Saturday, December 12, 2009

Christmas Family Pictures-2009

We sure do have a lot of fun in our house! LOL
This was a fun picture.
Good idea Mom (Shelly).

Another fun picture.


My wonderful kids!
Top row: Shawn, Mason, Mitch
Bottom row: Amanda and boyfriend Nate
We are happy to have Nate as part of the family.
Of course Sadie wanted to be included in all of the fun. She is so cute!


Sunday, December 6, 2009

Kalamazoo Air Zoo

This is a very old motorcycle. Pretty cool.

I decided to take Shawn to the Air Zoo so he could see what his Dad-Randy-use to get so excited about. If I would have had more money on me, I would have given him a ride in a biplane.






Shawn really enjoyed walking around and looking at everything. There were a couple similaters that were really cool too. I let him drive the one that was like flying and he flipped me all over the place. I have to say, that is was soooo much fun. I screamed and laughed and held on! He thought it was cool, whipping me around and laughed a couple times because of the way I was acting. LOL


Just something to climb in and mess with some of the buttons.






















Very interesting helicopter.












Inside of a big plane. No, I do not know what kind it was. Looks like one they sit in and jump out of.



















This is Shawn sitting inside.













Isn't he handsome?!!!













Check out that big engine.





























Shawner Bauner













Shawn and I riding the balloon ride. Boy did it go fast and I had to keep my eyes looking at Amanda who was across from us. Otherwise I was getting dizzy and a little nauseous.




















Waiting to get on the space shuttle ride.

















So happy that I took him.








Have not been on in a while

We went camping up to Silver Lake at Jellystone Campground. That is one of our favorite spots.
This the first time that we took Sadie (our dog) on the camping trip with us. We were surprised at how well she did.
Coast Guard Festival 2009. Shawn and Amanda in back row and Mitch, Tom, Mason in the row ahead of them.
Out on a walk on the Grand Haven Pier. One of the things that we enjoy doing.

I will send more updates on a new post.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Precious Lord

My friend Mari at http://marislittlecorner.blogspot.com had this posted to her blog and it is an amazing and interesting story. Thought I would share it with all of you too.




One of my favorite old hymns is Precious Lord, take my hand. I got an e-mail recently with the history of the writing of this hymn. Reading this makes the song even more meaningful. It was written by Thomas A. Dorsey, not the famous band leader, but this Tommy Dorsey was known as the father of gospel music. This is what he wrote about composing Precious Lord. Back in 1932, I was a fairly new husband. My wife, Nettie and I were living in a little apartment on Chicago's south side. One hot August afternoon I had to go to St. Louis where I was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting.. I didn't want to go. Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with our first child. But a lot of people were expecting me in St. Louis I kissed Nettie good-bye, clattered downstairs to our Model A and, in a fresh Lake Michigan breeze, chugged out of Chicago on Route 66. However, outside the city, I discovered that in my anxiety at leaving, I had forgotten my music case. I wheeled around and headed back.I found Nettie sleeping peacefully. I hesitated by her bed; something was strongly telling me to stay. But eager to get on my way, and not wanting to disturb Nettie, I shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with my music.The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on me to sing again and again. When I finally sat down, a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram. I ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words: YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.People were happily singing and clapping around me, but I could hardly keep from crying out. I rushed to a phone and called home. All I could hear on the other end was 'Nettie is dead. Nettie is dead.'When I got back, I learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. I swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. I buried Nettie and our little boy together, in the same casket. Then I fell apart.For days I closeted myself. I felt that God had done me an injustice. I didn't want to serve Him anymore or write gospel songs. I just wanted to go back to that jazz world I once knew so well. But then, as I hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, I thought back to the afternoon I went to St. Louis. Something kept telling me to stay with Nettie. Was that something God? Oh, if I had paid more attention to Him that day, I would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.From that moment on I vowed to listen more closely to Him. But still I was lost in grief. Everyone was kind to me, especially one friend. The following Saturday evening he took me up to Maloney's Poro College, a neighborhood music school. It was quiet; the late evening sun crept through the curtained windows.I sat down at the piano, and my hands began to browse over the keys. Something happened to me then. I felt at peace. I felt as though I could reach out and touch God. I found myself playing a melody, once into my head they just seemed to fall into place: 'precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.'The Lord gave me these words and melody, He also healed my spirit. I learned that when we are in our deepest grief, when we feel farthest from God, this is when He is closest, and when we are most open to His restoring power.And so I go on living for God willingly and joyfully, until that day comes when He will take me and gently lead me home. -TommyDorsey-

Summertime Part One

Trip out to West Virginia for vacation and to see my family.
This is Matt and Aaron with a couple West Virginians at the Friday night races. It rained for a little bit, so they got under the umbrella with Brian and Thomas.
My lovely Sister Regina!
Amanda and Matt in the background.

Mason, Steven (my nephew), Mitch, Shawn.
Having a great time at the races.


Matt and Amanda



Tom, Dad, and Steve (Brother-in-law).





While we were in WV, we also went on a horse ride.


Mitch and Mason.
The first time ever on a horse. They did very well.

Amanda, Kara, Shawn, Mason, Mitch
Just getting on before the ride.


Shawn, Mason, and Mitch


Another adventure was riding quads while we were out there.
Every day that we went it was over a two hour ride. So much fun! Went deep into the woods, over rocks, through creeks and rivers up in the mountains. Most of the time we came back soaked and muddy. Woo-Hoooooo!!!!

My Daughter Amanda and friend of mines child Kara Parrish

This is what it looked like before we left on our trip. All packed up and ready to go in the morning.

Allendale July 4Th parade.


Shawn and Kara roasting marshmallows for their smores! Best Buds!

Amanda
We were at the Parrish family's house and had a nice time on the back porch with a BBQ and a fire. AS you seen Kara and Shawn roasting marshmallows in previous picture.

Ted and Faith Parrish.
Playing Sequence at their house.

Tom and Mason
Again, having fun playing Sequence.

Mitch, Shawn, Mason
While we were getting rid of roosters up in Ravenna, the boys decided they wanted to get bunnies. So, we got four bunny's for each child.
This is only part one of what we did in the summer. More pictures to come.



















Monday, June 1, 2009

Amanda's Graduation

Amanda's Graduation May 28th, 2009

Grandpa Lehr, Tom, Amanda, Shelly
Mitch, Shawn, Mason

Aunt Regina, Amanda, Uncle Steve and Steven


What a great looking bunch of family!