Mexico!!

Beware loooooots of pictures! We had a wonderful time in Mexico (other than the sunburns that are now flaking off of our backs, darn 50 proof sunblock for babies still could not help this white girl)~

Anyway, Chris and I had the best time. For once in the past month and a half, I could sit down and relax without any worries, business contacts, etc (except for the beginning of the trip of course.....5 hours of paperwork on the plane, emails, phone calls, etc).

So, enough writing.....check out the amazing pictures from the Valentin Imperial Maya.....

Our Suite.....

The amazing pool....these are only of one side of the large pool and they had probably four more pools!

One lounge bar we hit at the resort after dinner....Don Miguel

We took a break from the sun and went shopping, ate at Senior Frogs! We asked the waitress to kindly take our picture, she answered "Sure" AND THEN a huge "SCREAM", NEXT all the wait staff came over for the picture as well!! HA!

(Oh how I wish I could be in that ocean right now)

Lazy river pool outside of our room was calm and relaxing.....

Dinner at Lobster Pot....

Room decorated for my birthday.....THE BIG 30!!

Mexican Band.....

This guy reminded us of Chris's best friend, Miguel....

We were wondering how him and Donna got there??

Man, I love the big guy!

And sadly......going home......Valentin, we shall see you again real soon!

At least they transported us in a Benz bus!!!

Beach!!

Nope, not Mexico yet??? 3 days away, however!

We went to Lincoln City with our great friends, the Vargos (Dan, Sarah, Blaize, and Viv). This vacation was great too, because we were able to visit with some of the Thorson side of our family; Grandpa Bruce, Grandma Linda, Uncle Jon and Aunt Carla! We would have loved to see Uncle Drew, but unfortunately he had prior commitments.

We rented a beach front home, with a great view. It was a little on the older side, but was a great set up! Next year we talked about renting the house down the street, called "Splendor by the Sea". We would really like to go with our families as well (Gramma, Papa, Grandma Karan, Uncle Shaun/Aunt Tami and their families). I don't know who all could actually make it, but it sure would be a great time!

We will definitely go back with the Vargo's because.....well they are just a blast and right up our alley, when it comes to laying back and relaxing! Anyway, check out some of our favorite pictures. They are all on FB as well if you would like to check them all out!!

All Smiles......and Brotherly Love!!

The many smiles of my boys is the great thing about today! We took so many pictures last night of Luke as he stumbled around the house and today as I was to post them, I realized how much I love my boy's smiles!!

And the thing that makes me smile the most,

watching my boys play and love on each other!!

Zach is the best big brother.....today he told me, "Luke is my best friend"

Well, if that does not melt your heart, what will??

Big Boy Shoes.......

Luke has been wearing shoes, but struggling with the hard sole bottoms. He graduated to the one year old classroom at school and they MUST wear shoes here! Today, I went and purchased another pair of "big boy shoes" because the other pair we had with hard soles, he immediately took off in the car.

He liked wearing them with just diapers on......

And when daddy held him!

Then he began walking all over the place and had a ball!

And even had a smile when he fell down and went boom!

Trial-to-Fruit

I blog for multiple reasons, with one of those being expression of how I feel. In my line of work, I come home with so many stories I want to share to help me, but I am unable, to protect the people I work with. I get asked all the time, "How do you do your job?" The answer, "I don't know"., but the real answer is "Only by the Grace of God".

Recently I watched someone speak about losing two of the most powerful people in their lives wihtin months of each other. It STRUCK me! Sometimes these "stories" harden my heart, sometimes I want to sob with them, and sometimes I endure their pain physically, where the only thing I want to do is vomit.

Years ago, I endured a very painful loss and I spent over a year, all alone, driving many nights, long hours with my little toddler asleep in the back seat because I had no energy to take care of him. I would finally tire and find myself on the top of a hill, listening to Christian music, and hysterically sobbing. I was all alone, but was I? NO!! God has always been with me and continues to be with me. He never leaves me....if anyone leaves it is me.

I came across this daily devotional the other day:

[Every Christian is either learning, or getting ready to learn, through trials. Fortunately, when we experience difficult times, God says they will be used for good (Rom. 8:28). This is especially comforting when the problems encountered are no fault of our own. God is always in control of every situation and uses the more difficult ones to produce fruit in our lives: John 15:2 ". . . every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may bear more fruit."]

My point is that as I listened recently to this person's speak about their trial, I was able to reflect on my (above) past trial and see that God has been bearing fruit within me and teaching me. Although, I would rather take that trial away, God has used it for GOOD!

I had the opportunity to speak of God with this person and I long for the day when they can feel this peace in their soul with their trial.

Lord, please grant them peace this evening as I know their scab was ripped off and their wound exposed. Hold them in Your arms as they lay next to the grave, clinching the grass as the soil digs deep in their fingernails, body limp, almost lifeless, as they wish nothing more than to touch them again, smell them again, kiss them again, run their fingers through their hair again, taste their tears again, to be alive again.

Loss and trials mark an imprint in your life. Although life will never be the same again, God says He will prune our branches, so that we may bear more fruit.

God is Good,Grand, and Powerful!

That pretty much sum it up for me