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When the opportunity arose to attend a retreat with 34 women I had never met it was one of the few times where I believed more in the promise of hope then the dread of fear, and decided to leap.
Knowing there was a cushion of months before having to follow through, it was often easy to say yes as I looked towards a future plan, but somehow, with this adventure, I still felt courage drawing me in.
The...

There are times when I am overwhelmed with grief, with the loss that has occurred in my life, leaving a scar that will never heal…
On September 17, 2003 my brother Joe died in surgery when they were trying to repair an aneurysm in the back of his brain. And even though twelve years have gone by, I can still remember it like yesterday.
The house was quiet with Joel and Zach off camping and Chelsea...

I love the quiet of the mornings...
With coffee in hand I find a quiet place and listen. Exploring the peaceful daybreak I observe the familiar sounds echoing throughout the house. The furnace quiets and the house creaks in its absence, nature awakens around me with the promise of dawns approach, birds already busy singing sweet songs of hope.
I am refreshed by the blaze of orange bursting through...

Scars show us where we have been, they do not dictate where we are going ~ David Rossi
She was nearly ready when I entered the house, shuffling through her make-up case as she fended off her frustration in a search of missing items. I gathered the pieces I noticed on the floor and handed them to her and she laughed in the way only Deb can as she continued to get ready.
Although I was grateful that...

To get through a hard journey we need take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping...

Learning to begin again
“Sometimes we get so focused on the difficulty of our climb that we lose sight of being grateful for simply having a mountain to climb.” Oprah
Often we begrudge change, especially from circumstances we did not choose. But the truth is, change is often our greatest teacher, always promoting the growth we would have otherwise avoided. Change will inspire the confidence needed...

Week 3
Bentley enjoys being a part of everything that is going on. Regardless of what I am doing, he always needs to find me and join in. Why is it if we accidentally get lotion in our mouth it is the most horrible taste, yet dogs seem to lick it like ice cream, or is that just Bentley?

Week 2
Oh Bentley, everyday there is more mischief you seem to find...
Try as I might to keep you busy, fatigue you with walks and provide your own special toys to feast upon, there is something about every single thing that is NOT yours that you like? Once you acquire your next casualty you prance through the kitchen proudly and continue this parade into the family room. You have it down...

With all the twists and turns in the plots and stories of our lives there are many lessons to be learned, many mistakes to be made and much love to be found... this I believe

Week 1
Everyone loves Bentley, his cute face, giant body and clumsy features make him look like an enormous stuffed teddy bear. And while we too love Bentley there are sides of him that are not often captured. The sides that make us re think that desire for a new puppy in our home, or the reminder of how hard it can be to train a dog. The creatively sneaky adventures he has taken us on as well...