St. Louis Delmar Loop - Ice Carnival (1/15/2011)

A few weeks ago we went to St. Louis to visit an event called the "Ice Carnival 2011" in an eclectic area of the city called the Delmar Loop.  It is a long street filled with many differnt boutiques, galleries, and restaurants etc.  It was really fun as the Ice Carnival had different mini events going on throughout the streets.  They had ice scupltures along the street representing every business.  There were giant ice blocks that you could take a whack at with a giant hammer... Ice slides and putt putt for the kids.  We witnessed an ice scupltor creating a masterpiece.  We had a lot of fun going into all the different shops and art galleries and had sushi for lunch.  There were different street performers throughout the carnival such as hoola hoop dancers--weird i know, but they danced with hoola hoops to some drums and it was awesome to behold.  Each vendor had a cooler filled with ice cubes that had gold coins frozen in the middle.  It was fun to collect them, smash them open on the sidewalk and discover if the gold coin was money or chocolate. 

Really great day until Judah tripped on the sidewalk and caught himself with his face.  He started screaming and crying bloody murder and his upper lip swelled up to triple the size and gushed blood.  I was torn between wanting to get him help and wanting him to stop screaming so loud (top of his lungs).  So I scooped him up and ran down the street whispering into his ear "its ok, stop crying, shhhhhh, please stop crying, shut up...its ok..shhhh.." until we made it to a Coldstone Creamery.  I pushed past the patrons licking ice cream cones until we made it to the bathroom.  I started to sort of panic and ask for my mommy...  I realized this was the first time Judah has really hurt himself.  He has had a few bumps and bruises but never gushing blood or swollen body parts.  We were able to control the bleeding and get some ice from the Coldstone workers.  Luckily it was just his upper lip and it wasnt busted too bad.  He healed within a day!  Pobrecito.  I gave him a piggy back ride the rest of the day since he said he didnt think he could walk anymore because of his lip.  of course.

Ice cubes from the end of the rainbow

I thought to myself, hey, He's six, time for a tattoo....

Hardcore! (grandma it is fake)

I love the irony

Ice Slides!!!!!

Me, looking gorgeous. : ) really just happy to be eating Sushi!

Ice Scuplture putt putt course!

Judah, you are getting too close to the man weilding a chain saw against slippery ice

He gotchya! (not with the chain saw... )

Judah rather enjoyed the attention.  He's my son.

Almost done!

A melting pot made of ice.... hehe

we couldnt get enough of the sculpture photo ops

This is my greenville friend, Colleen who went with us

My poor baby after the "incident" 

We went by again and the scuplture was complete... what a masterpiece!

OOoo La la.....  sizzling hot ice sculptures...

A great day.

Chicago

I am going up to Chicago this Wednesday night and meeting with a bunch people Thursday morning.  I mean the list of names of those that I am meeting with makes me want to hide under a desk.  Basically the people in charge of everything.  I am not sure what it will bring or what it means, but I am going to check it out and who knows?  I have been feeling more of a peace this weekend so I am open to anything.  This week is going to be pretty crazy because my company is also announcing some major changes to the hr function.  I have no idea if I will even want the position I currently have as it is totally changing....  So many unknowns, so many thoughts and emotions to get through and I wont even have all the facts until Wednesday and then off to Chicago to see about these other opportunities.  So if i make any sense at all it is that i am asking for prayer.  Prayer for confidence, peace, and guidance. 

Window with a View

I just really love the view from my front window. The peacefullness of the trees with no cars, busy streets, highways, etc. Just a field. I spent much of Saturday afternoon looking out the window of all of the little birds that were frolicking around. There was this big fat cardinal-- bold and red. He was a treat to watch but too fast to get a proper photo. I will have to make sure to take a picture when it is sunny. that is when the real beauty starts to sing.

So quick update-- I talked with the guy at corporate and am contemplating the possibilities but from our first convo, I wasnt too intrigued by the current positions. I am going to Chicago sometime next week to check things out and meet with some of the department heads. This will be just a great opportunity to meet with the big boys and girls if only for future openings and getting further connected with the "decision makers". I will update you as things progress. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! Love you!

Have a good week!

-Katrina

Give me eyes to see more of who You are

The Greatness of Our God by Hillsong
Give me eyes to see
More of who You are
May what I behold,
still my anxious heart.
Take what I have known
And break it all apart
For You my God, are greater still.


CHORUS


No sky contains,
No doubt restrains,
All You are,
The greatness of our God.
I spend my life to know,
And I'm far from close
To all You are,
The greatness of our God.


Verse 2:


Give me grace to see
Beyond this moment here.
To believe that there
Is nothing left to fear.
That You alone are high above it all.
For You my God, are greater still.




Bridge: 2x


And there is nothing
That can ever separate us.
There is nothing that can ever
separate us from Your love.
No life, no death, of this I am convinced.
You my God, are greater still.


And no words can say, or song convey,
all You are the greatness of our God.
I spend my life to know,
And I'm far from close
to all You are,
the greatness of our God
 
 
 
 
We sang this song recently at the Greenville Free Methodist Church during morning worship and I can not get it out of my head.  It really is a song that hits many of us if not at all at the state of the heart.  I think so many times it is hard to really take a moment, step back and digest the Greatness of our God.  That no matter how big or small the burden, need, desire, heartache --- it doesnt come close to what God is capable of....  
 
"I spend my life to know, and I'm far from close, to all You are..."
I will absolutely spend my entire life wanting to know, and not even come close to grasping the greatness of my God and I think sometimes that has terrified me.  Like possibly that is in a way another failure of mine, but its not.  It is comforting instead if you really think about it.  That its ok, God is bigger and greater than I alone can fathom all at once, but its because of that that I can find comfort and shelter.  At the same time I have to remember that where I really fail is realizing that greatness, realizing how it pertains to me, in the middle of the situation.  What I fail to do the most is pray and live with passionate and unwavering certainty that He is in control.
 
"no sky contains, no doubt restrains all You are".  My doubt in my head and heart restrain Him all the time but that doesn't stop Him from working. That does not bind Him or contain Him to the limits of my fractured mind.  These words are like an anthem or promise I need to continually remind myself.  
 
The first verse is my quiet prayer right now.  Exactly where I am.  In fact, that is why I am even more so leaning on the idea of staying in Greenville (no matter the opportunity) and let this be a place where I can really focus on Him.  He has awakened something in me since I arrived-- slowly-- but very strongly have I been realizing just how deep He goes, and how I in my current state have so much to learn.  Being a PK and a PC (pastor's kid and professional christian) my whole life, I really plateaued a long time ago when it came to God's word and the new life He brings.  I had thought I knew it all or had heard those passages, parables, stories, etc, so many times that I could not possibly get anything more.  Here in Greenville, i dont know if it is the church, or the awesome people in my small group who pursue God, or just the absence of most of my routine distractions, but I am reading the scripture and feel as though I have never laid my eyes or ears on it before.  It looks and sounds familiar, but I am getting a whole different meaning and perspective. 
 
Now you may be reading this and getting really impressed with my confession here, like wow, Katrina is really doing great.  Well what I have failed to mention is that, the reading and the awakening I have been getting is very small doses from church on sunday morning and bible study tuesday night.  I have yet to really get to a place where I actively, on my own, with out anyone watching--read the bible.  I do not have a regularly scheduled quiet time other than when I find myself in front of the tv almost comatose.  I hunger, but not to the point of starvation that makes me eager to consume His word. And it pains me.  I dont know how I got here.  Not my parents fault as they made us do devotions before school every morning, no matter how much kicking and screaming.  I have just been relying on my "tribal knowledge" of the Bible and God-stuff (religion, theology, church etiquette) to get me through.  NOT. GOOD. ENOUGH. not even a little. 

 

So I pray: "Lord, Give me eyes to see more of who You are

May what I behold, still my anxious heart
Take what I have known and break it all apart

For you my God, are greater still...."(note: to listen to the song, see link at the top to youtube)

Dilemma

So I have the makings of a pretty significant dilemma in the near future...

I may have an opportunity to take a position at our corporate office in Deerfield, Illinois (Northwest suburb of Chicago).  I received a call from my regional manager letting me know that the VP of HR would be giving me a call tomorrow about this opportunity.  I may even be asked to go up there to check things out and see if it is the right fit for me. 

Half of me is like... WOOOHOOO! Chicago here I come!  I love that city, have wanted to live in that city forever... and here is the opportunity!

And the other side of me is like... you have got to be kidding.  We JUST moved! We JUST got settled!  We JUST started making friends! WHy would God bring us to Greenville, do all of this, and we havent even gotten our feet wet!

I just dont know.  There are still a lot of factors to consider, like, what really is this job? I wont know until the VP calls me and I have a million questions to ask. 

I am a little stressed out by the whole thing though because I just dont know what God has for us.  I am seeking his guidance and wisdom and know that as long as I keep him first, family second, I cant go wrong.

Please pray for us as I consider this crazy predicament.  I pray that I have the calm ability to listen, and not feel pressured to make decisions or anything until I have had enough time to weigh all of the options against what God wants for us.

Please also pray for my sanity.  Work is just changing so much right now which is why this opportunity it something I have to really consider.... I need to find a position that will offer me the right balance for Judah and I. 

Thanks! I will keep you posted!

Christmas: Good to be Home!

We drove to Ohio friday evening (12/17) and got there in record time! I mean yes, I was speeding but I praise the Lord for the dry roads and safe conditions the whole way. I couldn't help but do a fast pace with such perfect traveling conditions!  We have had a lot of fun and feel very lucky to have had two full weeks and three full weekends with our family!!  So lucky!

Here are some of my favorite moments:

We made and ate a lot of good Cuban Food!

Yuca con ajo, empanadas de carne, frijoles negros y arroz, (not pictured: platanos maduros, lechon de puerco, pan cubano, pico de gallo, y quien sabe mas?)

Pastelitos de guayaba y queso  -- mmmmm! tan dulce!

We had fun on Christmas day. So much fun through the eyes of a six year old : )

Kari the Grouch : )

"Star Worlds!"

Josiah got the old box sneak-a-roo.  He had to go pick out his own gym shoes becasue we werent sure what size, but then Kari snuck behind his back and bought a computer game Fall out, she put it in his shoe box with a 2lb weight so he thought he was just opening his shoes he picked out! Sorry for the long explanation and disregard for puncuation...

Love it!

Mom won "best Christmas morning hair" she is going to love that i posted this!

Holy Batman castle, robin!

And I tip my hat!... imagine that...

I definitely used my christmas gifts!!

then directly after the gift opening a lego party commenced in the family room.. yes they are all putting together lego thingys..

Judah let Tom do the heavy lifting

Dad got a hat! Well actually he had asked for a winter hat, but Anna tricked him and wrapped a top hat instead.  I think it makes him look regal.

Christmas continued

We went over to Aunt Judy's on Christmas day and she, Uncle Rich and Jeanette, has a wonderful spread of delights ready for us.  They also added more seating to their living room which I knew probably wasnt easy (moving a futon!) and so it was very cozy around the tv fireplace.  We had warm yummy beef and vegetable soup, appetizers a plenty, sandwhiches, several different cookies and desserts, all arranged like a high end catered event. It was divine!

One of the cutest girls I know!

 

The excitement was too much for some...

We did a white elephant gift exchange.

This is Aunt Judy figuring out the camera...

I had to take a second and admire the beautiful Christmas-scape that Aunt Judy had created.  She decorates so nicely!  She should be an interior decorator--seriously!

So pretty! 

Little village under the end table.  I felt like a giant peering into their little town

hehe

Back to the White elephant gift exchange:  Judah was the first to go

Josiah picked Tommys gag gift.  It says "Clue: Camping Essentials"

And it was a package of Lever 2000 soap (do they still make that?), an Ax, and a magnifying glass. 

Well played Tommy.

Judah opened an emergency diaper-- an "over the hill" gag gift.

He did not get the white elephant idea.  He started to cry, "but I dont want a diaper!" !

Tommy got.....a WHITE ELEPHANT : ) and a pretty wedding dress bag

Aunt Judy got a reindeer that poos.  That's her poo face. : p

Then, Judah opened a gift that Grandpa pointed out to him.... But what was it? this fleshy pink color rubber bag?

A Whoppie Cushion!!  He didnt even know what it was so a few of us demonstrated it for him.  he loved it.  Everytime someone got up he would put it on their seat...

once we had our fill of hilarious gifts, we skyped with Gma Leibbrand, the Lyons and Aunt Jo and Ian.  We also enjoyed a gander at Uncle George's light show Super Duper Extravaganza!  Seriously, it was pretty awesome. Well done Uncle George.  He also gave us the gift of memorializing our Family reunion from this past summer in a video/photo collection on dvd.  It was spectacular.  Like really , really special.  Uncle George, you have a gift!-thank you!!! 

Random: Lego batman shirts.  what a pair  : )