce3kE3KId4O4unQsVQNvegt5f5s/s1600/IMG_3777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqd2zKCyejKlT2ZcvY8FZkVkBAcHKFEIusYvpsxqV2PiOQ-Xn3H1E4MENQRHxrCyTrVbNlk89L0B-HPYsWDjJdejiS5WSVoTIUb2RnzVBhMcpTUYrce3kE3KId4O4unQsVQNvegt5f5s/s640/IMG_3777.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ue6G63mzqnbgMumzR7EpwEacePtds11tgin3VAG7VH-65tmVrAHRTRyt0XocK3Etf55K3cH81AI7x3fEWBHDJ-mTch1J3y5rnak378nO9uPU3e6MgsnglQ6C7xpFP2leRzrZpxshN18/s1600/IMG_3775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="412" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ue6G63mzqnbgMumzR7EpwEacePtds11tgin3VAG7VH-65tmVrAHRTRyt0XocK3Etf55K3cH81AI7x3fEWBHDJ-mTch1J3y5rnak378nO9uPU3e6MgsnglQ6C7xpFP2leRzrZpxshN18/s640/IMG_3775.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;">Thank you Brenda for this wonderful opportunity to allow me to capture a very special moment in your family's life. Evan and Erika I will always and forever remember this beautiful celebration. What a beautiful life you have ahead of you. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wishing you the very best. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47Z9KcHGHi9mBEZvl57txfRwmaVKOor39QXWyTrrDSejKBBoA4OTkUVnZCsNzak1FbzgJRLqMW3n93KwzzCCzKPQJ4WxbaWcHliwzQUfavOKsrzK7_zCKy3Wcs0-rqn6pRYnup7gL2h4/s1600/IMG_3289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47Z9KcHGHi9mBEZvl57txfRwmaVKOor39QXWyTrrDSejKBBoA4OTkUVnZCsNzak1FbzgJRLqMW3n93KwzzCCzKPQJ4WxbaWcHliwzQUfavOKsrzK7_zCKy3Wcs0-rqn6pRYnup7gL2h4/s640/IMG_3289.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And Nonna thanks for making snagging me away to capture this sweet moment with you. I felt my grandparents smiling down at me this evening and it felt like home. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "helveticaneue"; font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-61183527630083525292016-12-17T22:18:00.001-08:002016-12-17T22:18:06.572-08:00Why I Love This Time of Year...NOW<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Why do I love this time of year NOW? </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5y4fCcyfXHhwoTiD8ean7ZBs0celz95JOlt482zg8oGUbjIO9WFSyXLlukzcR_6g5VizDZQ-pKXO4N3jAiLGkWSOW7eb7Ld6KCrKWoxHXK5WhJk_Umakkwtot4T060VOZ3uIbfLnMKw/s1600/IMG_8054.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM5y4fCcyfXHhwoTiD8ean7ZBs0celz95JOlt482zg8oGUbjIO9WFSyXLlukzcR_6g5VizDZQ-pKXO4N3jAiLGkWSOW7eb7Ld6KCrKWoxHXK5WhJk_Umakkwtot4T060VOZ3uIbfLnMKw/s640/IMG_8054.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Because I remember all the years I didn't enjoy it. I mean there were aspects around this time of year that I did enjoy but for the most part when this time of year rolled around, let's be honest, I didn't enjoy it. Our schedules were bombarded with an immense amount of duties. From one event after another, from one party to the next, family time was clouded with other priorities, readjusting the actual celebration of Christmas was missed due to an overloaded career that YES we chose but also when I think back our whole life was twisted in every which way. The lifestyle we had caused a lot of friction not only in my family but it trickled down into our extended families. Celebrating Christmas with my family and my husband's family was honestly not pleasant. It was stressful. I can ramble on and on but when I go to post pictures about my family I understand how it can appear as though life is just honky dory. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EmdQM-GJPEh9uUQAjSibTkf9C1AzHFFDtNQlwB71Eo8JnNco7zHohUt-sSUdeZbWvjdIctvxGVe22X1Ol3wKoe3wlQ_Nu3YfyGjR4xYOEV0sVeviQYDcmtnR_WN5CttNhpj80BLNf8w/s1600/IMG_8056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EmdQM-GJPEh9uUQAjSibTkf9C1AzHFFDtNQlwB71Eo8JnNco7zHohUt-sSUdeZbWvjdIctvxGVe22X1Ol3wKoe3wlQ_Nu3YfyGjR4xYOEV0sVeviQYDcmtnR_WN5CttNhpj80BLNf8w/s640/IMG_8056.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">What is easily ignored is how hard of a fight it has been to create what "family" actually looks like on both sides. Pictures and social media is funny like that. So can I just say it has been quite the journey to NOW be able to post an honest and real photo of happiness, this is pretty neat. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UTuu4U2R4UQoWgiD6-iOG0u7qQeSmYgyV4cc5cUS6hB6xkDWkH2oOS0FncRB4ZP2yRMLq-8-2Zjt2fGhO2u1YtOJWFrihuMbmWi2uPsD57xkqoMmdGibzI0nilcrjwdf-hWOCJ2VCHw/s1600/IMG_8053.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5UTuu4U2R4UQoWgiD6-iOG0u7qQeSmYgyV4cc5cUS6hB6xkDWkH2oOS0FncRB4ZP2yRMLq-8-2Zjt2fGhO2u1YtOJWFrihuMbmWi2uPsD57xkqoMmdGibzI0nilcrjwdf-hWOCJ2VCHw/s640/IMG_8053.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This happiness I am talking about is why I believe we actually celebrate Christmas. It's not to gain more presents or things or to set new goals to hopefully obtain. It is simply to celebrate a life that was born that truly changed every ounce of why we are here. It's about a life that we should take time to honor. Realizing that we all have a responsibility as to why this time of year is enjoyable or not is simply up to us. Either we create what this season is all about or we allow a million other things to cloud our mind with filtered unrealistic thoughts that detour us only away from what the true meaning of Christmas is. This season can bring a lot of heart ache, it can cause emotions to rise up about the ones that are no longer with us, it can cause us to look at everything we don't have or are unable to give. Can I just say I get it. All of those thoughts and emotions are so normal. I think we should sit around a table and think of those we miss, talk about them, remember them. I think we should think about what we don't have and be grateful for what we do have. This time or year does not always bring happiness but it sure does remind us of a high power that is much greater than us. Even if that higher power is Santa at the moment hey that's a start. He is good and jolly, he is magical and fun. But the greatest gift of all is Jesus in my life. He is my higher power and my savior. He saved me and my family from a lot and now during this season I am reminded about how he truly turned my life around. We've taken some time as a family to not partake in the busyness this season brings BUT to enjoy it as a family because there was a time we never were able too and now we get to and for that I am grateful. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySwh9fT5TWCwfQjsE9eEF-cQVuuxyHVRG8YscFee2iYu71DdONwaD4sIMaL2jElLVYQkDYVS3n3QIvkyqsTYvgwLYfJa-9MUH4I67e4fZ1Oy92KlxtFnpDpX987_nEjBjXwb6idKAUGg/s1600/IMG_8055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgySwh9fT5TWCwfQjsE9eEF-cQVuuxyHVRG8YscFee2iYu71DdONwaD4sIMaL2jElLVYQkDYVS3n3QIvkyqsTYvgwLYfJa-9MUH4I67e4fZ1Oy92KlxtFnpDpX987_nEjBjXwb6idKAUGg/s640/IMG_8055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">My friends whatever this season may look like for you know that the very one who saved you is with you. You may not know it yet but I strongly </span><span style="color: #454545;">believe</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> He wants you to know He is there. Jesus was born for you and for me to save and to heal, to restore and to mend, to bring life and not death. Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"> I just want to say I love you Jesus and Happy Birthday to you. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">This time of year I truly enjoy because of you. </span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-50156969723235920422016-11-09T21:30:00.001-08:002016-11-10T07:04:34.734-08:00WAKE UP AMERICA <div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last time I checked a man or a woman does not dictate how I wake up in the morning regardless of his or her position, power or control. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although, I do remember a time in my life where men and woman did dictate pretty much the way I lived my life, my beliefs and my responses. How did that happen? Well, I allowed it. I cared so much about what those men and woman said. I put all my hope and trust in them. I tried living my life up to the standards that were portrayed on a platform setting and not in an everyday life setting. The limelight of their world out shined mine. So much so that I took on their characteristics, the way they talked, dressed and lived. Therefore, I forgot who I was. I didn't know my value and I didn't know my place and I didn't even know my own home. I had forgotten my roots and took on a very prideful way of living where I thought my thoughts, my beliefs and responses were all right and true. I thought I was living an amazing life until I lost everything in my life. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes I think it takes loosing something for our eyes and ears to be open to really see and hear the environment we have chosen to live in for what it really is and not for we wished and hoped it would be. I wish it didn't have to take a loss, or a lost battle, or life altering situations to determine these things, but in reality that's just the way life goes sometimes. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If I have learned anything from my own experience just a few short years ago, that is to NOT repeat that cycle of my life ever again. Now, I can feel a man or woman's control and I can feel any kind of limelight put on a person and, quite frankly, I HATE it with every ounce of my human existence. Maybe one day I will find a happy medium again, but for now this is where I am at and this is what I have seen taken place in our world today with this presidential election. We have placed a man and a woman in the limelight that is outshining who we are as human beings and we are forgetting very quickly that we have all been here before. Our life is not held in the parties that we vote for, but we are acting as though they are. My kids will not be conformed by a man or woman because neither party is raising them. I am, and my husband is. My job, my income, where I live, where I visit, my friends, my family does not fall on the weight of politics, but on the weight of the love I choose to give. Last I recall every presidential election was ALWAYS a big deal and so what makes this one any different? NOTHING! Why? Because it's another human being that will be in office for 4-8 years and guess what? We will be moving on to the next election. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's my job as an American Citizen to stay constant and consistent in my world. The job I've been given is my job and no one else's. If I want to make money, I make it. If I want to teach my kids to love or hate, forgiveness or resentment then I will teach them. One thing I must remember is my actions speak much louder than my words. It's up to me to do my due diligence and play a part in this world just like you do too. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you feel like you lost in this election I am very sorry. I know what it is like to loose and it is very painful. But I also know what comes after pain, and that is there comes SO much beauty. I pray your eyes and ears will be open to see and hear that your true responsibilities are not in the arms of Donald Trump or if this was switched around they would not be held in the arms of Hillary Clinton either. I also pray that the beauty you receive is knowing who you are and what a difference you make in this world. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I will ask you the same question I asked myself today when I woke up. “Am I still the same person I am when I went to bed after I heard who was president or did I wake up a different person?” </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My response was YUP! I am still Gina Dobmeier and YUP! I am still a mom and a wife. I made my kids breakfast, I packed them their lunch, took them to school, picked them up from school, took them to dance class, fixed dinner and in between all that got some work done, encountered great people with a smile on my face and loved on the people that I was able to love on today. HECK! I might even have sex with my husband tonight too (yes I just said that) and guess what? No woman or man can stop me from doing ANY of these everyday things. And I most certainly bet you woke up as the same person too. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal; min-height: 14px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div style="color: #454545; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When we take a step away from the promises of a "MAN" or a "WOMAN" then those promises won't matter or dictate our life or the way we respond or the way we wake up day to day. Living and thinking this way is what makes a difference and this is what creates change. Everything we do starts within the home. So why not start there. WAKE UP AMERICA IT IS UP TO US, WHAT WILL YOU DO? And WHAT WILL YOU CHOOSE? BE THE CHANGE, it all starts with me and you. Reality check: Our kids will follow, they are watching and listening. </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrww6vxnOMLFii7zsIER5GS5zazcEwKDVXYeEa0J6aEMWS9hpFWtZP2TI9-J_TMynWVlWmxtgxMfleSU9e6_CL2-2kI3dXjq8j1Be8QsNIOLIkAMF0CQS1OKj8Mjq4PB8KyheqnQTSx4/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRrww6vxnOMLFii7zsIER5GS5zazcEwKDVXYeEa0J6aEMWS9hpFWtZP2TI9-J_TMynWVlWmxtgxMfleSU9e6_CL2-2kI3dXjq8j1Be8QsNIOLIkAMF0CQS1OKj8Mjq4PB8KyheqnQTSx4/s640/image1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
With Love, </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-24857227323272653812016-10-16T14:13:00.003-07:002016-10-16T14:13:30.514-07:00The Wonder of a Child <span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for stopping by I Am Crowned Project. The heart beat behind every project is to not only share my story but to share the stories of others too. We all encounter a road, a path, a different environment, a different struggle a different sense of wonder. I have gained great insight into my own life when I hear the life of someone else's. So often times we think our story is not worth sharing and we think who would care to hear about my journey. I know because I have struggled with these very same thoughts. What I have discovered is how powerful is it when we allow others to share their story as we may never know how it may touch not only our life but the life of someone else's too. May we always remember that this life we live is an ongoing journey. Beauty awaits us and may each of us discover the beauty within our story that whatever was is now Crowned in Glory. I am happy to share my first project with you. What great joy it brings me to introduce to you my Beautiful sister Lisa and my Handsome brother in law Kevin. May you enjoy a glimpse into their story and may it bless you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The wonder of a child. When will my child’s story begin? When will the moment come when we will meet face to face? What will we name you? Are you a boy or girl? </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsVm9Kb8H1Vp5ukJgAMXpaOvi9eNhVbCalYnhuAC-rUEWaM0UgY6EjAtELjArao0Y1KaEyMlrfwY8yUHE38a2iHBloaFAekRdd70WSwWGO35WbA-XDpsUsp-fS0siwxAyiHZlW9KBeYQ/s1600/IMG_7084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRsVm9Kb8H1Vp5ukJgAMXpaOvi9eNhVbCalYnhuAC-rUEWaM0UgY6EjAtELjArao0Y1KaEyMlrfwY8yUHE38a2iHBloaFAekRdd70WSwWGO35WbA-XDpsUsp-fS0siwxAyiHZlW9KBeYQ/s640/IMG_7084.jpg" width="412" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As I search my heart, one thing I know is I have prayed for you long before I carried you. Since I was a little girl I was dreaming of you. I was writing out names, I was guessing the color of your eyes and the color of your hair you may have. I would go back and forth through my baby album laughing at the faces I made and only wondering the faces you will make. When I met your daddy the wonder grew more and more. My heart would melt at the looks of your daddy’s baby pictures, his round face and my round face too so maybe that means you will have squishy cheeks through and through.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gCA5n-REXAeKcSoNoPsWeu81bRl4Sw1A4tvH4v3MknMqcYPObpyPWyccUycQNbx6FDK6xjgIkalXPX9paX613YAhm3xEcxbf8R_nyNfYMQwUCudH14L3fbtrhO5xfpyG6u8FUCCaOz0/s1600/IMG_6554.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gCA5n-REXAeKcSoNoPsWeu81bRl4Sw1A4tvH4v3MknMqcYPObpyPWyccUycQNbx6FDK6xjgIkalXPX9paX613YAhm3xEcxbf8R_nyNfYMQwUCudH14L3fbtrhO5xfpyG6u8FUCCaOz0/s640/IMG_6554.JPG" width="426" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon this wonder grew into a true wonder if we would ever really meet or if we were even capable to have a baby. With three years of pursuing, seeking, researching, scheduling, planning. This wonder truly became a wonder. I would go back to my innocences but quickly be gripped with fear. Although, a great meaning surrounded me as I read James 1:17 “Every Good and Perfect Gift comes from Above”. Knowing that in God’s perfect timing He would bless us with the most perfect gift from above. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigijp2zapnrtLI97Q7sxvR07jQtnw-nsrzb-W_zP7UjGsWZka1Ez-LIyEqvwVet73T0GN6VANRSJP3YOzQY1EOg18f30ft-bjtM0IaMElU9rlmIWO4aQ-gi9eHY5bhJ_CfXq2YM9PH3V8/s1600/IMG_6734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigijp2zapnrtLI97Q7sxvR07jQtnw-nsrzb-W_zP7UjGsWZka1Ez-LIyEqvwVet73T0GN6VANRSJP3YOzQY1EOg18f30ft-bjtM0IaMElU9rlmIWO4aQ-gi9eHY5bhJ_CfXq2YM9PH3V8/s640/IMG_6734.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The thoughts that tugged on my heart as time grew, with all the hate that is going on in this world I wondered “Is the desire to be a mom even worth it? Is birthing a child into this world even worth it?” I would cling onto more words that remained true in my heart…"That we are the salt and light of this world” as I read Matthew 5:13-16 over and over again.” Knowing above all else, above all my doubts, above all my fears this life that I so desire is coming near. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2rk6vfEAuovBnC-xEOs8I6BnswsLLnt34-SZiz04PYu3yHjQ3Q5SKcMV145KeqJCWBK7LUeVYkwBUasqwpzvx1ugEJNAhDcN-0FSb1RuFsAqIe52KFn6aZf-gRrPCgNIYEStQSnVDSQ/s1600/IMG_7069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn2rk6vfEAuovBnC-xEOs8I6BnswsLLnt34-SZiz04PYu3yHjQ3Q5SKcMV145KeqJCWBK7LUeVYkwBUasqwpzvx1ugEJNAhDcN-0FSb1RuFsAqIe52KFn6aZf-gRrPCgNIYEStQSnVDSQ/s640/IMG_7069.jpg" width="460" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Your dad and I believed and we prayed and now the day is soon approaching for us to say “yes I may have wondered but here you are to have and to hold to raise and to see your plans unfold.” </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ME1Dy3Gp_L6VU1hMhHxOIIhjdvAasFgQukgSSoYu27Es0yxzlnSavlZaXLWtE09W3wL9uNAfm6b7mSN5L336XFgSmYW_vx-UTz4yLBcTqkas_P7dMNUL2yL-8HmYShYte2x6ZA-EKps/s1600/IMG_6976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ME1Dy3Gp_L6VU1hMhHxOIIhjdvAasFgQukgSSoYu27Es0yxzlnSavlZaXLWtE09W3wL9uNAfm6b7mSN5L336XFgSmYW_vx-UTz4yLBcTqkas_P7dMNUL2yL-8HmYShYte2x6ZA-EKps/s640/IMG_6976.jpg" width="436" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s true, every child’s story begins long before you are in your mommy’s womb and every child is worth wondering before the dream even comes true. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNEJArTeHJ7o4s-z97ga0MwCX6ktlQYGOoY36cKJ7r1kFDuqXRzlOrvy8ubcHz4Qab_maE6coc5YlB7-aMXskwiirNzNVNxWjTfDUgx1q2Niui_sxtwzaxB7xLIWnsH-wzVnwW_bQYyw/s1600/IMG_6949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNEJArTeHJ7o4s-z97ga0MwCX6ktlQYGOoY36cKJ7r1kFDuqXRzlOrvy8ubcHz4Qab_maE6coc5YlB7-aMXskwiirNzNVNxWjTfDUgx1q2Niui_sxtwzaxB7xLIWnsH-wzVnwW_bQYyw/s640/IMG_6949.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIj9DWjxyBbKDA2tGnMfJMVUTgFYwqVuefmebkopY63CrOHxHr50P611sAoF367HLfDgoEH-h93QBRZ3xE8zHeD0kUWbMOiZPLkcyl6PLss43igoiKKCgbBpD3yzVureHDwxMJXJZca0M/s1600/IMG_6952.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIj9DWjxyBbKDA2tGnMfJMVUTgFYwqVuefmebkopY63CrOHxHr50P611sAoF367HLfDgoEH-h93QBRZ3xE8zHeD0kUWbMOiZPLkcyl6PLss43igoiKKCgbBpD3yzVureHDwxMJXJZca0M/s640/IMG_6952.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Mommy and Daddy love you sweet baby and I pray for every one out there that may be wondering, hoping and believing that you may come to know and be reminded that yes His promises are true. Trust His perfect timing, He only has the best in mind of you.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoerKrbzkIxRAEqiU1H7EPPYF-WoFfKHXDFua1sJHv3Pe73sZauzwpumoooPKrlJz75ORhzU5UDpA-QXHJPrPXVTeHX9guY3y0WXCMAkLiit1yPB8vQ3nG6Bx25v9e1x6zpFFbZw0Cs0/s1600/IMG_6899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtoerKrbzkIxRAEqiU1H7EPPYF-WoFfKHXDFua1sJHv3Pe73sZauzwpumoooPKrlJz75ORhzU5UDpA-QXHJPrPXVTeHX9guY3y0WXCMAkLiit1yPB8vQ3nG6Bx25v9e1x6zpFFbZw0Cs0/s640/IMG_6899.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jPUnifYex9nM0paG-VQ8OZxePSLeByxrC2YfGZMTTmMH-ad_SmMiSqte4j292QXFPsZMUA66mbfsebB8TNvEUO-PVq_hI8UfRHcPJvIirprQY_Z5548wyKy8vr_d7aYChQnyyEzDpI4/s1600/IMG_6876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8jPUnifYex9nM0paG-VQ8OZxePSLeByxrC2YfGZMTTmMH-ad_SmMiSqte4j292QXFPsZMUA66mbfsebB8TNvEUO-PVq_hI8UfRHcPJvIirprQY_Z5548wyKy8vr_d7aYChQnyyEzDpI4/s640/IMG_6876.jpg" width="464" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thank you for allowing us to share a piece of our story.</span> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-Kevin and Lisa Weed</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Thank you again for visiting I Am Crowned Project.</div>
<span style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"><br /></span>Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-57706645899445909202016-08-09T21:24:00.000-07:002016-08-15T21:22:22.965-07:00What Could Have Been...<span style="font-family: inherit;">Have you ever experienced a simple ordinary day and right in the middle of it life surprises you with a thought about what your life could have been like? Have you noticed these thoughts can cause either regret or sadness or it can do exactly opposite and cause you to be in complete gratitude and joy? </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today life approached me with this very thought. I have officially entered into a new season of my life. Both of my girls are now off to school full time. I've gone through so many different thoughts and emotions about this new season which I am currently writing about in another blog. But I wanted to take just a moment and hit pause on that blog as I jot down the thoughts that greeted me today. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you've read some of my previous blogs then you know two years ago we lost our third baby girl Annabelle Grace as a still born. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her, but it's not everyday that I have a moment like this. So when I do, I take time to embrace it. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">If I really think about this season of life I can’t help but think about how it has come up too soon. I mean, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. If we didn’t live in an imperfect fallen world thoughts like this wouldn’t exist. If there was no such thing as loss then technically I should have a two year old little girl right now. I would still be that mom with a little one at home while her big sisters are at school. It's a bit hard to think about because even though that is what my life should have looked like, it just isn't. I don't have a two year old to physically hold, chase after or to cuddle with. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I know many of you have endured thoughts like this. Maybe a loved one of yours passed too soon, maybe a marriage ended too soon, maybe the career of your dreams ended too soon, maybe an injury occurred that cause you to never play your favorite sport again. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This past week I have sat with two very close friends of mine. One just lost her 26yr old brother and another friend is in the midst of loosing her dad. As I've seen my friends and talked with my friends my heart can't help but grieve with them. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The questions that consume our minds in a tragedy causes us to look at life differently. It challenges us in ways that we have never been challenged before. For some, it causes you to slow down just so you can become aware of your surroundings and to hold on to life a little bit more. For some, it causes you to push through any obstacle that comes your way and that tragedy that you endured somehow fuels you to want to never repeat history again. For some, it may cause you to grow weary, weak, brittle and distant from all that this life has to offer and life begins to feel completely empty and hopeless. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our life is not promised tomorrow. Everyday is a gift. As morning comes and night falls we have no way of predicting what life will bring our way. Our life display's a reflection of who we are and what we believe about ourselves. The reflection may be hard at times based on the expectations we put on ourselves. Not to mention maybe the expectations we think others have of us. It's not by accident that we are here, as we are here for a purpose and for a reason. I remember finding this very thing hard to believe at one point in my life. The fact that my life actually means something was hard to find. I know it's easy to get caught up in the routine of life and the those expectations that I was talking about can become very overwhelming. But today I was blessed with a gift. In the midst of my friend who is loosing her father I was able to watch her two year old little girl. What turned out to be a blessing for them turned out to be one of the biggest blessings for me. What I love about blessings and giving is it works both ways. Just as much as my friend needed some help today so did I. Somewhere in the midst of trials, hardships, and pain is beauty. And today I got just a glimpse of what my life could have been like. I chose to not live in regret or sadness but I chose to embrace gratitude and joy. In the midst of loosing a life, one of the hardest things to face is the reality that life is in constant movement. As much as we don't want to it to continue on, it must.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I love the scripture that's says... </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”</span></i></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Philippians 1:21 NIV</span></i></b></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is so true. What if we can live a life for Christ and know to die is gain. What an amazing life we can have with this perspective. To know that when we die it is really a gain. We pass on from one life to gain an even greater life full of freedom. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My friends, today may not be an easy day for you. I want you to know that you are not alone. If you are experiencing a loss of any kind I want to encourage you to not loose hope. When you can, take a minute for yourself and do something you normally wouldn't do for yourself. I know it's hard to walk away for just a minute, but if you take the chance I believe you will find hope again. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It has been so long for me since I have had a little one with me and I am so glad I took a minute for myself to say yes to this day. I am so glad that in the middle of an ordinary day blessings come as a reminder that life is precious. Life is worth living. I pray that through your pain you too find a life worth embracing and living out loud. I am praying for you and I want you to know that you are loved. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpPz-OCJgmt2P8kc1UClNhtGKIBd-JGCAwfgM_Fl-RowQP4pQWPzouZqfflfdRk_r-JU89fMevwEVGJE6IFnb3wazNezi02yLAQamPXZ4741Gsno0rdvMJKAsy1-nziKBEB_OYMG_wL8/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIpPz-OCJgmt2P8kc1UClNhtGKIBd-JGCAwfgM_Fl-RowQP4pQWPzouZqfflfdRk_r-JU89fMevwEVGJE6IFnb3wazNezi02yLAQamPXZ4741Gsno0rdvMJKAsy1-nziKBEB_OYMG_wL8/s640/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">God bless you my friend.</span><span style="font-family: "helveticaneue"; font-size: 12px;"> </span></div>
<div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-36408606692125600582016-06-26T17:27:00.000-07:002016-06-26T18:04:52.566-07:00A Note To All Mom's <span style="font-family: inherit;">While living in Arizona during the summertime, staying cool and swimming is just the thing to do. So the other day I took my girls swimming. We played the game "colors," raced up and down the length of the pool as my oldest tried to do EVERYTHING in her power to make sure I did not win. Where my littlest out of NOWHERE asked to take off her floaties when I usually have to beg her and bribe her to NO end to do so. We packed up an easy lunch that consisted of sandwiches, mangos and cookies. As my youngest surprised me again... she normally refuses to try mangos but for whatever reason she said yes on this day and then learned she LOVES them. Haha!</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNNXmeHD14pReOrM50e4VxMA19-BjTdmCq_0QutfaiHV4hcq2nVgf0NMCUIi3E33qhrY1ImSW-hRFKtYfNFXDZ91GmgG6vp4yRke9WrnrasRdrTxkE5Y-CUWVLYNyaOo0VjvC1XoHqi4/s1600/IMG_2798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNNXmeHD14pReOrM50e4VxMA19-BjTdmCq_0QutfaiHV4hcq2nVgf0NMCUIi3E33qhrY1ImSW-hRFKtYfNFXDZ91GmgG6vp4yRke9WrnrasRdrTxkE5Y-CUWVLYNyaOo0VjvC1XoHqi4/s640/IMG_2798.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I share this all to remember, as I remind myself, to celebrate every win that happens in your day. From small to big and everything in between. It is in the celebrating that gives us hope for times when we have to hunt, dig and search for things that seem there is NOTHING to celebrate in. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My girls are growing up. There is no doubt about it and as they are getting older I am realizing this motherhood thing just keeps getting more and more exciting. People have stopped me in grocery stores and even when we were at the pool this day a dad had stopped me and said "girls get harder as they get older." But does that mean it is not hard right now? No. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. However, I am learning every stage of life has moments of being hard. We can label the different stages as hard, harder, to the hardest, but is that true? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is very easy to forget the beginning stages of motherhood as our kids get older. I want to remind you to NOT forget. Remember those countless nights when you used to cry as a young mom hearing the cry of your baby not knowing what they wanted or why they were crying. Those moments I'm sure all moms could label as the hardest. But you get through that stage and then guess what? Another stage approaches you. Side note: Mom's with newborn's you might be in this stage right now and I want to remind you that you WILL get through it. One day your baby will talk and express themselves in different ways and you too will get through that stage. Does every stage of life come with challenges and more responsibility? Absolutely. The real question is will you be able to celebrate each stage of life when the challenges and responsibility changes? I hope our answers as moms is all a BIG FAT YES! </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My mom told me this years ago...as I tried to remind my mom that I was growing up and I didn't need her as much (FYI: never a good thing to say to your mom). But she said to me "GINA I AM YOUR MOTHER, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN SAY OR DO THAT WILL EVER TAKE THAT AWAY FROM ME, I WILL ALWAYS BE YOUR MOTHER." At the time I was mad my mom said that because I was stubborn and didn't want to hear that. But, today I am grateful because as I am raising kids of my own I hope they will always know they have a mom that will always be there mother. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><i><b>"My responsibility as a mom never stops." </b></i></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When they get into trouble, I want them to know I am there. When they don't have enough money, I want them to know I am there. When they are lost, I want them to know I am there. When they are in a bad relationship, I want them to know I am there. Within EVERY SINGLE CELEBRATION of life, from their very 1st car, graduation day, wedding day, to the day they have kids of their own and so on, I want them to know I am there celebrating with them every step of the way. I know my mom did not agree with every decision I made and there were plenty of opportunities in our relationship to grow distant rather than growing closer. But I am sure glad my mom chose to tell me that "she will never stop being my mom." So today, whatever stage you are in, whether you're in the newborn stage, toddler stage, child stage, adolescent stage, young adult stage, adult stage, middle age stage, to a grandparent stage...celebrate each day and each moment. Remember their wins and their losses, remember the times that were easy and the times that weren't so easy. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My dad tells me "Gina things in life come full circle." So what may seem hard or discouraging today may come full circle and seem easy and beautiful another day. Life has a way of doing that. So to ALL the moms out there with little ones to big ones, celebrate! Find something to celebrate in today! Your tomorrow and kid's future will thank you. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue; font-size: 12px;">
<br /></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-26517383949571225122016-05-08T00:45:00.000-07:002016-05-08T00:45:19.678-07:00He Knows. <span style="font-family: inherit;">He Knows. </span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was Friday, May 6, 2016. Yup, just two days ago. I just picked up my little girl from preschool and came home real quick before I had to run out again to do some Mother's Day shopping<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm never sure when emotions are going come for a visit. They show up unexpectedly and unannounced. However, I have caught on to a slight pattern and noticed they usually catch me when I'm a bit overwhelmed and thoughts are running wild and I can't seem to catch a breath. But here they were knocking on my throat. I tried clearing my throat but they kept knocking and decided to come by and say a quick hello. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My daughter was laying on my bed as I was finishing up getting ready and I just broke, yup tears came streaming down. Mylee came over to check on me and gave me a hug and then walked off to let me have some time. About 10min went by and I got up and looked at myself in the mirror and did a little self talk. I learned this a while back that in order to keep moving forward in this beautiful life I've been given I have to take a moment and encourage myself. I mean let's face it when emotions hit us who's around? Usually no one right. All you have is you to face and in that moment we must realize there is a big world out there that needs us. Someone, somewhere needs to hear your story and needs to be encouraged but that can't happen until you encourage yourself. So that's what I do. It is more than just encouragement though. Along with my self talk I have a conversation with God too. Because (part two) in this realization of this "let's face" moment I can encourage myself all day long but I've realized too there are just some days where I don't even have the strength to do that. So that is when God steps in. He has a way about doing the unimaginable in any situation. He has a way of reminding us that He is God and that He is in control. I trust Him because He has taken me from a place of feeling all alone not knowing how in the world I could move forward in anything to showing me how in every moment He is there. He carves out every little detail and whenever we decide to realize where he's been He will show us. So I do, I trust Him with my life and on this specific day I was trusting Him when nothing made sense. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">My first errand was stopping at Hobby Lobby. I ran in thinking "I'll be in and out" haha Yeah right! It's Hobby Lobby I have to walk around and see what is 50% off. So I did. I found what I needed and then I found a little something extra. I found something for ME. A little black/white/gold crown picture that was 50% off. Crowns are something special to me so I grabbed it and proceeded to the checkout line. I was standing in a line that was taking a bit long so I moved over and stood in another check out line. I was unaware of really anything as I was already thinking about where I was going to put this cute crown in my house. I love seeing my little Annabelle in ways no one else can see and try to imagine what she would look like today or how we would look as a family of 3 girls. But these specials finds of little crowns help remind me that she goes everywhere with us. I see her just in a different way. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So here I am, working through all my thoughts as a very subtle moment happened. I see this sweet lady bend down to give my little girl a pretty pink box with a pretty gold ribbon around it. She said "give this to your mommy." So Mylee turned and said "here mommy." I was kind of taken back and didn't know if this pretty pink box was for my daughter or for me. I said "is this for me? It is so pretty." She said "Happy Mother's Day, I had this in my purse and made it and saw your sweet girl standing there and knew I had to give this to you." I was so grateful that I said "I have to give you a hug, thank you, this truly blessed me today." We said our goodbyes, I checked out, got in my car and sobbed again. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the midst of one day. One moment. Someone came along and so tenderly said "Happy Mothers Day" without knowing one thing about me and she lit up my day. It is within these moments I quickly realize how God, well, He knows. This sweet lady had no clue what my day was like but God did and somehow our paths crossed to remind me that He knows, He is present and He cares. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mom's on this Mother's Day there may be a void in your heart. I know I have one. I have a place in my heart that will never close. A place in my heart that remains open. People tell me all the time how blessed I am to have two little girls and I must admit I am. But I must say a loss is a loss regardless. A loss can't be compared to anyone else's loss because no matter what there still is a place that lays deep within and the truth is no one will ever know how deep that hurt goes and that is okay. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have had a song on repeat this past week and I'd like to share the lyrics with you. There is a part in the song that I cling to and it is </span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"> <i> "Wounds that no one else has seen</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: inherit;"><i>Hurts too much to show"</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In all of us are wounds, wounds that no one else has seen. Those wounds hurt. You move forward in life and begin to live again but I believe those wounds are there to help us never forget how far we've come. Some of you may be in the midst of a very fresh wound and some of you may be years into it but it feels as though your wound is still raw and exposed. I want you to know. He knows. Along the way He wants to show you He cares for you. Beauty surrounds us, miracles surround us. I'm so glad I decided to go to Hobby Lobby on Friday and unexpectedly change checkout lanes to meet a very sweet lady named Kelli. God's Beauty and Miracles surround us everyday. God has a way of showing us. Usually it's when we are not even searching or even aware until it catches our eye quick enough to realize He is there. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This little pretty pink box with some yummy chocolate holds a very precious meaning to me on this Mother's Day. I will never forget this moment and I share it with you to know God hasn't forgotten about you. He loves you and cares deeply for you. He knows.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VenpOaBqBmAHSGSrR9sPX4iykSmlOcWOIK17B4vG_JJCBhspup60REk692W7NFn1-MWDM8hhI-jgyyCbv3Ni1WepEYXYLapVS2Sm30_e4ZI3cXHCrVzM9wGihSILVKUGYGoEEkj2K_4/s1600/IMG_1457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4VenpOaBqBmAHSGSrR9sPX4iykSmlOcWOIK17B4vG_JJCBhspup60REk692W7NFn1-MWDM8hhI-jgyyCbv3Ni1WepEYXYLapVS2Sm30_e4ZI3cXHCrVzM9wGihSILVKUGYGoEEkj2K_4/s640/IMG_1457.jpg" width="510" /></a></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Enjoy reading these Lyrics and if you want to enjoy listening to the full song click on the link below.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">P.S.: Annabelle, mommy misses you and loves you. We are another day closer.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-weight: 700; text-align: center;">"He Knows" ~ Jeremy Camp</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "helveticaneue"; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;"></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: "helveticaneue"; font-size: 12px;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; text-align: center;" /></span></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: helveticaneue; text-align: center;">
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">All the bitter weary ways</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Endless striving day by day</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You barely have the strength to pray</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">In the valley low</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And how hard your fight has been</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">How deep the pain within</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wounds that no one else has seen</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hurts too much to show</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">All the doubt you're standing in between</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">And all the weight that brings you to your knees</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"></i></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;">[Chorus:]</i></i></div>
<i style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px;">
</i><div style="font-size: 12px;">
</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Every hurt and every sting</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He has walked the suffering</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Let your burdens come undone</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Lift your eyes up to the one</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Who knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We may faint and we may sink</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Feel the pain and near the brink</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But the dark begins to shrink</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When you find the one who knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The chains of doubt that held you in between</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">one by one are starting to break free</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"></i></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;">[Chorus]</i></i></div>
<i style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px;">
</i><div style="font-size: 12px;">
</div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Every time you feel forsaken</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Every time that you feel alone</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He is near to the brokenhearted</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Every tear</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">He knows</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"></i></div>
<div style="font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;"><i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;">[Chorus]</i></i></div>
<i style="box-sizing: border-box;">
<div>
<div style="font-size: 12px;">
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OsccUg4TDd8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OsccUg4TDd8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: start;"><br /></span></i>
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: start;">Happy Mother's Day to all you beautiful moms </span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: start;">noticed and unnoticed </span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: start;">you are a mom </span></i><br />
<i style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: normal; text-align: start;">and you are loved. </span></i></div>
</i><div style="font-size: 12px;">
</div>
</div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-28823900152419637602016-04-12T19:37:00.001-07:002016-04-13T10:21:29.753-07:00If Only...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjsyMsdzCUQXK-idrnOq97UVgGRQvUBuqT6cIhMhWps8Yc-2rDUo7ijNcZXZXel3Erjx3_bH7ycaOjWE-Z8gdOsfe_9Q6uyZvVq-uY4jQ-2nRZM-8gBuQpK3iBW1go8D9joGDvaaclow/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjsyMsdzCUQXK-idrnOq97UVgGRQvUBuqT6cIhMhWps8Yc-2rDUo7ijNcZXZXel3Erjx3_bH7ycaOjWE-Z8gdOsfe_9Q6uyZvVq-uY4jQ-2nRZM-8gBuQpK3iBW1go8D9joGDvaaclow/s640/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These two words used to be part of my vocabulary frequently. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I had more money.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I had my dream job </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I could cook</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I could go on a vacation </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I could be a better mom</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I was smarter </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I was prettier </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If only I was healthier </span></span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would stumble with doubt. Doubt within myself that I could possibly do something significant with what I did have. Sound familiar?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />The other night I was standing in my two bedroom apt cooking dinner in my tiny kitchen. Not just a microwaveable dinner but there I was kneading dough. My counter was full of kitchen gadgets, seasonings and my handy dandy cookbook. I stood there with this overwhelmingly contentment realizing I was probably doing way more in this tiny kitchen then most people would do in the grandest of grand kitchens. I realized my contentment was not wishing for this huge kitchen to cook in but instead I stopped for a moment and smiled as I was utilizing what I had in that very moment to execute my dinner plans for the night. Now, do I desire and </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">imagine </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">myself cooking in a bigger kitchen one day? You bet I do. But should that stop me from cooking in the kitchen I have now? NOPE. That would be silly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />What if we take this thought a step further? Think about something that you are building currently or hoping to build soon. A career? A family? A new home? Etc...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />For me I applied this thought within another area of my life. My blog for instance. I enjoy writing and I enjoy creating. And yes, of course I have "if only" moments within my blog. I have dreams and aspirations to create so much more. However, if I am constantly focusing on my dreams of the future I will never achieve my goals for right now that will eventually lead me to my future dreams. <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Through this process of building a life I love I have learned no time is wasted when you are fueling your dreams with daily attention and action. It may seem like nothing is moving fast enough but trust me progress only happens when action is activated.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Just as much as I daily have to apply myself toward my dreams I also have to daily remind myself "to stop trying to cut out the middle ground" It's like I still battle with wanting to skip to the end. I think we all battle with this from time to time. There are times in our lives that I’m s</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ure we wish the very thing we are dealing with we could skip and wish we didn't have to go through it at all. But can I just say what I have learned stepping into this new thought process of appreciating my life day by day vs. a life full of if only's is that, no matter what I do the middle ground can't be skipped. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Think about a story. The middle is just as important as the beginning and the end in fact I believe the middle is the most important. The middle determines where you are going and where you are headed. The middle is where you build your stamina to reach the finish line without any hesitation. The middle is where you are grinding day in and day out. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Allow yourself to build your story. Something I am encouraging myself in, and I will encourage you with the same, is to pay more attention to the middle ground. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I know this is a hard one BUT, realize that we live in a social media world where it is so easy to fall into the trap of comparison. Therefore we base our assumption on a snip of somebody else's highlight reel. I love what Steven Furtick quotes in his book "Crash The Chatterbox" </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSd7RN_hcIv1VPGnsJPl7RfWQsTmqDVks6YL46seD75PGjPj1N1kj3NonZGi9nuRrKjItOZt9V8WN6OT-Zw7uCSsV-HDxAPuTJztB-pggL6Z152MfyqCvVTdTfvDF689JS10FA7FDARY/s1600/IMG_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDSd7RN_hcIv1VPGnsJPl7RfWQsTmqDVks6YL46seD75PGjPj1N1kj3NonZGi9nuRrKjItOZt9V8WN6OT-Zw7uCSsV-HDxAPuTJztB-pggL6Z152MfyqCvVTdTfvDF689JS10FA7FDARY/s640/IMG_0861.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I'm here to tell you "don't get consumed with people's highlight reel." Why? Well, because you don't live their story. That's the end of that story. Instead, daily engage in the process of your story. Why? Because you live it and only you have the power to activate action in your life so that today produces more than yesterday. If you do nothing today then tomorrow will look like yesterday. Most of the time we ourselves get in the way of our own story. I wrote this in a post I posted earlier this last week and I will share it again here on my blog:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span><i>Do you find that sometimes your own self gets in the way of pursing your dreams? You find yourself thinking to much. Trying to formulate every which way possible on how to take the next step which can lead to only you contradicting the thoughts going on inside your own head. You wrestle with your own voice, uncertain on how to shut yourself up. </i><i><br /></i><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>*Sometimes the only one stopping you is YOU. No one else but YOU.</i><br /><i> </i><br /><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Although, we are complex human beings trying to find our way through this maze of life, it is inevitable that we ourselves are our own worst enemy. These may be facts but they don't have to be truths. The real truth is just as much as we can get in the way of ourself we also have the power to deactivate this thought process and create a new thought process. So how do we realign ourself to see progress? I say TAKE ACTION! You don't know anything about yourself if you don't get out their and try it.</i><br /><i> </i><br /><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trust me I get it. I'm wrestling with this very thing as I'm typing this post but let's discover this together. Only we have the ability to unleash all that we are capable of. This life is no one else's responsibility but ours. Let's own it and let's be GREAT together.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Everyday is a new day. The decision is up to us. Ask yourself these two questions...</span></span><br />
<ol>
<li><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Am I working towards more? </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Am I feeding my soul and grabbing onto everything I can to know more and achieve more?</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Hopefully you answered YES! If not, ask yourself how do I change my answer to a YES? </span><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The more life I am experiencing I have noticed these so called "if only" moments are diminishing. Can I just say WOW, what a good feeling this is. I must admit it is a very good feeling to appreciate my life not based upon what I don't have rather than what I DO have. This way of living has freed me from paying so much attention to what others expect from me or even my own expectations I put on myself. But rather I have focused on the present moment NOW vs. Before or After. (Tip: I do a lot of self talk and tell my brain to SHUT UP most of the time). Try it. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Friends let me leave you with this...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Whatever it is that you desire keep applying yourself DAILY. Stay committed for the long haul in this venture of pursuing your dreams DAILY. By doing so you will appreciate your life and the things you have now. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRWgNjqSbxlK8DjoHBc5nr4oR3YH0LQr50hsG_g1Wf-hzRqJi6KiJGiHfS2T-9dXZsjn0uWMjv8IzVif3MH-2qu9vy1wazKAP7I5lowX14MCNkolEEv2G02RnRsuH85l1lLP6PsKklso/s1600/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRWgNjqSbxlK8DjoHBc5nr4oR3YH0LQr50hsG_g1Wf-hzRqJi6KiJGiHfS2T-9dXZsjn0uWMjv8IzVif3MH-2qu9vy1wazKAP7I5lowX14MCNkolEEv2G02RnRsuH85l1lLP6PsKklso/s640/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255 , 255 , 255 , 0); font-family: inherit;">Have a great day All! </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">
</span></span>
<br />
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-71454910754677932252016-03-09T11:11:00.000-08:002016-03-09T11:11:00.774-08:00Overwhelmed.Overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
This word seems to be replaying in my head over and over again. I don't know about your world but it seems once I start thinking of something that thing begins to pop up all around me, so graciously posing the question "okay so this is your reality and so what are you going to do about it?"<br />
<br />
I was looking on Instagram and saw a post that went like this "feeling overwhelmed? Here's a tip--Just smile... for no reason at all." Another day goes by leading me to talk and meet up with friends and it seems to be a trend in their world too, this overwhelming feeling. Another day goes by I go to work engaging in conversations with college students saying "I finished college, now going on interviews and these jobs are wanting 5 years of experience...as they just forked out thousands of dollars to go to college, spent the last however many years attending school and now places want 5 years of experience in the workforce...OVERWHELMING, right? We all experience these overwhelming moments in many different ways shapes or forms.<br />
<br />
Last night I vomited on my husband not literally but figuratively speaking. I poured out my thoughts and emotions about feeling overwhelmed. There definitely was some tension and friction as I expressed my world to him. He so graciously heard me out and said "I love you." Not really the words I was looking for because let's face it as a woman in an overwhelmed state of mind "love" just an't the cure. OR IS IT?<br />
<br />
Hear me out for a second. My marriage isn't perfect. I can already hear woman saying "gosh I wish my husband told me after I vomited on him that he loves me." Let me say this, my husband and I learned years ago, VERY early on into our marriage to create a safe place. What is a "safe place?" Well it's a place that we created to allow each other to be real, honest and very open about the reality of life. At first THIS "safe place" was SO hard. We argued...A LOT. Have you ever heard the saying "things get worse before they get better?" Yeah well, that was the case. Our safe place was worse before it was ever able to get to get better. BUT if you can push through the worst, the reality is you will experience something better. It takes a lot of practice but it only works if you keep doing it over and over again. Anyway, this is not a marriage blog but somehow I felt this was all worth sharing. Let me just close out this thought by saying this, Ryan and I did not create this way of communication on our own. We had help. LOTS of it. I've mentioned two people's names before in a previous blog "The Process" and I will mention them again. Our very dear friends Sean and Lina Flannagan help people discover their "safe place" as individuals and as a couple and I will swear by their technique till the day I die. It's available to anyone, so if you want it here is their info.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><u>Contact: Solid Life International @ Lina@solidlifeinternational.com </u></i></div>
<br />
So back to feeling overwhelmed.<br />
<br />
After my little pow wow my husband and I went to sleep. This morning, I dropped off my girls at school. My last stop was my daughters preschool and as I walked up to drop her off her teacher right away asked "are you okay?" (Yeah I'm THAT person who wears my emotions on my sleeves.) My response "I just have a lot on my mind, I have a ton to do and don't know where to start." Her response was "start with what needs to get done first, whatever needs your attention first is a good place start and everything else will get done one way or another." That right there resonated with me so clearly.<br />
<br />
So instead of moving on with my to do list I did the necessary duties and took a pause out of my day for me. I turned into my favorite spot and got me a Mocha and an San Diegan Omelet at a near by coffee shop and allowed myself to express all my thoughts on paper. What needed to get done first was to feed my body and soul. I've learned a lot about myself by doing this. I know this may not be the case for you. Your world may look different than mine. There was a time when I had NO time whatsoever to take a morning to myself let alone even a couple hours. I was busy taking care of a newborn, running a ministry, planning event after event, and my time was swallowed by a million other projects. There are times and season where your world changes. You may have a couple hours to do certain things and then you may have no hours to do anything. The key is "what are you doing now to feed your body and soul?"<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB0JwEo3TZgfl6_-X9ZqI7IBfP3-BRrQF5CxhxeIO5dIBWonngKXy6ULyBzR_88MaQQKh-lWDqdxCDiOE-zhUsa-GKs8ZwB6jsLKLVAkTiDpHklEsCXj1t8UuxPN7sXMDQm1ChKmAz84/s1600/IMG_9684.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZB0JwEo3TZgfl6_-X9ZqI7IBfP3-BRrQF5CxhxeIO5dIBWonngKXy6ULyBzR_88MaQQKh-lWDqdxCDiOE-zhUsa-GKs8ZwB6jsLKLVAkTiDpHklEsCXj1t8UuxPN7sXMDQm1ChKmAz84/s640/IMG_9684.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
Is it taking an hour to go to a gym, stopping through the drive through to pick up your favorite drink at Starbucks, is it calling your best friend for 10min, is it reading your favorite book until you fall sleep at night, is it studying a course that will get you to where you want to be. These things won't FIX the overwhelming feelings but it will fuel you to push through those overwhelming moments that don't seem to end.<br />
<br />
When we recharge ourselves the better we will be able to face these overwhelming moments to realize they aren't so overwhelming at all. I love how simple the Instagram post I stated earlier put it "smile, even if you don't feel like it." HA. Right? Try something that doesn't necessarily feel like the thing to do but it's the necessary thing to do in order to fuel you to moving forward.<br />
<br />
Friends, don't let the overwhelming moments overwhelm you. YOU have the power to overwhelm those moments with the overwhelming greatness that YOU ARE! Create space in your world for you and love yourself. My husband's response by simply saying "I love you" made me think not only does his love matter in my world but my love toward myself matters too. Take time to love on yourself today. You are worth it and your overwhelming moments will appreciate it.<br />
<br />
Have a great day my friends.Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-77220644803406835062016-02-15T06:36:00.000-08:002016-02-15T06:40:46.272-08:00Through the Eyes of a Friend <div style="text-align: center;">
When you have no words to say.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When you're approaching a date that altered your life in such a way that is so hard to describe.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When each day is passing and your days are fading.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When your thoughts are quickly racing and seem overbearing.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When you're lost and confused and sometimes incapable of knowing what to think.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
When the very moment you have come face to face with a rush of emotions that are being tossed like a wave to and fro.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A friend comes by to pick up the pieces to fill your heart with an unfailing love.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A gentle touch that causes you to pause, then begins to tell you, you are loved, cared for and the very thing you lost is not forgotten but remembered. You find this immediately awakens you to step into a new outlook and view that maybe you've once heard before but you just needed to be reminded of again and again.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You find yourself open to hear your story but not through your eyes but through the eyes of a friend.</div>
<br />
So here I am face to face with Feburary 15. The day I gave birth to our third daughter Annabelle Grace. Her birth was different then most but yet like so many, not letting out a single sound, a still birth that so graciously left the deepest imprints on our hearts. As she went from our arms to the arms of her Heavenly Father she left us with a new way of thinking and a new way of living. We are so thankful for her life as it gave us a new life. In previous blogs you've heard parts of our story but now I'd like for you to hear from a very dear friend of mine, as she displays beauty through the eyes of a friend.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Kristin Merwin thank you.</b></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyo-CJ_U779ysH2SFlhn0tzJAmb3ZCzAkuEG0JRQqqp1LbTQqCPYj9kEAxzGolvIndDmpu5oRiIAS5e3QUPcr3xu83-H8AhJiXcVkm0szveqNnFyvxOzM7BEgLqsaGMQ9DJSnm_mTR_Q/s1600/IMG_8863.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyo-CJ_U779ysH2SFlhn0tzJAmb3ZCzAkuEG0JRQqqp1LbTQqCPYj9kEAxzGolvIndDmpu5oRiIAS5e3QUPcr3xu83-H8AhJiXcVkm0szveqNnFyvxOzM7BEgLqsaGMQ9DJSnm_mTR_Q/s640/IMG_8863.PNG" width="516" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Annabelle Grace, Happy 2nd Birthday. </b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Mommy, Daddy and your two big sisters Love and Miss you.</b></i></div>
<br />
Please click on Kristin's link below to read her blog. Also you can stay up to date with Kristin on Instagram @themerwinzoo and keep up with her beautiful photography (pictured above) @kristinmerwin<br />
<br />
May her blog bless you and encourage you and maybe even a friend or two.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Click Link Below</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><a href="http://themerwinzoo.blogspot.com/2016/02/when-words-fail-you.html?m=1">http://themerwinzoo.blogspot.com/2016/02/when-words-fail-you.html?m=1</a></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-32151890916216939292016-01-26T16:00:00.000-08:002016-01-26T16:00:02.258-08:00Living in an Upside Down World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69hihhSUkfP-thDbljVx64rXnXm4iePuEetLEjRKdIAiKBL3mv5AloOWpVchE8M7EPhVNH6_b_PRCz8D4Qaf53B1BW7R9mjuls_OSNbHlf5Qi4Gn35Ex3zs2PBAsN6ijpYtMpJgoPaq0/s1600/IMG_8419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg69hihhSUkfP-thDbljVx64rXnXm4iePuEetLEjRKdIAiKBL3mv5AloOWpVchE8M7EPhVNH6_b_PRCz8D4Qaf53B1BW7R9mjuls_OSNbHlf5Qi4Gn35Ex3zs2PBAsN6ijpYtMpJgoPaq0/s640/IMG_8419.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Could you imagine if we had this life we are living all figured out? I mean I know sometimes I personally wish I knew what was in store for me and my family 10 years from now. Heck, sometimes I wish I knew what today held. But I don't. Some days my plan of action goes as planned and some days I am like "what just happened, my day did NOT go as planned." Sometimes things turn out for the best and sometimes things turn out for the worst. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As my family and I are approaching our second year of the loss of our 3rd baby girl Annabelle. I couldn't help but be so grateful that one little life changed our life completely. At the time I wasn’t grateful at all. When you loose something that alters your life in such a way that everything seems to be heading in a downward spiral with no way of knowing how you will get out of the spiral, it is pretty darn hard to be grateful. In 2014 we literally lost everything. Change became our middle name and by the end of that year we threw our hands up in the air and said "okay we get it, life is one beautiful mess and we can either choose for it to strengthen us or weaken us." In a previous blog called "The Process" I share the beginning process on how we began to rewrite our story and how we took control of our circumstances and as a family we were bound and determined to create a better outcome. Reality is, we ALL at one point or another lose in life. Whether it's a loved one, a marriage, a child, a home, finances, your ability to walk, speak or see, loss of hair, your breast due to breast cancer, prostrate cancer, a career loss, friendships etc. The list can go on and on. These moments are what really define you. The situation does not define you, but how you will react in those situations will. Any loss has the ability to launch you into greatness or launch you back into that downward spiral. It is simply a choice and a choice has to be made at one point or another.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When unexpected things happen, then what? What and how do you approach those situations? I tell myself "There ain't nothing new, fun and exciting about trying to make a predictable life." </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Life just IS unpredictable.</i></b> </span></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll never forget on Dec 31st 2014, right before the New Year of 2015 we were on a 13 hour drive back home as we spent Christmas in Texas with my husband's family. On the road my husband gets a call from a co-worker from his job saying "Ryan, just so you know, someone just got let go, I quit and another employee just walked out so when you get back to work a new management took over and you can stay or you might loose your job." I remember laughing and saying "HA! Welcome Home and Happy New Year to us!" At this point in our lives we had already been through the worst possible thing in our life, loosing a child and much, much more, so nothing really phased us. We were just kind of numb to any other loss because nothing could come close to the loss we had just experienced. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For us the loss of our daughter lit a fire under us to stop putting up with nonsense in our life. We've learned that once you stop tolerating the nonsense the easier it is to recognize when nonsense is creeping in and the easier it is to walk away from that nonsense. My husband and I both worked for poor management and leadership before so we knew immediately working for bad management again was just not an option. So we looked at each other and knew exactly what decision to make. Yup! When we got home Ryan went into work on Jan 1st 2015 and put in his notice. The hard part was, Now What? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2015 rolls around and Ryan quit his job and here we were taking life by the horns again and saying "we've been through worse we will manage and get through this." And we did. 2015 we decided to own our story, take responsibly for where we were and not take life for granted. We excepted the challenges life presented us and in return, doing so has only made us stronger. And not just stronger but stronger together. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I find myself being redundant as I try to describe our 2015 year. The one description I keep saying is "I feel like I am living in an upside down world" </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0W4wz-ingbhN9rB5s4qwU2dj1MYAbq4NOTw-Bf0_s-hyxTC_iepXQUItQVo0wt2uexRUHx7BjWdxQQysz-3cqmSBxccJtfO6JPGVGlvG8KVEl_FHGhReUQWhuevr24ixuBlF2ZPE1bY/s1600/IMG_8414.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK0W4wz-ingbhN9rB5s4qwU2dj1MYAbq4NOTw-Bf0_s-hyxTC_iepXQUItQVo0wt2uexRUHx7BjWdxQQysz-3cqmSBxccJtfO6JPGVGlvG8KVEl_FHGhReUQWhuevr24ixuBlF2ZPE1bY/s640/IMG_8414.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit; text-align: center;">I imagine me and my family in space. It's the one mental picture I see over and over again. Here we are floating in our outer space. The feelings of being weightless, out of reach and to say what is up or what is down would just depend. But there is a gravitational pull. A pull of objects moving toward us. But what are the objects? </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The only objects I see is my family. Those objects are us. Us as a family pulling toward each other. Even though it feels as though we are floating I can also feel this strong sense of how gravity feels on earth pulling us toward the ground. So where is ground for us? Well, I'll tell you. Wherever our feet are. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4Bc9sNC-OjuHoieCCYYQk5u2M-PVwq9bnq-LDhPwqDIcJ-IWymD-Y-s-V1YqbgtNSqkXBr-YcphhUXaQQZJW261nn9MUTj30R1ldLYA3JOkDihUSRyBY2l5prUiR6piRwBJ4KVkRfCQ/s1600/IMG_8412.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM4Bc9sNC-OjuHoieCCYYQk5u2M-PVwq9bnq-LDhPwqDIcJ-IWymD-Y-s-V1YqbgtNSqkXBr-YcphhUXaQQZJW261nn9MUTj30R1ldLYA3JOkDihUSRyBY2l5prUiR6piRwBJ4KVkRfCQ/s640/IMG_8412.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We've learned to see life as endless opportunities. And in 2015 opportunities sure came to us. I truly believe the only reason why opportunities came to us was because we made the decision to see life full of opportunities. Remaining open to ALL this life has to offer us. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Possibilities are endless when you open your eyes and mind to new solutions. </i></b></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I believe life will keep putting you in a certain direction until you realize whatever it is that you need to learn in order to move on in a new direction for your life. For us, bad management and leadership was already something we put up with for years. We stayed and stayed "hoping" things would get better only to see the same cycles repeat themselves over and over again. It's deceiving because things can look better but really when you open your eyes you can see the cycle repeating itself. How do you know if your eyes are open or not? Well, have you ever heard the saying <b><i>"I am so sick of being sick and tired?</i></b>" Yeah, well that's what it looks like when your eyes finally open. You STOP putting up with the nonsense and say enough is enough and finally become the person you were meant to be all along. Let me tell you it's SO hard at first, but remember this is life. It is NOT easy. It was never meant to be that way. Things don't always go as planned. It is UNPREDICTABLE. But what is your approach and how are you going to react to it? I can tell you this, when you take that step to break the mold you will find the opportunities you've been searching for were waiting for YOU to make that decision. This is when change really kicks in like a rocket ship sending you into outer space. You too might feel like you're living in an upside down world. Know that you are not alone my friend.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rpsjj3ELlkMxB2LYf15j2f-74gCkyKmQK_Krp5IsIwEFJ86JZgdYdHufuJH-8rSV6w5SRVnkWLatboezXEDnBoGJBmC1Fu8TJ7x04KCKCmcfcFQNc8e247k0bZlTG0ad_4dbs8GXJ_g/s1600/IMG_8416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8rpsjj3ELlkMxB2LYf15j2f-74gCkyKmQK_Krp5IsIwEFJ86JZgdYdHufuJH-8rSV6w5SRVnkWLatboezXEDnBoGJBmC1Fu8TJ7x04KCKCmcfcFQNc8e247k0bZlTG0ad_4dbs8GXJ_g/s640/IMG_8416.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Maybe your world feels upside down. Maybe your life hasn't gone as planned. For me at the age of 20 I had my life all planned out. Fast forward to now being 33 I'm like "WOW, my plan did NOT go as planned." There comes a time though where you have to become okay with it. Maybe it seems as though all odds are against you. DON'T let them stop you. We limit ourself more then the limits that we actually face. We can face those limits and try, try again until one day those limits don't define us but we define them. Become LIMITLESS. You can and You will.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi656SYccxlxgdXEdjtKkx4kuycHcdL8GAHV_Q9zGP_MdxZztp1zJ1piX1rQD81YqrshyEg4LF67ou3a_zZxaoygNLg27Z4GzjqVhqWy_PCgU5DAq6qcYI1VxjcZ1X2p9-0DblG6JNPnHk/s1600/IMG_8411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi656SYccxlxgdXEdjtKkx4kuycHcdL8GAHV_Q9zGP_MdxZztp1zJ1piX1rQD81YqrshyEg4LF67ou3a_zZxaoygNLg27Z4GzjqVhqWy_PCgU5DAq6qcYI1VxjcZ1X2p9-0DblG6JNPnHk/s640/IMG_8411.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">So this upside down feeling has become hard for me to grasp but sure fun for me to learn. Yes, our life has not gone as planned, but that's the way it's supposed to be. I think it's great to have goals, dreams and desires but you have to understand you have an entire lifetime to see those goals, dreams and desire come to pass. Don't be like me and look at lists as if all the check boxes need to be checked off right now. Look at the ones you do check off and give yourself a hand clap for that. Maybe I'll take my own advice...I'm still learning too.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I used to think I wasted so many years prior to now and it feels as though my life has just begun when in reality that is not true. Everything prior to this has not been wasted. It is what has molded me and shaped me to be who I am today. It has become part of my story. Don't get down about your mistakes, learn from them and become better. Gaining this new perspective has made me appreciate every step. I look at every little detail and I'm thankful for the good and the bad. I remind myself over and over again "Good outweighs the bad every time." I mean even Disney knows that. There is a time and a season for everything. Don't skip ahead, stay focused its worth it. Life has a way of just working itself out. Whatever your day looks like or situation may be, take a deep breath and know everything is going to be okay. Search for possibilities, dig deep to find solutions, and be open minded to new ways. Something good is longing to come your way. In the meantime embrace this upside down world. It is situations like this that can make you or break you. Let it make you a better and stronger person. I guarantee there will come a day you will look at yourself in the mirror loving yourself and the life you are living. Why? Because you're worth it, that's why! </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72dkWRWRYIoTU6CHNN9v0PqegvO5Bm1tgbP5leJEReFYKjAxd2vDaepo2a1S7xPlu0TJzoWvsnPEoD0BLWk9RRZpK1RNT6gC3qRN3_md-J4RfJVFydvGMvUOq-p6kFIsKtXYrHwkeUUs/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi72dkWRWRYIoTU6CHNN9v0PqegvO5Bm1tgbP5leJEReFYKjAxd2vDaepo2a1S7xPlu0TJzoWvsnPEoD0BLWk9RRZpK1RNT6gC3qRN3_md-J4RfJVFydvGMvUOq-p6kFIsKtXYrHwkeUUs/s640/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>Eventually your upside down world will begin to fill like it is right side up.</i></b> </span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-29512943818643336422015-12-30T21:04:00.000-08:002015-12-30T22:26:36.937-08:00A Little Piece of History: Grandma you will be missed.<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I begin I would like to say a big thank you to my Dad and sister Lisa for helping me write this blog and of course my husband who reads and re reads every blog I write. Not only does he read my blogs he is also so patient with me as he listens to me talk out all my thoughts until they become clear on paper. So, THANK YOU!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This Holiday Season has been a whirlwind for my family and immediate family. A whirlwind that has caused some very strong winds, involving a rush of events and a stirring of emotions which COULD have resulted in destruction. I have learned though that through this process sometimes a whirlwind needs to happen in order for something new to transpire. Destruction is a horrible event in any situation. I mean think about it, anytime a tornado hits a city, a terrorist bombs a city, etc... loss tends to follow. A loss is never easy but what amazes me is when a crowd of people come together after destruction and work together to rebuild a city and gather around to spread love throughout the lives that have been wounded or effected by the harm that was done to them. In these moments a choice has to be made in order for the rebuilding to begin. If you want to take it a step further not only does a choice have to be made but an action must be made in order to move in a certain direction with the hope that a healthier outcome will be accomplished. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On December 18, 2015 my family lost my Grandmother. Which meant my dad and his brothers lost a mom, my Aunt and Uncle lost a sister, extended family members lost a loved one and my grandmothers friends lost a friend. A loss effects a strand of people and each strand has a different effect and a different way of grieving. For me my grandmother was the last one of my grandparents living and I found myself not wanting to let go. I wanted to hold my grandmother close and not say goodbye as it felt we were losing a little piece of history in our family. In my world it seemed as though everything surrounding me made me think about my grandmother and the life she lived. I remember one day I went to work and the first three people I served were grandparents taking their grandkids out to eat. Then, I happen to ask a guest "so what are your plans for the holidays?" His response was "Oh I'm going to my girlfriends house to make cookies with her grandparents." What a melt your heart moment right? It is crazy to me what life brings your way in order to remind you of what is happening in your own personal life. Within these moments lay little nuggets to see beauty in what may seem to be a not so beautiful time. After many more instances I decided to take a step back and think about the situation that caused a whirlwind in my family and choose to remember the beautiful life my grandmother lived. Often times I remind myself of something I wrote almost two years ago in my "Lavender Fields" blog post when grieving from the loss of my third daughter Annabelle. And that was I thought there had to be this "Goodbye moment" but rather than a Goodbye I learned its not about saying Goodbye but rather saying Goodbye to the grief that death can bring and choosing to see the beauty in the life that all along is meant to be celebrated and remembered. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so this is my remembrance.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i>A LITTLE PIECE OF HISTORY:</i></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some say you had no memory of who we were.</span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You didn't call us by name.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the time we couldn't make sense of what you were trying to say. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dementia and Alzheimer's may have taken a piece of who you were but on the inside laid a piece of you that never changed. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There you were still life of the party, that strong Italian voice you could hear clear through the halls. You were still the boss and no one had a say so, yup that's right Angela still ran the show. At the end of your life you lived life with the help of <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">caregivers and some may say that wasn't much of living at all. But I see it differently, because a life alive still has purpose after all. You still remembered, just not the way we would hoped it would be. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You were like a newborn baby learning this new life and just like any baby does a couple of years go by and they become aware of their surroundings and recognize familiar faces. Eventually you found your new home, you found your new friends, you even found little jobs to do, I'd say you found life again. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The times we came to visit you seemed happy. You would show us around, tell us about your job and what a good job you were doing. We celebrated the holidays, your birthdays, had dinners and went out for treats too. Occasionally you would remember something, but then quickly forget twice as much. When you heard music you'd sing and dance, you'd tell your jokes, repeat your one liners and share with us your stories. When you saw the great grand kids they would give you hugs and kisses and that would make you smile. There were days of joy and days of sorrow.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though you still had life we could tell this life was quickly fading. It's hard to except, hard to understand, hard to let go, hard to control the thoughts and emotions of seeing you that way. But knowing who you are on the inside made each day worth while. They say it's what's on the inside that counts and I'd say all along that has proven to be true. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The person you are never gave up, you kept pushing through. You are a fighter, a constant reminder that at the age of 82 you lived a life that most can't comprehend. A little Italian girl born and raised in a small town called Cella Mare, near the city of Bari, Italy born in 1933, you recall how the Germans invaded your town and how medicine was not easy to get. You recalled how the Germans tried to barter for food in exchange for medicine and how you stood up to them and refused! You lived through World War II, the oldest daughter of seven kids, playing the role of the second mother not having much of a childhood. At the age of 17 holding the rails of the ship "The Constitution" braving your journey to a new land in the U.S., not speaking one word of English, <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">only having a 4th grade school education, but that didn't stop you. In the great city of Chicago you met a man named Adolfo Lavorata to marry in the year 1954. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVWnNzIiJOI3OOM8bF5jW3G6CqQvfDpV9fjUYyZNpLRVrJMef0JffiMHtAnC6PrIbfSbGl2s_i1WgGA9UnsAD-uNWwYA2vK_0adGbWQpZg-AhS2RvDj8w3WQ2mH7rVsMAaQ8JYRcsVmE/s1600/IMG_7070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmVWnNzIiJOI3OOM8bF5jW3G6CqQvfDpV9fjUYyZNpLRVrJMef0JffiMHtAnC6PrIbfSbGl2s_i1WgGA9UnsAD-uNWwYA2vK_0adGbWQpZg-AhS2RvDj8w3WQ2mH7rVsMAaQ8JYRcsVmE/s640/IMG_7070.JPG" width="371" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The two of you raised four handsome boys Guido, John, Mike and Albert. You worked, at Salerno Butter Cookies, Motorola, and did odd jobs at restaurants to help subsidize the families income as your husband Adolfo worked construction. There you two were investing your money to keep this life going. </span><img src="webkit-fake-url://a9ea4018-e97b-488b-aef2-1e234f40847c/imagejpeg" />Adolfo built your dream home in the suburb of Bloomingdales, IL where your boys grew and as each was finding their way. </span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDaSw5bjTMhle7XMvwW9v6FMFWsdd3AbnAwsmlmvQDEIQf__vMgfoO2buvDURSuABQC2FK2KswISijVh1NUL6FMcPWD2Zq-jcDdGrsgYVGB4feiYwf2zUTIvE3FEziYWMkg3kGKywB_M/s1600/IMG_7076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="472" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDaSw5bjTMhle7XMvwW9v6FMFWsdd3AbnAwsmlmvQDEIQf__vMgfoO2buvDURSuABQC2FK2KswISijVh1NUL6FMcPWD2Zq-jcDdGrsgYVGB4feiYwf2zUTIvE3FEziYWMkg3kGKywB_M/s640/IMG_7076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Years later Adolfo had an idea. To move to a small town so the two of you could build a prosperous business. In an unknown town called Cadott, Wisconsin their was 120 acres of land and a small cafe on the corner of the property bordering Highway 29 and Highway 27 "seemed crazy but why not, let's do it." You changed the name of the cafe to Angela's Truck Stop. Making a name for yourself, and I think that's pretty cool. As the years went by<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> "The Lavorata Corporation" was developed and started distributing homemade Italian food: like the Lavorata's sauce, frozen Panzerotti's, Ravioli's, Cannelloni and Manicotti. Adolfo branched out and bought a Ravioli machine for $50,000 where you could mass produced larger quantities to local stores across the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. Outside of the business one tradition you shared was your capability to prepare a Saint Joseph's table filled with wonderful Italian foods that you shared with the community for over 30 years and gave donations from the meals to charity. Your</span> legacy, traditions, time and labor was built not just for you but for your sons, their wives and kids, along with the extension of love toward so many others lives too. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbjwXY5T1cIGedXPlWYyU74YeQ4cX50tGpRosTxkwRfhBVjHhDtzu6vWY40SIziagb3qLZGIrQr6fD81gqH4IINink5xX_E7W-4GgdQjg3Pal9e9tl_mKkkxpsddmJaW5BZkns9fZLxU/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcbjwXY5T1cIGedXPlWYyU74YeQ4cX50tGpRosTxkwRfhBVjHhDtzu6vWY40SIziagb3qLZGIrQr6fD81gqH4IINink5xX_E7W-4GgdQjg3Pal9e9tl_mKkkxpsddmJaW5BZkns9fZLxU/s640/image1.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As the family grew. All the boys married, having children of their own. Pursuing their passions and dreams you and Adolpho discovered it was time to sell Angela's Truck Stop and the Land and find a warmer climate to move to. Chandler, Arizona was the place you called home for the next 18years. A beautiful home with a back yard big enough for grandpa to plant his trees and garden. A pantry, laundry room and kitchen with enough room to prep and store all the homemade Italian cooking traditions. The two of you kept up and celebrated 55 years of marriage. With this life that you two created most would say is impossible, but you two didn't look at the impossible you just did it and you did it together.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I sit here writing out my thoughts I can't help but think about how much more there is to share. I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface with the depth of this rich history between these two beautiful people. Here I am, just one out of 12 grandkids that was blessed with grandparents that understood life more than most. Sitting in the background trying to understand all that my grandparents had to sacrifice just to come to the U.S. I can't even pretend like I understand. Here I am living this life that seems like everything my grandparents worked for I have at my fingertips and I don't even think I realize it. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After my grandfather passed I remember thinking "what is going to happen now? Is grandma going to be okay? Does this mean all the boys will have to carry the financial load providing for their mother?" But no! Even though my grandfather passed, once again he thought things through. He may have been gone from this earth but he lived on providing a life for my grandmother and made sure she was well taken care of financially for the rest of her life. Six years went by and on December 18, 2015 @ 6:00pm my grandmother Angela Pasqua Losurdo Lavorata decided to join him. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">People travel the world to behold a piece of history, but my grandparents gave us history. </span>Something beautiful happens when history is told. People begin to remember, tell stories and keep retelling and retelling all the wonderful memories that will forever remain living. I am thankful for my roots that are planted so deep. Life is precious let's not take it for granted.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grandma I imagine you now just like this picture. Young and beautiful, strong and witty, laughing and dancing, with every part of you functioning. You lived a beautiful life and that's what we are remembering.<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span>Rest in Peace Grandma you are now living. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPdU5MlisWSh80GE9OGo38aKtkPAjeifxx_Y0vmDKFDWst178vtPi1kf4E-LZVxNDEKV3VrdfptBojzZzDYjR9M8ZiShSh_mUlgTrpO9bf4fX9jdGusaTKNA80z-W_WcGGCqzsuSEoxk/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQPdU5MlisWSh80GE9OGo38aKtkPAjeifxx_Y0vmDKFDWst178vtPi1kf4E-LZVxNDEKV3VrdfptBojzZzDYjR9M8ZiShSh_mUlgTrpO9bf4fX9jdGusaTKNA80z-W_WcGGCqzsuSEoxk/s640/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="491" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-32645332395180653632015-11-03T03:00:00.000-08:002015-11-03T03:00:03.801-08:00Why 3am? <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545;">Before I start this next blog I'd like to take a minute and dedicate this blog to two of my dear friends. You know who you are. I will never forget our spontaneous trips to California. Little did I know 10+ years later our trips would serve such a great purpose at this particular time in my life, especially at 3AM. May this bless everyone who reads it. Enjoy reading.</span></span><br />
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">3AM Seems to be more common in my world than I'd like. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Can anyone relate? </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I can't really pin point the reason why this happens because it has happened on many different occasions. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's like having two alarm clocks. My brain has one and then my phone alarm has another. Let me just say, mornings are not my strong suite. Just wishfully thinking right now, if this were at all possible I'd like to make an even trade. If I could wake up eyes wide open, ready to go like I do at 3am and make that my usual morning wake up I'd be golden. But in my real world, alarm goes off at 7am and I can't get up worth anything. On any given normal day I swear I could sleep till noon. But I'm not a 13 year old on summer break anymore. I'm a mom who has a job that requires all of my effort and time.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So sleep would be nice but instead my 3am morning have consisted of me <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">thinking about a project I am working on, a conversation I previously had that provoked great thought or everyday simple tasks like maybe what I want to cook for dinner or what I have on the agenda for the next day. </span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Or what about the common duties of being a parent. Women you know from the time you are pregnant sleep stops. Waking up to a baby kicking your bladder that makes you go pee six times a night. The morning feedings, taking your child potty (when potty training) or waking up to your sneaking child who found their way to your bedside due to nightmares or the fact that they are not feeling well or just simply to remind you that you're a parent and so why let mom or dad sleep? I mean all parents seem to have the comfy and bigger bed right? <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I don't know about you but my first thought as a parent </span>at 3am is "what now? For the love all I want is sleep." What's funny is as I'm writing this blog at 3am. Why? Well, not only did I wake up with a thought I also have a 4yr old that had to go potty so here I am writing this blog and taking my 4 yr old potty (and yes I said potty, it's just what mom's say).</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Other 3am reoccurr<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">ences have involved different scenarios such as, trailing thr</span>ough some rough patches in my marriage, job issues, decisions that carry a great weight, and grieving, that just make for no sleep. These are the moments throughout the day that don't seem to allow us to give much time to sit or much thought to think through situations. But somewhere in between all that there seems to be a reoccurring pattern that usually happens at 3am. So, as I lay here wide awake amongst the quietness and stillness just as the water in the ocean on a dark night, I think about what my 3am's have looked like and now wonder what yours may look like. Maybe your 3am dark mornings look different than mine. You may have different circumstances than I, but I want you to know whatever the situation may be I hope you can be enlightened to know you are not alone at 3am. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I remember a couple times (in my twenties) I took random trips to the beach. You know those random trips where no hotel was involved but sleeping in the back seat of a vehicle just beside an ocean. Food was on a whim based on the snacks you brought for the road trip or the little cash you brought along to do whatever with. Just you and a friend out to explore and change up the pace for a moment in time. As any beach seemed fitting because living in the moment was all we cared about. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Our day went from seeing a beach full of people in the morning to just a few hours later, as night approached, the crowds of people dissipated as everyone gathered up their things to head back to wherever they came from. But there stood the ocean. The waves continued as the stars lit up the sky and beneath the surface of the water the sea life continued. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is 3am. I can't help but think about how all the ocean reflects so much of the constant life we live. I mean at times don't you just feel like a wave being tossed around when you get out of bed? As you knock into things and stub your toe along the way just to find a dang light so you can go to the bathroom (not that this has happened to me or anything). But other times you don't know why your are awake and there you are still tossing and turning trying to make the waves of thoughts just stop. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just as much as we can feel like a wave in the middle of the night we can also find rest if we look out further out beyond the shore of life. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrVlU7MazYiXdBq99-yFngMQ2CfNaPLT2OjcHAlvFcJtfJQajmTo2RjRqEQJYJV8Wbc6nqIdWVvexiS7MumHA1s8_vBlHn3nXJMDOYXeO7Qjei5meixVWtit1u_CHblAbzSX4UYQ1jRc/s1600/Ocean+Pic.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSrVlU7MazYiXdBq99-yFngMQ2CfNaPLT2OjcHAlvFcJtfJQajmTo2RjRqEQJYJV8Wbc6nqIdWVvexiS7MumHA1s8_vBlHn3nXJMDOYXeO7Qjei5meixVWtit1u_CHblAbzSX4UYQ1jRc/s640/Ocean+Pic.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My family and I recently just took a trip to California. I snapped this pic not knowing I'd be waking up at 3am sharing it with you. But now that I am I have a whole new perspective of what 3am looks like. I was challenged by something as I looked at the photo and I want to challenge you to try and see what I see. If you look at the picture above and escape in your mind how you may feel like a wave of emotions or thoughts and look beyond you will see the little ripples in the water that stay steady. What I love most is to look up and see the sky line up with the ocean and imagine the creator of the universe mirroring who He is through creation. Seeing the sky line up so perfectly with the ocean reminds me how God is aligning my life so perfectly with the waves that so often occur and cause me to wake up at 3am. So instead of just tossing and turning I wake up with Him. The one who aligned the waters and the sky who set everything in motion before I was even created. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div style="color: #454545;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545;">Every time I see God's creation it unravels me to think about all the ongoing mysteries of who He is and how much He loves us. Not only did He take time to make the birds and the sky but he took time to specially handcraft each and everyone of us. He thought about you and I.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 17px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJzgndATZWr_3milvitWlTwmuhp3CCxWNUs52ktnRIyQxbxVfe1DpkHg-NJ5DIv_GIfJSR0sawr18UrxbokOJqlZn70f6Ih7oCm0HwHI-RTKOAF-R_53YYYrqtpT7kPx7fx5OF0Ei3tg/s1600/Psalm+139.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhJzgndATZWr_3milvitWlTwmuhp3CCxWNUs52ktnRIyQxbxVfe1DpkHg-NJ5DIv_GIfJSR0sawr18UrxbokOJqlZn70f6Ih7oCm0HwHI-RTKOAF-R_53YYYrqtpT7kPx7fx5OF0Ei3tg/s640/Psalm+139.JPG" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did you know God doesn't make mistakes? He only makes beautiful things. And did you know just like creation, it was once void and empty and from that He made something quite beautiful which tells me God can make something from nothing. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maybe this is how your life feels. Empty, void, like a big ocean of nothingness. But maybe if you look a little further out, beyond the waves of whatever your situation my hold, your life at 3am may serve a greater purpose if we allow it to.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545;">Just like the ocean God is constant too, time with Him is always available. It's funny how when I wake up at 3am I can hear every little detail in my home and even the crickets outside. Just think, if that happens how much more will you hear from Him? When 3am wake ups happen now I say "what is it?, do you have something you want to tell me?" Sometimes I start by reading or by writing out some thoughts. And sometimes I'll scroll through social media, fall asleep and it's not until the next day I get something I needed to be reminded of or encouraged with. Whatever it is He knows and He is there, His hand is in everything. He is constantly creating, constantly shifting, He is making you new. Sometimes it just happens at 3am when He knows you have nothing else surrounding you but Him. So, ask Him. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #454545;"><br /></span></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-large;"><i>May this song encourage you. </i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3Cp6F2orRYo/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3Cp6F2orRYo?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span></div>
<br /></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-91783280121970513262015-10-12T18:48:00.000-07:002015-10-12T18:57:17.017-07:00How to Deal with Fear<div style="color: #454545; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 17px; text-decoration: -webkit-letterpress;">
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
I'm on my way home from a creative meeting about to pick my daughter up from school. I had about 30min to spare and thought "well instead of just dilly dallying why don't I stop at a Barnes and Noble and see if there is a book that catches my eye." So I did. I exited off the freeway, turned into a Barnes and Nobel, parked my vehicle and walked right in eye balling the new release section. Immediately, this book stood out to me. The title and the cover felt as though it called my name "hey, hey Gina over here." </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
There it was <i>Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear</i>. Yup! That was for me. I mean how perfect right? I just left a creative meeting so of course I want to challenge myself with Creativity.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5fOyr_fnXL_nIJ20bWOjFsPaUJAfjTx4b6zYxitNUeVBX4-aoOirQrFatz_YBX_dd75cfMSeEzeulUI4cX3h41Z-SyeEHRxo8treHFtHMyJOMeUTb0BMZL2naL5gY1zt_TniZ6Zi7VQ/s1600/image1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr5fOyr_fnXL_nIJ20bWOjFsPaUJAfjTx4b6zYxitNUeVBX4-aoOirQrFatz_YBX_dd75cfMSeEzeulUI4cX3h41Z-SyeEHRxo8treHFtHMyJOMeUTb0BMZL2naL5gY1zt_TniZ6Zi7VQ/s640/image1.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
I grabbed the book, sat down in the coffee shop and the second I opened the book I couldn't seem to digest everything I was reading fast enough. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
You know when you sit down at a restaurant and you're so hungry, you can smell the food and your taste buds are already watering just from the smell? Then you order the food and before you know it your eating so fast to the point of not even coming up for air because the food is so good? Yeah, I know this a bit too well except not so much with a restaurants food as with my Mom's. Every time I stop at my parents house my mom instantly offers to cook. God Bless Italian mom's, they can COOK! She doesn't know this but sometimes I say "Hey Ma! I'm coming over to say hi," but really I'm coming over to see what's in her fridge and it just so happens she says "oh honey have you eaten? Let me fix you something or look in the fridge, help yourself." "Okay Ma, if you insist." </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
Yeah just like I know good food, I know a good book when I see it! So let's get back to the book. All of a sudden I find myself not just reading this book but I start snapping photos of almost every page because I don't want to forget about what I'm reading. I'm thinking "well I have to leave soon so I want to snap some pics so that when I get home I can go back and re-read the things I read."<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOyz5AwezKinXXuaHqVdjYXjLuNL85HuVcBgA_xrSoO3heG6JjJRZpw8Ds7fKvrhYIvt1eB-_5FAJ6w_utmwxCCiEHq-VG_xt-dnARLB2_CLmvjtu4GjiZ6dBK2nlTfISYn-m-isJHk0/s1600/image2-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOOyz5AwezKinXXuaHqVdjYXjLuNL85HuVcBgA_xrSoO3heG6JjJRZpw8Ds7fKvrhYIvt1eB-_5FAJ6w_utmwxCCiEHq-VG_xt-dnARLB2_CLmvjtu4GjiZ6dBK2nlTfISYn-m-isJHk0/s640/image2-2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
I know, let's pause for a moment and I'll just ask the question for you. "Why don't I just buy the book?" Here's the thing. If I have a book at home I don't read it. I tend to consume my time at home with my kids, cleaning, cooking, writing. Other things become more of a priority so while I'm reading this book I'm thinking "if I buy this book I know it's just going to sit on my dresser." In that moment of realization I have an idea. "I know what I will do, I am going to dedicate at least 3 days out of my week to have a date with <i>Big Magic</i>." Yeah, that doesn't sound weird or anything. </div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">
Anyway, but really, I decided right then I'm coming up to Barnes and Nobel and I'm going to finish this book. Why can't I enjoy 30 minutes of my time, 3 days a week just for me? So that was my life for the next week and now I want to invite you to watch this clip that I have discovered along the way while reading this book. But first, if your anything like me, meaning, if you came from or are in a religious upbringing or were in the surroundings of a strict or very cautious world. Two things will happen when you watch this. 1) It will resonate with you and will instantly give you freedom or 2) It will jerk any negative thought you've had about this topic and you will want to challenge this thought with every tool you think you may have to squash it. Trust me! I understand. When I first heard this I wanted to argue this point and go straight to a source that would try to eliminate this topic out of my life. So, if this happens while watching this video here is what I did for you. I attached another video from another author "Brendon Burchard" that I highly recommend as well. Hopefully by watching both it will break you free and allow you to live a life beyond fear which will maximize your creativity that already lives on the inside of you waiting to burst forth in your life. Enjoy!</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q-ws7arFC9s/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q-ws7arFC9s?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SUEK9Sab4Vs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SUEK9Sab4Vs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br /></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8250635991148889886.post-7892312908718950612015-08-27T21:00:00.004-07:002015-08-27T21:00:51.519-07:00The Process<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As I continue with my story I first want to say thank you so much for taking time to read my blogs. Your support and feedback has meant and continues to mean the world to me. When starting the I Am Crowned Project Blog it was very important to me to be honest and real about my story. In the process of sharing my story, it has been, well, just that, a process. Little did I know being honest and real with myself was one thing but being real with an audience has put a whole knew perspective on things. It has challenged me to think differently, see differently and appreciate everyone’s life on a broad scale, realizing everyone faces something everyday. And I want you to know there is something special about your story. You never know when or how you can help someone with your story. These last couple of months I have had to face some reality within my own story. The reality of some repetitive questions that have been racing through my mind like, "how can I put everything into words?" "Is this even worth sharing?" "What was I thinking, maybe I wasn't thinking?" The fact is we all go to bed and wake up with thoughts on our mind. Some thoughts may be about the mundane things of life, but other times those thoughts can be haunting and wearing that stirs up doubt and fear. I want you to know doubt and fear are made to paralyze us in the process of moving forward in life. Anytime we are faced with doubt and fear that should tell us that it is time to face some things head on so that a new reality kicks in. Our minds have the power to create any story we want. The goal should be that we create the truth rather than believing in thoughts that are not even a reality. Realizing the truth about our situation will free us to look beyond what we see, sense, and feel in our moments of doubt and fear. In this blog I want to help you shift your perspective so that you can see life as a beautiful process. So, let’s begin the process. </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">As summer comes to an end and school is back in session I couldn’t help but sit back and reflect on how far my family and I have come. This summer was quite different for us as a family than last year. If you have read my previous blog “The Why” well that was what my last summer looked like for me. The Why was a turning point in our families life. It set the foundation for us as a family to dig deeper in areas of our personal life that we normally wouldn’t tackle and it also allowed us to face some real and intimate moments with God. The results have drawn us closer together as family and most importantly drawn us closer to God.</span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Many of you know either from knowing us or from my blogs that we were in ministry for quite sometime. Last spring we resigned from working at a church, along with leaving the church which I grew up in for 21 years. For me not only did I grieve over the loss of our daughter Annabelle but I also grieved as I felt I lost a piece of me when we left ministry and the church I grew up in. I can confidently say my identity was wrapped up in what I did and where I was in ministry. I am not proud of this by any means but I will say I am proud of myself for recognizing truth about my situation. After realizing this I began to see my life as a blank slate and began to write my own story. Your identity should never be wrapped up based on what you do but rather who YOU are. So the real question is “WHO ARE YOU?” </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMUy_q5hhAhAX1vK0nGsxoJDQlF3h0Lk5kHaWkmRO0e_0SbADwN1jF-viVM5s_MnLHJHTjeRBh4ivqkO1FDtl1Lxbb11R1N2wMzw-K6zNGmCkYa8Pay6bTXKGkAtaFWOIZQzeXrRIJGU/s1600/Who+are+You.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxMUy_q5hhAhAX1vK0nGsxoJDQlF3h0Lk5kHaWkmRO0e_0SbADwN1jF-viVM5s_MnLHJHTjeRBh4ivqkO1FDtl1Lxbb11R1N2wMzw-K6zNGmCkYa8Pay6bTXKGkAtaFWOIZQzeXrRIJGU/s640/Who+are+You.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When my husband decided to resign he then pursued sports and exercise training and rehab starting in March 2014. He went through 3 different changes in that field in less than 9 months. Even though the changes were stressful for our family, financially my husband did everything he could to keep us afloat along with friends and family that helped us out tremendously. Leading up to the end of May this year my husband was approached by our very good friend with an opportunity in Real Estate. To be honest the last thing I wanted was another change. My mind and thoughts and emotions could not handle anymore and so when my husband approached me with this opportunity I gasped and all I could say was “I can’t do this again. I can’t go through anymore change.” This was my first reality. I didn’t know how to handle change.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW64krgNcGNGq7t7ckcuXM6wjDgqdhu9TFe7212a_lxmzAanFXQMs-SLtA81b1Y2fUHqYEii_EACu0RYP_WDb5YocmlaNPKuH7r8sSrXwhXlQVdKNi3OOjSrKFSvAPE_sDaQIE1CAg1cc/s1600/The+Change.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW64krgNcGNGq7t7ckcuXM6wjDgqdhu9TFe7212a_lxmzAanFXQMs-SLtA81b1Y2fUHqYEii_EACu0RYP_WDb5YocmlaNPKuH7r8sSrXwhXlQVdKNi3OOjSrKFSvAPE_sDaQIE1CAg1cc/s640/The+Change.JPG" width="604" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;">For the most part I believe Women long for stability and security and Men long to have purpose and value. Both roles require understanding each other. </span><br />
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So here we were, both my husband and I were on this search to find stability and security, and purpose and value. I remember the night before Ryan was about to start real estate school, we were sitting on the couch and I couldn’t wrap my mind around how any of this was going to work. Yet again I never understood how anything was going to work out for us in what we had already experienced in the previous year. I asked a series of questions not to badger my husband but questions that would require us to come together and allow each of us to walk through this process to understand this next step (BIG difference). We walked through every obstacle you can imagine this night. We were both frustrated to no end and feeling like we were getting nowhere in our conversation. Reality was we actually were. We were asking each other straight up real questions not beating around the bush (hence lots of "why" questions). Something we had not done before. I finally asked Ryan “can you see yourself giving 100% to real estate?" He said “Yes.” That very next day he started real estate school and here was my chance to embrace change. The change for me was finding my identity in being a mom which I wrote about in my "Keep Climbing" blog. </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">I knew I married a hard worker but there is a big difference between being a hard worker and being a hard worker who is fruitful. We have experienced both. The work we did before I can say was good and we had fruitful moments but WE, our family, was not fruitful. Meaning we were tired, drained and unhealthy. It's like we would experience good things happening but nothing would take root in order for fruit to continue to produce. Let me tell you if your marriage can stick it out through the hard times where the seed that your casting doesn't seem to take root, the fact that you are still casting that seed should be encouragement enough. Never stop throwing seed out there because one of the seeds will take root in good soil and fruit will begin to grow. The next step: Understanding the process. A healthy process. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV6LG3IGvEMovhjFHsdK4zcr3QXw05oR7zinZQSlbteGALV3e1Kl_M1waNCJEY67AZfsg-JrcQyzru1tB0nWbwpni6j0_nyfw2x7g_2BrLOkDjWL7UaDyKhAVCXEz_HJUIdyE9D0FDHI/s1600/The+Process.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPV6LG3IGvEMovhjFHsdK4zcr3QXw05oR7zinZQSlbteGALV3e1Kl_M1waNCJEY67AZfsg-JrcQyzru1tB0nWbwpni6j0_nyfw2x7g_2BrLOkDjWL7UaDyKhAVCXEz_HJUIdyE9D0FDHI/s640/The+Process.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Nature gives us the best example of what the process is like. When planting a tree it starts with a seed and as you tend to the seed and soil and give it its daily nutrition, that seed begins to take root and something takes place beneath the surface that we can't see. The goal is that this seed takes root in good soil and then giving it what it needs to grow it begins the Process of Waiting to see a tree begin to sprout from the ground. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6bRl4Z1UvgZb6_dj3UWce3x6PTS6eV454VjtrYVBiKdEGmmK0ZufJl_8URe_MXWuimJe8ax0UrGX7_IsYuswcLsZNO_yHK59LDXXFjX9ok7j8Odd0Gr6AU8fQHHPjZa7DPVfbXM3MOU/s1600/The+Waiting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT6bRl4Z1UvgZb6_dj3UWce3x6PTS6eV454VjtrYVBiKdEGmmK0ZufJl_8URe_MXWuimJe8ax0UrGX7_IsYuswcLsZNO_yHK59LDXXFjX9ok7j8Odd0Gr6AU8fQHHPjZa7DPVfbXM3MOU/s640/The+Waiting.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">When my husband and I went through counseling our counselors, Sean and Lina Flannagan, invested so much time into us helping us walk out our thoughts, questions and struggles. They did not give us a to do list, they did not separately tell us what each of us needed to do better, and they did not paint this picture perfect world that seemed so unattainable. Instead they helped us see a different perspective to be able to walk through this life together victoriously. This was the seed sowing in our process. It created a shift in our hearts and minds to realize that we both have different strengths we can offer each other through the process and that is what started the change in our lives. This part of our story has taken a lot of work, and waiting, to understand the process and although the work has not been easy it most definitely has been worth it. </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><i>If you are desiring a new perspective, a shift to take place in your life so that you can experience a new life; “CHANGE and UNDERSTANDING" is just part of the process.</i></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Process of life became more clear to me as I allowed myself to be open to the process. How do you know when you are open to the process of life? I’ll tell ya! “When you allow others to speak into your life.” And not just anyone but people that have walked through some life (you know, the gritty stuff) and can be real about the process of life with you. There is so much freedom when you discover you don't have to walk out this process alone. God of course is the ultimate healer however I believe he puts people in our lives to gain counsel from. Seeking wise counsel is a sign of maturity and humility. <b>Proverbs 1:5</b> says <i>“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels." </i></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">One beautiful reality that I have had thus far as I dig deeper into my story is knowing the process is a journey, a life long journey that does not have an end but rather keeps taking me further along than I ever imagined I can go. There might be check points along the way, but the process never ends. Therefore, I am not waiting for a season to be over, rather I am embracing every season I get as an opportunity to create and recreate what used to be and what is to come in this beautiful life God gave me. I have been replaying and replaying this song all summer. The lyrics say <i>“In the process, in the waiting your making melodies over me. And your presence is the promise for I am pilgrim on a journey.”</i> This is how I look at my life now. I see it as a beautiful melody and new songs constantly being written over me. I love how David simply writes it in <b>Psalm 40:1-3</b> <i>“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a NEW SONG in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in Him.”</i> </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">(The whole chapter is absolutely worth reading so I encourage you to read more). </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0LISgSlKwY68m7d9bYd7ldhvKTcKKI2GwkfiGfDLGZYbsirMGGV7DwC34lypbonLxpGD0X1s82qJWlPSgbOjQSt55p98rIy2KsTxQCdPKTwQUbXozLneaEve7WIIRggLzGvrL-ka-4c/s1600/This+is+My+Story.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0LISgSlKwY68m7d9bYd7ldhvKTcKKI2GwkfiGfDLGZYbsirMGGV7DwC34lypbonLxpGD0X1s82qJWlPSgbOjQSt55p98rIy2KsTxQCdPKTwQUbXozLneaEve7WIIRggLzGvrL-ka-4c/s640/This+is+My+Story.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This summer I saw a part of our story rewritten. From last summer we were lost, frail, broken and confused, and we were hanging onto hope as if it were a fraying rope about to snap. However, we took time to embrace some necessary change to rewrite this part of our story. An unknown author once said <i>"Freedom is found when we let go of who we're supposed to be and embrace who we really are." </i>My husband and I are constantly reminding each other to embrace who Ryan and Gina really are. When we live a life to see beyond the obstacles we find hope. Look at each morning as a new day. <b>Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT</b> says <i>"Every morning we start a new day. </i></span><i>The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." </i></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I encourage you to dig deep and find that place where it's time for you to allow God to rewrite your story or a new song inside your heart. I heard this at a conference I just recently attended from Craig Groeschel <i>“If you focus on one thing that you can improve in and become at least 5% better this year than you were before than you are making progress.” </i>Making some progress is better than none at all. All it takes is one seed to land on good soil, necessary nutrition and care, and the roots begin to dig deep. Soon the tree sprouts up from the ground and fruit begins to appear. Soon after that you will enjoy the fruit that you worked so hard for. Never stop planting and never stop growing. <b>Philippines 1:6</b> says <i>"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."</i> Allow God to write your story. There is no better author out there than the One who created you. He will lead you, but you have to Live it out! </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Before I close out this blog I want you to know it is very important to me as I share about my own experiences that I provide some great resources for you as well. The counselors that I mentioned earlier in this blog are Sean and Lina Flannagan </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">of Solid Life International. They are</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> honest, trustworthy, and caring people who are available to help. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">You can reach them @</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="mailto:lina@soildlifeinternational.com" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #1155cc; font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">lina@solidlifeinternational.<wbr></wbr>com</a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; min-height: 15px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Also, as you listen to this song, may it encourage you!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xMW-O9GB-UY/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xMW-O9GB-UY?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div style="min-height: 15px; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_62481020"></span><span id="goog_62481021"></span>"Embrace the Beautiful Process of Life"</span></span></div>
Gina Dobmeierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04874597683117493740noreply@blogger.com5