The Brownwoods

Crazy Picture

2009-02-28T15:14:00.002-06:00

I only have a minute, as we're getting ready to head to Nixa in this snowstorm for Jon's birthday dinner at my parent's house. Should be fun...

But I wanted to quickly share a photo taken at my workplace this week. The office staff had to do a photo shoot for a brochure. So, while we were at it, we decided to try some Charlie's Angels poses... :D Have I mentioned lately that I love my job? And I work with some crazy, fun people.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

2009-02-23T20:31:00.009-06:00

This weekend was a busy one! We started by attending our church's annual Valentine Banquet. It was a lot of fun. A few of our teens served the meal. We enjoyed great food, fun conversation, hilarious entertainment, and a memorable, touching devotion (and testimony) from a friend.

I volunteered to make the cupcakes. It gave me the opportunity to use my new set of cake stands that my parents gave me for Christmas. I ran out of time but thankfully Jon read the directions and constructed them for me. What a sweet guy. :)

I bought the chocolates for 1/2 price at Walmart - after Valentine's Day. I thought they might taste "cheap" - if you know what I mean - but they were de-li-cious! There was creamy chocolate in the middle of each. So, I can't take credit for making the chocolate hearts on the top of each cupcake.

I was excited to see my grandparents show up to the banquet. I wasn't sure if they were going to attend this year. They sat with their friends. But I got to enjoy some time with them also.

Not our most flattering picture... but I had to include one of me and my Valentine.

Grandma came to sit by me for awhile during the banquet. They played "Finish the Lyrics" and my grandma's name was drawn from the hat while she was seated next to me. So, along came the microphone and she was supposed to finish singing whatever love song was playing at the time. The same thing happened to Jon and he was mortified! It was very entertaining.

We were able to sit with our good friends, Scott and Georgeanne, during the banquet. So, we had great conversation throughout our meal. Then they were chosen to participate in our church's version of The Newlywed Game. They were ticked off at me at first - assuming I'd rigged the whole thing. But, they were incorrect. Although, if I'd known it was going to be so entertaining, then I may have rigged it. :)

Scott & Georgeanne are pictured below. I thought this was a great picture!

Saturday morning, after I finished reading my latest, all-consuming book (I'll blog more on that later), I decorated a "hunting" birthday cake for Jon. (Hence the camo and orange combination) His birthday is actually on February 14th, but we celebrated with his family on Saturday night.

Right now Jon is watching someone hunt wild boars on TV while I blog and update my Facebook page. Very entertaining! :)

I hope all of my blog readers (all 3 of you... LOL) have a w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l week!

~Stephanie

Return from my absence...

2009-02-18T12:24:00.008-06:00

It's been a long absence, but hopefully I'm back to blogging on a regular basis.

I don't know if anyone else watches American Idol. But, I am a huge fan of Danny Gokey. So far I think he has the best voice of anyone else in the Top 36. I also discovered last night that he is a worship director. I'm anxious to see how far he goes... My heart just hurts whenever I see him, imaginging the grief he must be going through after losing his wife. I hope that this experience will help him to start a new chapter in his life. Go Danny!

I don't know about all of you, but I am r-e-a-d-y for spring! I'm sick of my winter clothes and being stuck indoors. I'm ready to plant some flowers, break out the BBQ grill and start hanging out on the back deck. Part of this new excitement might be caused by the fact that we finally purchased a patio set. So I hope to spend more time outdoors this spring.

I've got a very busy week coming up. I'm making 60 cupcakes for the Valentine Banquet at our church. And, I'm going to make Jon's birthday cake on Saturday morning. Shh... don't tell Jon... because it's a secret... but I'm making him a "hunting" themed cake for his birthday. It's the first cake I've ever made just for him and it will be a surprise. I was inspired by some other camoflauge cakes at http://www.cakecentral.com/ - one of my favorite web sites. I'll post some pictures after Saturday.

Maybe I'm just behind the times but I heard much discussion this morning on the radio about the shoes pictured below. Apparently they help to strenghten your muscles, posture and core because they require balance as you walk. And people are losing weight by wearing them. I just read an article that states "...as you walk or run, you burn calories up to three times as fast and enjoy better posture and relief from backache. Even while I'm standing the muscles continue working to gain a centre of balance." Now I'm very curious about them. Have any of you ever worn them?

Well, I guess I'll keep this brief... My lunch break is about to come to an end.

Just found out that the first official day of spring is on March 20th... Just 30 days away!

Facebook

2008-11-02T22:11:00.003-06:00

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted regularly on here. I think my new fascination with facebook has interfered with my blogging passion. It's an amazing way to keep up with old friends. I even reconnected with Angie, an old friend from high school, and we met for lunch last weekend. It was great to catch up with her. It felt as if no time had passed at all.

Life has been fairly boring the last few weeks, which I'm grateful for. Since my dad's health scare, I'll take "boring" any day. :) Jon and I did have the opportunity to visit Jason and Amanda in Nashville a couple weeks ago and had a great time! I hadn't seen their house since all of the renovations and was completely blown away with their handiwork. They have a beautiful, comfortable home.

I can't believe that the holidays are already upon us. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away. We're celebrating Christmas early this year with my family. So, I need to get a good start on my shopping. And, I'm planning to put up our Christmas tree earlier than normal.

Jon is gearing up for the opening weekend of deer season. It's all he can think about, which is normal every year at this time. I need to find some fun projects, or Christmas shopping, to keep me busy and entertained while he is gone.

I haven't posted in awhile because I truly have nothing significant to share... not even any new pictures. So, I'll close before I bore you completely to tears.

Have a great November!!

~Steph

Isaiah 40:28-31

2008-10-15T10:53:00.000-05:00

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Fall

2008-10-04T20:27:00.005-05:00

top 10 reasons why i l.o.v.e. this season!

-small-town craft fairs, festivals

-our annual youth trip to the corn maze
-the cooler weather
-thanksgiving

-silver dollar city's harvest festival

-pumpkins, mums, corn husks

-the smell of burning wood

-roasting marshmallows

-gorgeous red trees

-pulling out that fall wardrobe

So grateful...

2008-09-28T09:56:00.002-05:00

Mom and I are spending a leisurely morning here in the CCU waiting room. We just visited with dad for the allotted time - 8:30 to 9:00am. We'll be back in his room at 12:30. I have some great news to share! He's been on one oral med since being weaned from his IV meds yesterday at noon and has been stable since 9:00pm. I can't tell you what a relief that is! And, the med that seems to be working is not the "toxic" one with the worst side effects. God has answered our prayers in this area.

His cardiologist will be back tomorrow. So, we should know more at that time on when he can be released. We're praying that he continues to have a stable heart rhythm on this one oral medication. I'm anxious to see him back at home and on the road to recovery and growing stronger.

Mom and I are spending every waking moment here in the waiting room. But, we've been blessed with visits from family and friends. In our time away from Dad, we spend our time visiting, blogging, surfing the net and watching movies on our laptops. How far technology has come. :)

I hope you all have a blessed Sunday with your families. Thank you for your prayers, visits and calls of encouragement.

God is so good. I praise Him for His faithfulness, His ability to bring peace during the storms of life, and His healing touch. Regardless of what the future holds for our family, I am blessed beyond measure.

~Stephanie

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10

News from the waiting room...

2008-09-27T09:48:00.003-05:00

I wish I had some exciting "news" to share. But for the most part, we're just waiting... and waiting... and waiting... We praise God that Dad is in good hands and out of the worst danger. Our prayers right now are specifically that the cardiologist would find the right mixture of drugs to keep Dad's heart rate stable. He'll stay in CCU until at least Monday, which is actually a relief to me. I don't want him to be sent home before he and my mom are certain that he is safe and his heart rate is under control.

When we saw him during visitation this morning, I was so grateful to see him sitting up in a chair!! This is a great relief and answer to prayer. They're currently weaning him off of the IV meds and trying different types of drugs to keep him stable. We're praying for the ones to work that pose the least amount of side effects on his other organs.

Thank you all for your phone calls, messages, visits and words of encouragement. You are all a blessing to my whole family.

Please pray for my brother as they left to return home to Nashville just a half hour ago. I'm so grateful that he's only a half day's drive away.

Love to you all...
Stephanie

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." Isaiah 43:2-3

Update on my dad

2008-09-26T09:58:00.004-05:00

It's about 10am on Friday and I am hanging out in the waiting room with my mom. Dad was taken into surgery about an hour ago to have a defibrillator/pacemaker inserted. The scariest part of this process is that they have to force his heart to go "crazy" (like it was when he was first rushed here) a couple of times on the operating table to make sure the pacemaker works fine. His problems are purely electrical - which is the best case scenario in this situation. He will have to be on meds for the rest of his life to keep his heartbeat regulated. The defibrillator is basically an insurance policy in case the meds were to stop working.

After surgery, he'll return to the CCU (Critical Care Unit) for a couple of days to make sure that whatever oral meds they prescribe actually work to keep his heartbeat regulated. I'm grateful that they're keeping him until they're sure he's completely stable. After all of this is over, the cardiologist said that he can lead a very normal life.

If you were able to visit with my dad prior to surgery, you'd probably wonder why he's in CCU at all. He's in a great mood, is sick to death of being in bed, and can't wait to get back to normal living. Prior to surgery, he begged me to play a game of Rook with him and they had to practically rip the cards from his hands for him to head to surgery. He's still the same, fun-loving, laughing man we all love.

Thank you all for your prayers, phone calls and visits. They mean the world to our family. There are women in the CCU waiting room, whose husbands are in critical condition, who are completely alone. It's heartbreaking to see them return to the waiting room from visiting time broken and crying. It makes me all the more grateful for the presence of my family and our closest friends and church family. God is good and He has been here with us through every moment of this journey.

God bless all of you...

Stephanie

Please pray...

2008-09-25T13:01:00.001-05:00

I wanted to jump on here very quickly and ask that everyone who reads this blog say a prayer for my dad and our family. I need to make this brief, as I am only here at work, with internet access, for a few more hours.

My mom called me yesterday afternoon to inform me that my dad was being transported to the ER by ambulance after having passed out at work. Surprisingly, we both kept our cool (not always “normal” in these circumstances for the women in our family), and met at the hospital around 4:20. We had to “patiently” wait about 30 additional minutes for my dad to arrive. As soon as we were led back to his ER room, I could tell this was a much bigger deal than what I had imagined on the drive over. Nurses were rushing in and out of his room and the paramedics were discussing what was wrong with him. I kept hearing them refer to his heart… not a very encouraging sign. At one point, he passed out again in the ER and they had the paddles over him ready to shock his heart back to beating normally. Thankfully he opened his eyes just a moment beforehand… But, that was one of the scariest moments of my entire life. I just stood in the hall, with a death grip on my mom’s hand, praying out loud that God would heal him, watch over him, be with him, make his heart beat normally, anything to save him…

I can now report that my dad is stable and doing well. He’s in CCU at St. Johns, but at 1:30am, his heart began a normal sinus rhythm. He’s on two meds to keep his heart rate normal until they determine exactly what is wrong. We just heard that his angiogram came back normal!! Praise God. His heart is very healthy with no blockages. At this point, they believe his problems are “electrical.” I don’t know if he faces surgery, but I will post again soon with an update.

In the meantime, thank you for your prayers!

Sharing Christ with an Obama staff member...

2008-09-12T08:31:00.002-05:00

Click here to be inspired. This is what I love about Dare 2 Share and why I look forward to next year's conference... it's all about sharing Christ with others... THAT is why we're here. I need that reminder more often than not.

Jon had the opportunity to attend a Dare 2 Share luncheon this week at Hemingways in order to buy our youth group's tickets for next year's conference. I was so jealous... he got to hear Greg Stier speak and share his vision in a small room of people! I would have traded places with him that day if I could have...

Elmo, lady bugs and a backyard intruder!

2008-09-08T20:24:00.006-05:00

Two more cakes down! The first cake I made this weekend was for my friend, Teresa, who hosted a baby shower for a mom-to-be who decorated her nursery with pink and brown ladybugs. Below are pictures from the JC Penney web site of the adorable nursery bedding. I love making cakes when I have a theme, and even pictures, for inspiration. So much fun.

The second cake I made was for our nephew's 2nd birthday. (He is, by the way, the cutest, smartest baby on earth!) This was my first cake using a shaped pan. So, for fun, I took a picture of the cake before icing it. (Side note: the white gunk on the bottom of the cake is not mold - it's flour). I am now a fan of shaped pans! It made the decorating very simple and fun. The hardest part of both cakes was coloring the icing dark colors. Not an easy task.

And, now for my intruder story... Around 1am Saturday night (or should I say Sunday morning) I heard Pua barking incessently. I waited a couple of minutes and began to realize that it wasn't her normal "chasing a possum up a tree" sort of bark. So, I nudged Jon and told him that I was heading outside to see what she was barking at. Well, Jon could sleep through a freight train crashing into our home, so my nudge and quick comment did nothing to help him wake up. How I wish I could go back to that moment and yelp loud enough to wake him. Anyway, I flipped on the porch light and headed out onto the deck. I could barely see Pua barking at the back fence. So, I called her to me. Once she was convinced that she was not in trouble for barking, she came to me, wagging her tail. Then I focused on the back fence and as my eyes adjusted I realized there was a man almost on top of our fence - coming from the house behind us. We've had trouble in the past with a couple of kids tormenting our dogs through/over the fence, so I was immediately angry. So, I yelled "What do you think you're doing to my dog?!?" The man then proceeds to... jump INTO my backyard!! I don't think the seriousness of the situation occurred to me until it was all over. But, here is this man in my backyard, with his hands in the air yelling, "I'm sorry maam. I'm sorry. I'm just trying to hop into my back yard. I live right there (pointing to the backyard of our next door neighbors)." As he was talking, he scaled our 6ft. privacy fence in one giant leap, it seemed. It all happened so fast, and I must have been half asleep. Because I stood there like a stunned dummy. After praising Puanani for her protection of our property, I headed indoors to REALLY wake Jon up. I said, "I think you need to know what just happened." His first reaction was, "What?!!!?? Why didn't you wake me?" So, after some defensiveness on my side, and much frustration on his, I agreed to shake him awake if anything similar happens again. By the next morning, the incident was still eating at Jon. So, he called the city police department. Apparently, our intruder was on the run from the cops for stealing gas. And, thankfully.... they caught him shortly after! He even ratted out an accomplice.

So, that was my "exciting" story from this weekend. Hopefully this next weekend is much less eventful. Jon finally has a Saturday off so we hope to have a date day and spend quality time together. After the backyard intruder, maybe we should head to the shooting range for some target practice?!?

Itchin' to live in Rogersville?

2008-09-02T19:32:00.006-05:00

Well, if you are, have we got a home for you! Okay, I'm just teasing. We really do have our home for sale... but I'd say it's the perfect buy for any first time home buyers. It went "live" on the internet last week and we continue to hold our breaths to see if this really is going to work out. Only time will tell. Sometimes I wish God would let me peek a few months into the future. I'm so nosey. :) But, seriously, if we miss out on the house that we have a contract on, we will be very disappointed. I've been keeping an eye on the housing market in Nixa and just don't see anything that's as great of a deal as the one we want so badly. At this point, it's out of our hands, and it's driving me crazy.

For fun, I thought I'd share the description our realtor posted on the net and some pictures she took. Think of it as a tour through the Brownwood's home. :)

...Great architectural features in this 1350 sq ft home. Entry way has a lighted art niche which is repeated in different rooms in the home. Kitchen/dining is so roomy with a great pantry in the separate utility room. Living room has a gas fireplace (can be converted to wood) with soaring ceilings for an open and airy feel. Master bedroom has interesting ceiling treatment with the MB having high ceilings and walk-in closet for tons of storage. Loads of entertaining space on the 16x24 deck and all within your own privacy fenced back yard. Call and take a look, you won't be disappointed!!...

Well, that concludes your tour. :)

I had a very b-o-r-i-n-g Labor Day weekend. Jon had to work all weekend, so I spent most of that time at home by myself. This is normally a luxury for me. But, too much of a good thing can make a person stir crazy. I've got a busy week ahead - two cakes and possibly a quick trip to Silver Dollar City on Friday night.

Have a great week!

~Stephanie

Whirlwind

2008-08-23T01:17:00.002-05:00

It's after 1am and I just can't seem to go to sleep. I started changing my blog a couple of hours ago and I just couldn't stop. We now have wireless internet at home so I can blog from bed. Dangerous. I'll try not to make a habit of it. Jon is snoozing next to me. He has to be up for work in just 4 hours. If he wakes up to the chatter of my clicking keys, he's sure to have a fit... until he nods off to sleep again .05 seconds later. I think I'm safe.

What a crazy year 2008 has turned out to be. It's just proven to me that I can plan my life out to the greatest detail, but you just never know what's around each corner. I won't bore you with too many details. But, medically, it's been a tough year for me. It started with a back injury from a car accident 9 months ago. Thankfully my back slowly healed after a month of physical therapy. Then, one of my doctors discovered a growth on my thyroid (didn't even know until then that my thyroid was located on my neck...silly me). After being told that an ultra sound showed multiple nodules on the growth, I then had to "patiently" wait 4 months to see an endocrinologist. In the meantime, I had the pleasure of experiencing my first-ever kidney stone. It took them 4 days to determine that it was too big for me to pass so I had surgery in June. Fast forward 8 weeks, and I'm finally able to see my endocrinologist. I was diagnosed with two conditions that have been at war on my thyroid for only God knows how long. After waiting 4 months, I was immediately referred to a surgeon who scheduled a surgery for the following week to have my entire thyroid removed. That was two weeks ago and I'm back to feeling "normal". 5 days after my surgery, the doctor called to tell me the results of the pathology report... not a trace of cancer on my thyroid.

This year has been a season of testing my faith. I've always been a control freak, a planner, a type-A personality. But when my good health was stripped away at various times, I lost all control. But, I know who was in control... and I've relied on Him more this year than I have for a long time. God is so good. And, He's blessed me with such a loving husband and family. Jon has been there for me every step of the way. I feel more sorry for him than anyone else through all of this. I can't experience him having the flu without crying (seriously, I have issues), so I'm not sure I would have been as brave in his shoes. My parents have been a huge help lately, too. Much of this happened in the midst of our preparations to sell our house. They stepped in and kept things moving along. And, Jon's family has treated me as one of their own. I've been flooded with love and support and for that I am so grateful. It was humbling for me to accept the help, but I'm grateful nonetheless.

Tonight we attended the graduation for the 58th Springfield Police Academy. Jon's best friend, Clint, graduated from the Academy and will begin his new job with the Springfield Police Department this weekend. I know Clint will be great at his new job and will minister to thousands of people as he does it. I can only hope to do a ride-along with him someday... :)

Because of the two surgeries this year, I'm down to very little vacation time until 2009. Our biggest priority this year is a trip to see my brother and his wife in Nashville in October. We haven't been to Nashville since their wedding two years ago. So, I'm anxious to see them in their newly remodeled home and just spend time together.

We also have a lot of youth events planned this fall... At the end of September we've planned a youth & family camping trip to our favorite site - Cedar Ridge at Stockton Lake. I think Jon is going to take the boat and the kids will sign up for time slots to spend time on the lake skiing, tubing or fishing. (Praying for mild weather!) I'm excited about our worship time on this trip, too. We're going to have devotions and worship music around the fire Saturday night. And, if all goes well - a sunrise communion service on Sunday morning. It should be memorable.

The youth will also be taking their annual trip to the corn maze. That was fun and s-c-a-r-y last year. So, I can't wait. A little s-c-a-r-y never hurt anyone, right?

I should hurry and finish this post before the clock strikes 2...

Our house is currently for sale by owner but we will list it with our realtor in the next two weeks. Be praying that it sells - if this move, and the new house are in God's design.

I've got two cakes coming up... a baby shower cake with pink and brown ladybugs and an Elmo cake for the world's cutest nephew - who turns two next month. I'll post pics as soon as they're complete.

One quick mention... Thank you to LeeLou blogs for my new, cheery blog design. She has tons of free blog templates for your use. You can check out her web page here. There is also a link at the bottom of this page. You are talented LeeLou!

G'night!!

Steph

P.S. I'm already looking forward to my fresh pot of coffee in the morning. I finally bought a new, modern coffee pot that allows me to make it the night before and program the brewing for the next morning. Ah, it's the little things in life... God bless you and yours.

We're on the move!!

2008-08-02T22:29:00.005-05:00

Whew... we finally did it. We made the decision to move to Nixa. It helped that we found a great deal on a house in a neighborhood we love. We signed the contract on the house today (contingent on the sale of our home). We will have our home on the market in the next week or so. Jon, my dad and his dad have been working diligently to prepare it for showing. We're hoping that fresh paint, sparkling siding and a clean lawn will help it to sell, sell, sell. If you think of us, please say a prayer that our house will sell very quickly. The owners of the home we're buying are giving us until November 1st to sell our home.

We have given this a lot of time, consideration and prayer. And, we made the decision simultaneously after a recent youth convention. We attended a round-table discussion for youth leaders and workers. Several of them stressed the fact that they built solid relationships with the kids in their youth groups by opening their home to the teens. God pricked both of our hearts and we came home knowing that a move was the right decision. Now I just hope and pray that this situation works out and we're in Nixa by fall. Only time will tell...

I took some pictures today at our (...if all goes well...) new house... One of my favorite parts of the house is the screened-in porch...

Headed to bed... We've got a big day tomorrow.

Cardinals, Cupcakes and a Cracker Barrel Surprise!

2008-07-09T12:18:00.007-05:00

Just a quick update...

Last week we attended a Springfield Cardinals game. It was a lot of fun... and even included some exciting innings. The ballpark and team are a great addition to our city!

I baked some cupcakes last week for a coworker's birthday. And, I had the opportunity to use a gift that my mom surprised me with at the end of our Women of Faith trip. When we stopped at Cracker Barrel, I admired a cake and cupcake display. During the meal, Mom slipped out and bought the cupcake tree for me and a set of cupcake boxes. I hope to use those soon, too! Thanks Mom!!! I'll have to be careful what I admire around you from now on... :)

A beautiful day in Rogersville!

2008-06-29T14:21:00.002-05:00

Hello all! Any of you living in this part of Missouri probably already know what a BEAUTIFUL Sunday we were blessed with today. Most of you know that I am not a fan of summer. It's my least favorite season. But, when the weather is like this, I could enjoy it year round... The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the clouds are puffy white, the grass is a gorgeous green and... the temperature is only 78!! P-E-R-F-E-C-T.

I have a ritual that I like to do almost every Sunday that Jon is working. This was his first day back to work on a Sunday so it's been awhile. But, I almost always head straight from church to his workplace and pick him up for lunch. Since we can't enjoy the morning worship service together, we at least like to have lunch together to connect for the day. After dropping him back off at work, I usually take the long way home and avoid all highways. I drive on farm roads the whole way home. Today was especially beautiful and peaceful. I listened to a Focus on the Family radio program the other day on how we're so used to having constant stimulation of our attention and thoughts. When I'm in the car, I normally have the radio blaring. When I'm at home I like to have the TV on. But, I've been trying for the last few days to make a conscious effort to drown out all sounds so that I can just "be." This isn't always the most comfortable thing to do... I tend to hear God speak to me more in those moments and I'm able to talk openly with Him. When all is quiet around me, I'm forced to evaluate my thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc. I tend to do that more lately anyway... I don't know if it's because I turned 30 recently or what, but I'm constantly praying for the strength the be the best wife, daughter, sister and friend that I can be. I often fall short. But I want to be in constant communication with God on how I can be a better me. I don't want to waste this short life He's given me.

Anyway, back to my drive home... I was on a beautiful, winding, country road and came around a bend just in time to encounter a deer and her two spotted babies. They were getting ready to hop across the road as my car came careening around the corner. Thank heavens I was able to slow down and they ran back into the woods on their side of the highway. But, just seeing them made my heart happy. I love animals. I kept driving and even saw an eagle before reaching home. Someday I would love to own some land on one of those highways and build a house with a huge front porch. That is my dream home... nothing big... just a huge porch on some beautiful land.

Alright, I've got a few hours to myself this afternoon and plenty of to-do's to keep me busy. Let's see - chores or a nap, chores or a nap,... what to do! :) Since I'm not a big fan of naps, I'll probably piddle around the house.

Happy Sunday!

Stephanie

Crazy 10 Days

2008-06-22T15:34:00.006-05:00

It's been a crazy and eventful 10 days. We left for St. Louis on Friday, 6/13, to attend the Women of Faith Conference. They put on a great conference. It is well worth the money. I laughed, cried, worshiped,... There is just something about being in a stadium full of women, hearing stories and guidance from the Women of Faith "porch pals", that is encouraging and inspiring.

I enjoyed hearing Natalie Grant and Nicole C Mullen perform. Natalie Grant has an amazing voice. I actually purchased her latest CD after returning home. My favorite part of Nicole's performance was a duet she sang with her daughter called, "Black White Tan." Nicole is married to a white man and has adopted a couple of boys. You can click here to see a video of this performance.

I left with a book written by Sheila Walsh called, "Get Off Your Knees and Pray." Prayer is an area that I've been struggling with lately... not the act of praying but the meaning and purpose of it. I know it sounds crazy since I grew up in church and became a Christian at the age of 8. But, I sometimes wonder what the point of it is when God already has it all planned out. I don't mean that in a cynical way. I trust Him with my life and my future. But, it's something I think about all of the time right now. There is one area of our lives in which I really struggle with the meaning of prayer. When I heard some of the topics discussed in the book, "Does prayer really change God's mind?", "What is the purpose of prayer if God already knows the future?", I knew the book was for me. I haven't had the time since the conference to begin the book, but I am anxious to do so.

Shortly after returning home, it was time to start a big cookie project. My friend and co-worker, Stacy, was married yesterday and I agreed to make 120 cookies as favors for every guest at her wedding. It was a fun, but lengthy project.

Now it's Sunday afternoon. Jon is taking a nap and I decided to blog before it's time to head back to church for our teen small groups. Right now the girls are split up from the guys. We're studying "Every Young Man's Battle" and "Every Young Woman's Battle." I wish they'd taught us material like this when I was growing up. It's enlightening.

I'm looking forward to a few weeks of free weekends. Unfortunately Jon is back to working on the weeknds for awhile. I miss him when he's not here with me. But, we're hoping to spend some long weekends together throughout the rest of this year.

I hope that all of you are enjoying a wonderful, summer weekend.

Take care,
Steph

My moment of fame...

2008-06-19T13:48:00.003-05:00

I received a very vague email from my Dad today. It said, "Can I have your autograph, now that you're so famous?" I was so confused. He then replied, "Kindly refer to page 7A of today's News-Leader." After turning up nada by researching the online version of the paper, I begged for more details, and finally, (and unfortunately), stumbled upon what he was talking about. It was like finding a needle in a haystack. I realize my dad is detailed, but how on earth did he find me in the paper? Below is a picture taken at our church's VBS one evening. I was only there for one night, to help with the pre-K class. As I remember, the moment this picture was taken, I was chasing after some stray three-year-olds. I realize that it's like playing "Where's Waldo", but if you take a look at the upper right hand corner of the picture, you'll see me in my seriously-bright-green shirt (yikes!) and grey pants. (No time to change after work). If you ever need help finding a miniscule detail in the Springfield paper, just give my Dad a call.

Randomness

2008-06-11T17:54:00.002-05:00

I wish I had something really intelligent to blog about. But, I think that might require intelligence. :) I just realized I hadn't blogged in awhile and kind of missed it.

I was out of commission for a short time because of a kidney stone. But, after some morphine, a quick surgery and a few days off of work - I am good to go! :) Seriously, I don't recommend kidney stones and I'm praying I never experience that again. I'm drinking enough water now to float myself to China. One of my coworkers laughingly told me today that maybe water caused kidney stones. Not funny, dude. Not funny.

We're as busy as ever. I'm leaving this weekend for the annual Women of Faith conference in St. Louis. Since I was off work for awhile, I've been dreading the two days away from home. But, day by day, I feel better about everything and I know I won't regret going. It's always a fun and uplifting trip. I'll share pictures as soon as I return.

Once I get home, I've got to start on a cookie project. My friend (and co-worker) is getting married next Saturday and I'm making a cookie for every guest at the wedding (100+). The cookies will be shaped in the bride & groom's last initial - "B" - iced in a sea-blue that matches the bridesmaids' dresses. Now if I can only get the icing to actually match... That part makes me a little nervous. I'll post pics as soon as I'm done.

Well, that's about it for now. I'm going to leave you with a cool picture. I took this at the Newsboys concert I attended earlier this year with two of my best girlfriends. Mindy edited the photo and I think the effect is really neat... Good job Mindy!

Our Missouri boy, David Cook!

2008-05-22T12:31:00.004-05:00

He won it! I was actually quite surprised but ecstatic. I thought Archuleta would win for sure. But, America chose the best performer, in my opinion. David Cook's reaction was humble and I think he may have been truly surprised, too. I thought that Simon's comments on Tuesday night about him being genuinely the nicest contestant they've ever had on the show was great to hear. I heard a DJ this morning say that David Cook could become this generation's Bruce Springsteen. I, for one, will be anxious for the release of his first CD...

My favorite parts of finale week? My absolute favorite part, other than DC winning the whole thing, had to be the video of Gladys Knight & The Pips... The Pips played by Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Robert Downy Jr. If you missed the video, just click here for a great laugh...

One disturbing part of last night's finale was when Carrie Underwood decided to come out and perform but forgot and left her pants in the dressing room.

And, in honor of the end of Season 7, I must make a confession pertaining to American Idol... I absolutely LOVE Simon Cowell. If it weren't for his presence on the show, his "telling it like it is" and the fact that everyone seems to hate him, I probably wouldn't bother to watch. So, let's hope he comes back next year.

I'm looking forward to Memorial Day weekend. Jon and I decided to go on a last minute get-away weekend to Branson... not too far from home but just enough out of the orinary to be relaxing and special. I hope you all have a safe and relaxing holiday weekend.

I finally found my camera!

2008-05-20T12:25:00.007-05:00

Woo hoo! I finally found my new camera. First, my old camera drowned in a river in Alaska. (Poor thing!) Then, Jon was kind enough to replace it with a new, nicer camera. I then lost the charger and couldn't access my pictures. Jon recently found the charger in a laundry basket of unmatched socks (Organized, huh?... I won't mention the time that he found my Franklin Covey planner in an ice chest in the garage... These are the things that happen when Jon "cleans" the car or the house... It cracks me up... but I'm no saint!). Once Jon found the charger, I went in search of my camera to upload some pictures to the net. L-o-s-t! I've been looking for it for weeks now. And, I finally found it in my backpack in the corner of our closet. Whew! I'm so relieved.

So, I decided to post some random photos taken so far this year. Here goes...

I took some pictures of the flooding over Highway 60 and thought that some of you might like to see it... We had to take a detour around this part of the highway for over a week... On the second picture, you can see the road coming up out of the water.

Here is a picture of the stadium in St. Louis during the Dare 2 Share Conference.

My Valentine's Day flowers from Jon... So thoughtful...

A recent picture of our ferocious pit bull...

Some cupcakes I made for a friend at work on her birthday. So easy and fun!

Well, I guess that's it for now. Did any of you make your own JibJab movies? Share the wealth! :) We're gearing up for a busy, busy summer. We've got youth activities planned throughout the summer and into the fall. And, we're trying to schedule a trip to Nashville. I'm also trying my best to schedule a weekend to go camping.

Now that my camera is fixed, I'll have to post updates more often. They're always more fun with pictures.

God bless,
Stephanie

Pictures of the Year

2008-05-01T12:44:00.004-05:00

I received an email from my mom earlier this week of National Geographic's pictures of the year. I chose a few of my favorites to post below. Aren't they sweet?

I haven't been posting much about American Idol lately. Between the monotony of hearing them sing only Neal Diamond songs this week and the torture of hearing Paula speak, I haven't really been inspired. I will say - now that Brooke is gone (I know, I know... she's not the best singer... but I loved her) the only person I'm cheering for is David Cook. Only time will tell.

Is anyone else watching Lost? Is it not getting more and more bizarre as the weeks go by? I used to have theories on what I thought was happening. But, it's become so complicated that I now feel like a 5th grader every week as I watch each episode. I'm hanging in there, though. I want to see how the 6 made it off the island and whether they return!?!

Although I'm a huge fan of winter, I am very much looking forward to planting some flowers at home. I'm assuming we're past the danger of a freeze?

Well, my lunch break is coming to a close. Happy spring to you all!

JibJab

2008-04-24T14:01:00.010-05:00

Hello all! I've been meaning to share this for quite some time. I heard about JibJab on the radio a few months ago. After creating a few videos of my own, I sat watching them and laughed until I had tears running down my face. I made one video of my dad and Jon in hula outfits doing a slow dance. Unfortunately, I don't have that video to share. But I do have the videos below. I cropped the faces of me, Jon and both of my parents. I hope you enjoy the dances as much as I do... (NOTE: These will be easier to view if you stop the music at the bottom of my blog. They each take a minute to load...) If you make any JibJab movies of your own, I'd love to see them. Our email address is to the right. Enjoy!

Click here to see video #1.

Click here to see video #2.

It's the simple things in life

2008-04-15T13:06:00.002-05:00

I must say - sometimes it's the simple things in life that can bring us so much pleasure... I just had lunch at Sonic and am still sipping my new favorite beverage... blackberry tea. Yummy. It's like a bright, happy moment in the midst of a normal workday.

I've got to admit, I'm not looking forward to American Idol tonight as much as I was a week ago. I never mentioned this on my blog. But, I was completely ticked off last week when Michael was sent home. He was in my top 3 and there are several people that should have left the show before he did (namely Kristy, the country singer). Bah humbug.

I'm looking forward to this weekend. It's supposed to be dry and in the 70s and on Saturday we're headed off to either Silver Dollar City, the Cardinals game or both! Can't wait.

Well, my lunch break is over so I'm headed back to my workday reality. But, I'm taking my blackberry tea with me. :)

Weekend

2008-04-14T12:27:00.003-05:00

We had a great weekend! My brother and his wife made a last-minute trip home and we spent all day on Saturday at my parent's house. We talked, ate, played Monopoly, caught up with old friends, made home-made pizzas and had a great time. The days that I spend with our families are my absolute favorites. There is nothing better...

We also had a great day at church yesterday. Pastor Gary's message was encouraging - reminding us all of God's faithfulness and power to perform miracles. They played a video clip of a reenactment of Matthew 8:23-27, when Jesus calms the storms. The disciples are losing it (as I often do...LOL) and frantically wake Jesus up because they're scared of drowning. I love what He says, "You of little faith. Why are you so afraid?" Then BAM - all is calm. That's just like God. All you have to do it ask for Him to be present, and all becomes still. He brings a peace like no other can provide. He's amazing. I loved the clip because after Jesus calms the storms, one of the disciples starts laughing and says, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and waves obey him!" I laughed along with the actor because I could relate to his joy. God's power is amazing and should bring us all joy and laughter!!

I want to post one particular picture from this weekend. We were in the middle of a Monopoly game when Mom decided to take some pictures. And, for some reason I was giving my brother that "older sister" look. Embarrassingly enough, it was caught in this picture. I have no idea what the look was for. But, I thought I would share... It brings me back to old times when we used to fight like crazy.

You Never Let Go

2008-04-11T16:32:00.002-05:00

For any of you that have never tried using Pandora radio, you should give it a shot! I use it at work every day. It sets up a radio station custom built for you after you've entered all of your favorite artists and songs. The station then plays songs and artists similar to your current favorites and you can give them either a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. The longer you use it, and provide feedback, the better the station becomes. I love just about every type of music - from blue grass to southern gospel, classical, rock & roll, pop, blues, etc... I can't get enough of music. I especially love contemporary worship... it ministers to me in a special way. I've been known to burst into tears, just hearing a song about God's love for me. I was reminded again just a few moments ago when I heard the song "You Never Let Go" by Matt Redman. I'd like to share some of the lyrics because they spoke straight to me today...

Even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low.
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

Updates

2008-04-10T06:27:00.005-05:00

I wanted to update everyone on my last two prayer requests. Great news - my dad is fine! Based on the tests, he did not have a brain aneurysm as he had feared. His family doctor did some more tests and dad has been feeling fine ever since. What a relief for him and the rest of our family.

I spoke to my nurse yesterday and unfortunately the ultra sound from my thyroid came back abnormal. So, I'm being referred to an endocrinologist for further testing (possibly more scans and a biopsy). Yesterday was not easy. The fear I experienced during the exam (because I just knew they'd found something by the way they were acting) came creeping back yesterday. I'm feeling much more peaceful today, though... Let's hope that lasts past 6:30am. :) Jon has been my rock through all of this. When I heard the news yesterday I just wanted to be with him. I asked him to come home with me rather than going to church because I just needed time with him.

So, thank you all for your prayers. And, I'd covet any more prayers in regards to the tests of my thyroid.

Today I am going to focus on one of my favorite bible scriptures whenever I'm feeling scared...

"So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10

Also, I've been anxious to post some pictures from 2008 but I have a new camera and cannot seem to find the adapter that allows me to upload pictures to my computer. I'm going to make that a priority so I can share pictures from the last few months. Until then, I thought I'd share a couple of older pictures that I came across today as I was looking through my computer...

Prayer Requests

2008-04-08T06:00:00.004-05:00

I've been debating as to whether I should even post this on our blog. But, why not post on my "bad" days as well as my "good" days. Let's be real, right?

I'm up at 5:15am because I can't sleep. I can't sleep because, well, I'm scared. I went to the Martin Center yesterday to have an ultra sound performed on my thyroid... At a recent appointment, my doctor discovered that my thyroid is enlarged. Not being much of a fan of anatomy or biology, I didn't even know that your thyroid is in your neck. It's supposed to be the size of a small butterfly below your adam's apple. Well, my thyroid has a growth the size of half of a lemon on the left side of my neck. Ugh...

To be honest, this didn't even worry me when my doctor first found it. I don't know why it didn't occur to me to be worried. I did some reading on the internet and discovered that this occurs in 1 out of 50 women and 1 out of 100 men. So, I've been pretty relaxed about the whole ordeal. But, yesterday, as I lay on the gurney for 45 minutes, while they took dozens and dozens of pictures with an ultra sound, fear began to work it's way up my spine and I haven't been rid of it since. Common sense tells me that this test was just a precaution. But, my worst fears have a way of taking hold.

I know that fear does not come from God. But, it's something I've always struggled with, having a type A personality. I want to control everything around me to some degree. But I can't control the test results. I know that it's extremely unlikely that the growth is much of anything. And, regardless of what results I receive this week, God is the same today as He was yesterday. He's still on His throne, regardless of what medical problems I face.

I'll update as soon as I hear from my doctor.

I just received a phone call from my mom... We had a scare with my dad this weekend. They thought he may have had a brain aneurism. After two tests, they determined that he did not. However, I just heard from my mom. He's having some symptoms this morning and is at his doctor's office right now. There is a history of aneurism's on my dad's side of the family. So, if you think of him today, please pray that the doctor's can determine what is wrong with him so that he doesn't live in constant fear.

Thank you for your prayers!

Molten hot

2008-03-26T08:20:00.007-05:00

"Molten hot"... that's what Randy said after hearing David Cook's performance of Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" on American Idol last night. David was definitely the best performance of the night. He changed "Billy Jean" to the point that it was almost unrecognizable. But, it was great!! I just had to laugh at Randy's description.

Michael Johns was also incredible, performing "We Are the Champions!" The most distracting part of last night's episode was Paula.... her tattered clothes, her confusing speech and her fingerless gloves that looked like black trash bags wrapped around each arm. Weird! Every time she starts to talk, I get a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach - just wondering how crazy she's going to sound after each performance. Last night she could hardly put a coherent sentence together. Frustrating!!

Well, the water over Highway 60 finally receded. So, I can actually make it to work in 20 minutes instead of 45. Whew.... what a relief.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-22T21:35:00.004-05:00

Happy Easter to all of you! I am looking forward to a special day tomorrow, even though Jon has to work. The older I am, the more Easter really means to me. If it weren't for the sacrifice of Jesus, I would be nothing... a worthless sinner. But, because of His free gift of salvation, I am, at the very least, His child... and He's given me the undeserving gift of being the Lord of my life and promising me an eternity in Heaven to be with Him. Hallelujah! So I'm looking forward to praising Him tomorrow for how loving, unbelievable, sacrificing and holy He is!!

Jon has to work but has decided to attend the Easter service at Second Baptist during his "lunch break." His family all attend SB and I know that it will be a great service. Although we cannot be together, I'm especially thankful this year that I am married to a man that loves God and serves Him every day. Jon is an example to me of how to live your life for Christ. I am more and more proud of him as I watch him serve at church as the months go by.

Our youth services are changing formats on Sundays. Instead of a normal Sunday School class before the AM service, we'll have a contemporary youth service for one hour... with all ages of teens together in one service. We'll end the service with group prayer - which our youth pastor hopes will set the tone for worship in the all-church service later in the morning. Then, in the evenings, instead of gathering for youth bible study, we'll be breaking into small groups. Our first division of groups will be girls and guys. We'll be teaching "Every Young Man/Woman's Battle." These lessons are not in every one's "comfort zone" but I think and hope that they'll be beneficial for everyone.

Well, I'll close for now since it's time for bed. I'm helping on the worship team tomorrow so I need to be up bright and early! But what a great day - Easter - ♫ to rise and shine and give God the glory! ♫

Stephanie

Flooding

2008-03-18T21:10:00.006-05:00

Well, here we are. I'm sitting on my parents' couch, wearing my PJs and watching American Idol with everyone. For those of you that don't live in this area - we are in the middle of a flood. When my alarm went off this morning, the radio station came on, and I heard the DJ talking specifically about our town and there being water over the highway... the only major highway from our home to Springfield. With this much flooding, there is no way to safely drive the farm roads. Thankfully we made it into town just fine. There was a line of cars on the highway - waiting to cross the water one at a time.

But, throughout the day, the flooding has become progressively worse. Since the rain is supposed to continue through the night, we decided to spend the night here at my parents' to give me a better chance of making it into work tomorrow morning. We'll be lucky if we're not all stuck here tomorrow. I've heard that the water is close to covering the road on 160 and at the interchange of 60 and 65.

Mom and Dad treated us to a fun dinner. And, Jon is conked out on one of their new recliners.

Anyone else watching tonight's episode of AI? I think that Brooke remains my favorite. The judges didn't like her song this week as much as last week's. But, she has a great voice and seems like such a nice person. Here is a picture of her...

Well, I'll close for now. I've got to find a devotion to present to the teens during tomorrow night's service.

I hope that everyone is having a great week!

Idol chit chat

2008-03-14T12:41:00.003-05:00

My thoughts on this week's episode.

1. Brooke is my favorite female artist! The girl can sing, play piano, play guitar... and she seems genuine. Go Brooke!

2. Chikezie had the best performance this week. I'm partial to any song that begins with a little bluegrass. In Randy's words... "Chikezie smashed it!". That he did.

3. I felt sorry for David Archuleta this week. He's one of my favorites this season. I read an article today that his father probably had something to do with his "poor" performance this week. The night before, during rehearsals, his dad was yelling at him back stage and actually brought David to tears. He seems so sweet and his voice is angelic. Maybe not a good song pick this week - but still a great artist!

4. Jason Castro is another one of my favorites males (the guy with the dreadlocks!). Does anyone else think that in the face he resembles a young John Travolta. Take a close look... am I crazy!?!

5. My other favorites include: Michael Johns, David Cook and Carly Smithson.

6. And, last, but not least, isn't it about time for "skunk head" (Amanda Overmyer) to head home?

On another topic... HAPPY 33rd ANNIVERSARY Mom & Dad!!

Reviews

2008-03-03T11:15:00.003-06:00

So, I'm a huge Jane Austen fan. Pride & Prejudice is one of my favorite movies, along with Emma, Sense & Sensibility... well, you get the picture. But, I just watched "Becoming Jane" yesterday and I was very disappointed. I should have stopped myself from watching it because I know just enough about Jane's life to know that it wouldn't have a happy ending. But, I've been down in the dumps since watching the movie yesterday. I guess because I'm such a movie-lover, I get way too involved in the plots.

On the upside, I've come across the best TV show I've ever seen. I did not watch Lost from the beginning but stood by and observed as co-workers were shaking with excitement on Thursdays in anticipation of each new episode. Jon and I rented the pilot a couple of years ago and Jon was definitely not impressed. He can't tolerate an ounce of sci-fi. And, to be honest, I've never been a sci-fi fan. But, a month or so ago, I was on bed rest for one weekend because of an injury, and I rented the first season. And, now I must confesss...My name is Stephanie and I am a Lost addict. :) I'm almost caught up to the current episodes and that just stinks! I'm spoiled by my FF button on my DVD player. Now I'm going to be like all other fans... waiting 7 long days after each week's cliff-hanger and distracted with anticipation of a new episode every Thursday. Stink!

Typical Tuesday

2008-02-05T07:06:00.001-06:00

It's just a typical Tuesday in my world. I just arrived at work. I came in early this morning to make up for leaving early this Friday for our youth trip to St. Louis. Should be interesting at the very least. Hopefully we'll have some fun and interesting stories to share. But, more importantly, I hope that it allows all of us to be reminded of God's love and sacrifice for us. We have several teens attending this year that are not Christians. I hope and pray that the conference will be powerful and life changing for them.

I just have to say - I am loving my new job!! I had forgotten what it's like to look forward to coming into work every day. I work with some great people, too. I am so blessed. I was just thinking yesterday that I could be at a new, unfamiliar place of employment right now. But, instead, I'm doing the work I love (that I've been in for 6 years), and I'm working with people that I like and respect. God is so good!!

Jon was pleasantly surprised when his closest friends threw him a surprise birthday party last Friday. It was difficult for me to keep quiet about it. It was so nice of them to go to the trouble. And, I know that Jon appreciated it very much! We played a game that I'd never played before... Buzzword. If you haven't played it, you should try it out. I need to buy more games. That is one of my favorite things to do... play games with our families and friends. It doesn't get much better than that!

We've been talking about taking a vacation this year. We're hoping to do something with Jon's family in late summer... we've talked about driving to Florida or renting a condo in Branson and just staying close to home for a long weekend. Either one would be fun! I asked Jon if we could rent jet skis at the lake. He sort of gave me that look that says, "If I let you on a jet ski, you'll break your neck." He may be right. But, I hope he'll change his mind! :)

Well, I'll close for now. I just felt like rambling and since I'm here alone for another hour, what better way than to start bloggin'...

One quick reminder... DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!!

Take care,
Steph

Funny baby video...

2008-01-10T12:44:00.000-06:00

I just received this video by email and it brightened my day. Watch the baby when the daddy says, "Give me the evil eye!". Too cute. Babies make everything so much more fun!

It's a new year.... and I'm back!

2008-01-09T11:33:00.001-06:00

Hello world! It's 2008 and I'm back to blogging again! You wouldn't believe how crazy my life has been over the last six months. I haven't had the time or the desire to be online very much. But, I'm happy to say that my home life should be much improved in 2008! I'll explain more about that later. But, first, I'd like to catch everyone up on how the Brownwoods spent their fall in 2007.

First of all, Jon took his infamous trip to Alaska. I have to say - it was very difficult to say goodbye to him and to be without him for two weeks. However, I was excited at the opportunity he had to take his dream hunting trip. Their flights to Alaska were long but fairly uneventful. When Jon called me the morning they headed to the river, I could hear the excitement in his voice. He was fired up! Early on in their excursion, however, Jon was trying to help maneuver one of the rafts into the water and the situation quickly became dangerous. The current almost pulled him under the raft and would have trapped him there if he hadn't hung on for dear life. But, by hanging on in the midst of the current, Jon's shoulder was pulled out of socket - at least partially. It sounds like it was very painful. But, I'm so thankful that God heard my prayers and he was saved from what could have been a life or death situation. Thankfully his shoulder healed a little more every day during his trip.

Unfortunately, he was unable to kill a moose, bear or caraboo. They did see a moose and hunted after it - but with no luck. Jon did see a pack of wolves and some eagles! He's talked often of how BIG the Alaska country is. He says that the pictures don't even do it justice. I've posted the best of his photos in a new album that you can access here or through the link to your right. Overall, it was a good trip and he looks forward to taking another one someday. On this trip, they traveled down the river every day and set up a new camp every night. On the next trip, Jon is hoping to have one base camp to return to every night so they can spend more time hunting. It wouldn't have been a "Brownwood" excursion if at least one funny incident hadn't occurred. Towards the end of his trip, Jon fell into the river while wearing my digital camera on his belt. Surprisingly, he was able to save the memory card - which is why we still have photos to share! I'll post some of my favorites below...

As for me, my fall consisted mostly of work. Many of you know of my struggles working for the new company after the sale in May. They're nice people. But, my home life and my personality have suffered under the stress of the situation. I've been praying for several months for God to show me what He would have me to do. I didn't want to just quit without a peace that I had made the right decision. I honestly didn't feel like quitting was the right thing to do... that is, until 4 weeks ago. Several things came to a head that week and I felt like it was "now or never." After talking to Jon one day at lunch, I just felt such a peace about resigning... even though I didn't have another job lined up. For once, Jon was the nervous nelly and I was completely laid back about the situation. Within an hour of emailing my resignation, I felt so free and happy. I knew it was the right decision. I gave a month's notice and planned to hit the pavement looking for a new job. But, God had other plans. I've encountered His faithfulness many times in my life and He's pulled me through situations that I never dreamed I'd survive. So, I shouldn't have been surprised when He displayed His faithfulness in this situation. Within a week, I was offered a job with my former employer. I'll be doing the same accounting work that I love without having to run an entire department. This Friday is my last day with this company. And, Monday, I'll start my new job. I'm very excited!!

Unfortunately I haven't had the time to make any cakes since my last posting. I miss it. But, I already have a new one planned for Jon's birthday that's coming up... I'll post some pictures within a month or so.

We had a great Christmas and New Year's this year. It was fun, as always, to spend that time with family. My brother and his wife came for a visit the weekend after Christmas. Jon took all of us shooting at his parent's house on New Year's Eve. I'll post some picturse from that day below.

As for 2008, I'm counting on a better year! My priorities are to spend quality time with Jon, my family and friends and to clean and simplify our home. We're still busy as youth workers at church. We have our annual Dare to Share trip coming in a few weeks and Jon will be joining us this year (yeah!).

I hope that all of our loved ones are doing well. I want to close this post with an email I received from my good friend, Mindy. It made me smile and I think it's appropriate for the new year...

My wish for you in 2008: May peace break into your house and may thieves come to steal your debts. May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills. May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips! May your clothes smell of success like smoking tires and may happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy. May the problems you had forget your home address! In simple words... may 2008 be the best year of your life!!

God bless,
Stephanie

Baby Einstein Cake

2007-09-03T11:38:00.000-05:00

I made this cake for our nephew, Jacob's, first birthday party! The crazy cupcake characters were an afterthought. They don't really coincide with the Baby Einstein theme, but I thought the colors coordinated and I just couldn't resist. One of the cupcake characters became Jacob's smash cake. But, he was not too impressed with the cake or the icing. :) It was a great party. He's such a sweet, smart little boy.

I took this picture of my mom and grandma at our church carnival held at the end of August. Grandma stopped by to eat a hamburger. :)

We are busy today finalizing Jon's packing for his dream hunting trip. We'll be leaving for the airport tomorrow morning at 5:15am. He is so-ooo excited!! I am excited for him. And, while I'll enjoy a couple of days on my own, I am really going to miss having him here. We've enjoyed this long weekend together before he takes off. He will be home in two weeks so we'll post pictures sometime after that. He's hoping to come home with a trophy moose or bear. Actually, if he kills either one, it could take up to a year for an Alaskan taxidermy to finish the mount or bear rug. We'll post in a couple of weeks about his favorite moments. I would appreciate any of your prayers for his safety. I can't help but be worried and anxious. He's one of the safest people I know but every time I think of the dangers of the wildlife, the river and all of the guns, I get a little sick.

God bless,
Stephanie

Gingerbread Men

2007-08-22T15:34:00.000-05:00

I made some gingerbread cookies this week for a friend at church. She is a kindergarten teacher and the new school year begins tomorrow. I think it's pretty neat how she uses these cookies with her class. From my understanding, on the first day of school she takes her class on a "hunt" for the gingerbread man. They visit certain people in the school (the nurse, the principal, etc.) to find out if they have their gingerbread man. This helps them get to know the layout of the school and to meet some new people. By the time they return to their classroom, there is a gingerbread man waiting for each one of them at their desks.

The cookies are not actually gingerbread. They're sugar cookies in the shape of gingerbread men... I guess you could call them "Sugar Daddies" instead. *dork alert*

Before I sign off, I have two funny stories to share. The first one took place about 10 days ago at a Back to School Bash hosted for all of the teens at our church. It was a BBQ and Pool Party in one! Anyway, I had been enjoying the party, just sitting on the edge of the pool, soaking my feet while chatting away with various people. I didn't bring my swimsuit that evening so I was just wet from the ankles down. Later in the evening I noticed that several teen girls were gathered in the hot tub adjacent to the pool. I decided to go over and join them. So, I chatted for a minute while standing next to the hot tub and asked them if the water was really hot. They said no. So, I hiked up my gaucho pants and stuck my left foot in the water. *Important Note: My plan was to gracefully step down to the bench with both feet and then sit on the side of the hot tub.* Well, unfortunately, the "bench" was about a foot lower than I expected. So, my left leg gave way and DOWN I went. Two seconds has never lasted so long. I saw and felt it all in slow motion. I went ALL the way in... Oh, it was so graceful. All the way home that night I kept telling Jon, "I just can't believe I fell into the hot tub fully clothed. I just can't believe I..." His response? "I didn't actually see you fall. But, one minute you were just standing there and the next minute all I saw were your two feet in the air." Just call me Grace.

Aaaah, I'm not sure anything could top that embarrassment. But I have been laughing all day about something that happened this morning. I had agreed to take Jon to work this morning... which means hearing his alarm go off at 4:45am. At the time the alarm sounded, we were both facing each other as we slept. All of a sudden, I feel Jon start flapping around on my nose, face and ears. It took me a second but I realized that he thought my face was the alarm clock. I can't stop laughing even as I type this. So, I wanted to share the smiles.

Happy Wednesday...
Stephanie

Summer 2007

2007-08-11T14:21:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello! Believe it or not - we're still alive and kicking even though I haven't updated in quite awhile. :) Has every one's summer also gone by in the blink of an eye? I know that it's not over yet but it sure feels like fall will be here before we know it. (And, as usual, I'm anxious for the cooler weather that comes along with it!)

I wanted to update because I have several new pictures to share. And first off, here are some new pictures of Pua. I had the opportunity to take her picture as she decided to smile at me for a few seconds. She's so goofy. We get to see this smile at least a dozen times a day if we just ask for one. She knows what "smile" means and there are certain triggers that bring it on. But, I wanted to share the latest...

In mid-July, we took a weekend road trip to Chillicothe, Missouri for the wedding of Jon's close friend, Brian, and his fiance, Devon. It was nice for Jon to be with all of his great friends for the weekend and for both of us to be away from home for a couple of days. Below are some pictures of all of the "guys." Clint and Maggie are now back from their year-long mission work in Chile and I know that Jon is so happy to be near Clint again.

I really liked how this picture of Jon turned out...

Last weekend I made my first wedding cake. Whew! Talk about a lot of time and work. You can tell that the cake was made by an amateur but I wasn't completely mortified to deliver it to the reception site. My mom picked me up Saturday morning in her van to help me transport the cakes, which was extremely helpful!! All in all, it was a lot of fun to make and went much more smoothly than I anticipated. I had a few hiccups but I kept my cool. And, my mom was a lot of help. I thought I'd share a few pictures of the process... (what a mess!)

My #1 tip for anyone starting out in cake decorating... bake your cakes a week ahead of time and freeze them... especially if you're making multiple cakes. It sounds c-r-a-z-y but it was the best decision I made in this project. The cake was melt-in-your-mouth moist! Just the opposite of what you would expect. I researched opinions online before doing so. But, I was thrilled with the results. I think that there are a few tricks to doing this right:

#1... Thaw the cakes completely and level them before putting them in the freezer. This saves you so much time when it's time to construct and decorate them.

#2... Before freezing, wrap them a few times with stretchable plastic wrap (without compromising the shape of the cake). Then cover the plastic wrap with heavy-duty aluminum foil. This prevents freezer burn and smells from your freezer permeating the cakes.

#3... When you're ready to to thaw the cakes, set them on your counter top but leave them in their wrapping. I think this is the most important step of all. This prevents the moisture from evaporating from the cakes. Instead, the moisture is locked into the cake. Yummy!

#4... When you're ready to stack/construct your cakes, if they're still slightly frozen, it's much easier. Jon was a huge help in this process. The biggest cake was 12" across and I was extremely worried about it cracking down the middle. But, he helped a lot and we had a few laughs in the process. Jon also enjoyed all of the samples of cake and icing. :)

Whew! I'm glad it's done and it will be awhile before I agree to make another one. But, I'm glad I did it. Each cake was double high with icing in the middle. All in all, I baked 10 separate cakes using about 20 cake mixes, 3 dozen eggs, 14 cups of shortening and 14 pounds of powdered sugar.

Here are the results at the wedding reception. I would have loved to have seen them with flowers on top since the cakes were all white. Maybe on the next go-around...

We had a great time at the reception since we were with people who attend our church. I was so excited because a couple of the teen guys had agreed to help me coerce Jon onto the dance floor. We never had the opportunity but we still had fun. Here is a picture of Jon with Trevor. Trevor is a great teen. And, for some reason, he's a magnet to Jon. Jon isn't a "huggy" person (except with me - of course!) but Trevor loves to hang on him. I, for one, think it's very funny. So, I took a picture that I think turned out great.

Me with my grandma Bert.

My mom and my grandpa Truman.

Well, that's it for pictures this time around. My summer is mostly being spent at work. My boss is on maternity leave until early October. Thankfully I have a laptop now so it helps to be able to spend a good part of the extra hours at home rather than alone at work.

Jon is, of course, getting very excited about his big hunting trip. He leaves in just a few weeks. He's had some trouble with the rifle he's taking and is frustrated. He took it to Bass Pro and hired them to put a new barrel on it. Now they're afraid that it won't be finished in time for his trip. I'm praying they're wrong. I'm sure we'll share pictures when he returns.

I hope that everyone is having a great summer! If I've been bad about keeping in touch, I'm very sorry. With my long work weeks, baking the wedding cake, leading VBS music, etc., I've only been home to sleep lately. But, the extra things are starting to slow down. We're hoping to have some time off together this fall to do some camping and fishing. And, I'm anxious to see my brother and his wife. This Thanksgiving and Christmas should be a lot of fun... just to spend that quality time with family. Can you tell how much I love fall and winter?? I just can't wait...

God bless,

Stephanie

Pink dolphin

2007-07-03T18:08:00.001-05:00

I just thought this was so cute. It's on the front page of www.foxnews.com. I've never seen anything like it.... a pink dolphin spotted in the sea! Oh, and Happy 4th of July to all of you!

Hello world!

2007-06-21T20:17:00.000-05:00

My mom just reminded me this evening that it's been quite awhile since my last post. And, I have a few new pictures to share. I hope that all is well with all of you!

Last weekend, along with my mom, my great friend, Jennifer, and seven ladies from our church, I attended the Women of Faith conference in St. Louis. It was awesome. I regret waiting so long between conferences. And, I hope beyond hope that I can attend again next year. It is so uplifting to hear other, experienced Christian women speak about how Christ has lifted them out of whatever situation they're in, made His presence known, and brought them freedom in the midst of desperate situations. If any of my online pals have a chance to attend, I highly recommend the conference.

I also made another cake recently - for my bloggin' buddy, Paige. I'm truly embarassed at the way it turned out. I have never had that much trouble decorating a cake before. Actually, the problems began before the decorating stage. Even as the cakes baked I had troubles. And, it just went downhill from there. I tried airbrushing for the first time on the top of the cake. And, after putting a nice big nick in the top of the cake, I ended up scraping off the top layer and trying again. What a mess! I normally over-estimate how much icing I'll need. But, not this time... no sir... I actually ran out of the purple icing a little over halfway through the basket weave around the cake. So, Paige, all I can say is that I hope it tasted alright. So sorry!

In other areas of our lives... My job has taken a turn towards STRESSVILLE. I need to take a weekend to wrap my head around it. My boss will be having a baby girl in the middle of July. And, due to some crazy circumstances, I will be responsible for all of her work as well as my own for the entire three months that she is away on maternity leave. While at first I was flattered, I then realized how horrific this could be. I'm so far behind on my own work right now... I'm just not sure how this is all going to work. But, I was reminded of something at the WOF conference that I've thought about multiple times recently. Whatever happens in our lives is never a surprise to God. He already knows what's around the bend... what situations lie in wait that we have no clue about. And, for me, since he's my Father, that is extremely comforting.

Well, I should wrap this up. Just one more note... I created a myspace account recently to stay in touch with family and friends that have myspace accounts... some I haven't seen in years. So, if any of you have a myspace account, I'd love to add you to my friends list. :) My myspace site is here.

Now, onto the new pics... Here are me and Jennifer on the back of a train. Just kidding... we took a quick photo op at Union Station.

Here are some of the ladies in our group. Mom's in black!

This was a photo taken almost by accident. Isn't mom beautiful?

And, this is my "disaster" cake.

Power of Observation

2007-05-24T14:58:00.000-05:00

I received this quiz by email a few moments ago and wanted to share it with everyone. I must say that I feel very stupid after taking the test. I'm embarassed to share my score. But, I'll do it anyway. I only scored 15 out of 25! Let's see how you do... Just click here. And, for the very brave, I dare you to leave your score on this blog. :)

Not much new in the Brownwood household... We're getting ready to put our house on the market and make the big move to Nixa. We haven't put an offer on a house yet in Nixa. But, we know that moving is the right decision. I'm trying to be patient and leave it in God's hands. If it's meant to be, then it will work out.

Merry month of May!

2007-05-18T12:14:00.001-05:00

Hello friends! Sorry that it's been awhile since my last post. I meant to update as soon as I returned from New Mexico with news of my trip. It was awesome! I'm so glad I went to visit Jennifer and her whole family. I had a great time. I felt immediately at home. Kayla was sweet enough to lend me her bed and room during my stay. I even got to see their dog, Duke, who used to love to play with Pua in Hawaii. Maybe someday we'll have a reunion between the two? :) Anyway, it was relaxing, fun, memorable... and did I mention relaxing? As soon as I saw the whole family, it was as if we'd never been apart. God has blessed me with Jennifer's friendship and I'll always be thankful. Somehow it's so much easier to catch up in person than it is over the phone. And, I'm grateful for the time I was able to be there. We hope to meet for vacation next year either here in Missouri (maybe at a cabin on the lake?) or somewhere between here and Albuquerque. I'm already looking forward to it. Before I finish this segment, I'll share a picture of me with Jenn's two kiddlets, Kayla and Joey. Grant and Jennifer are great parents because these two are the most respectful, sweet, kind and caring kids I've met... (On a side note: I'll share a picture of Jennifer and I as soon as I get one from her. I only had one and it didn't turn out. So, stay tuned...)

Shortly after I got back home, I made a graduation cake for a teen guy at church. I'll share a picture of that cake. It's fairly boring but I didn't want to frill it up very much since it was for an 18 year old guy.

I hope that everyone had a nice Mother's Day. We had a great Mother's Day weekend. On Saturday evening we had Jon's family over. Our nephew, Jacob, was the life of the party. You may be wondering why I never post pictures of Jon's family. I'd love to, but I know they'd prefer to not have their pictures posted anywhere on the internet. But, trust me, Jacob has to be the cutest nephew we could have. :) Anyway, on Sunday we spent the day with my family and it was fun. I just had to share a funny picture that I took of my Dad on that day.

In other news, we're seriously considering making a move to Nixa. Right now we're researching the worth of our home before we put it on the market. I wish that we could just house-shop and not hassle with selling ours, but I'm sure it will be worth it. The more involved we become with the youth group at church, the easier it will be for us to live in the town of Nixa. Right now, it's a 25 minute drive to church each direction. And, we're normally there at least three times per week. So, I'm excited about the possibility.

We've got a busy summer ahead. I'm anxious for Memorial Day weekend and the three days off that come with it. :) I'm headed to the Women of Faith conference in St. Louis next month. Then in July we'll be out of town for one of Jon's best friend's wedding.

Jon is entirely consumed with thoughts of his hunting trip in Alaska coming up in a few months. I'm very excited for him. I'm sure he'll have hundreds of pictures to share when he returns. To prepare, Jon has already dropped 40 pounds and I couldn't be more proud. He's definitely inspiring and challenging me with his weight loss. I've got to share a recent picture I took of him because he's just so handsome. What a guy, huh?

I've added a link to our 2007 photos. I haven't posted all of them here. You can view them by clicking here or by using the link to the right. I've also added all of my cakes to the 'Stephanie's Cakes' link at the right.

That's about it for now in our family. One more quick mention... If you haven't seen the movie, Facing the Giants, you must see it. It's excellent. I hope that more Christian movie makers take their lead and create movies that challenge our faith. I've thought about that movie numerous times since seeing it.

I hope all is well with all of you. God bless you and yours!

New Mexico, here I come!

2007-04-25T12:24:00.000-05:00

Well, in just three short days I will finally see my long-time friend, Jennifer, and her husband and two children again. I can't wait! It seems like just yesterday that I purchased my planet ticket and the countdown began. And, I will be there by Saturday afternoon. Jon cannot join me on this trip because he has saved all of this year's vacation for his big hunt in Alaska in September. (Trust me when I tell you - he's so excited that he can hardly think or talk about anything else!). I'm excited for him and I know that this will be a trip of a lifetime.

Back to my trip to Albuquerque... Jennifer and I met about 9 years ago at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. Although we worked for different companies, we shared the same office and our desks were right next to each other. We were both fairly quiet at first. But once we started talking, it just never stopped. From the first week of our friendship, I felt a connection with her that was truly a gift from God. That sort of connection and sisterhood is rare and should be treasured when you come across it. Shortly after our friendship began, I started attending the church where she and Grant had been going. We went to Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor. And, for the next few years she and her husband, Grant, were like family to me. They stood by me through the toughest time in my life and loved me like I was their family. I'm not sure how I would have made it without their love and support.

I have so many great memories of Jenn and I. They're so random but they always bring a smile to my face. Like our weekly visits to Taco Bell after Sunday morning church. Our brief hula worship classes at church. (Lord, I'm glad there was no videotaping those classes!). Our numerous visits to the beach. The summer we spent almost every Saturday morning at the pool while Grant was sweet enough to take care of their kids solo. I remember our annual tea parties with the ladies at church. And, our monthly Bunko games... boy, those were the days! When I think of some of these memories, it almost makes me cry to think of how much I miss her. She was sweet enough to allow me to be in the room while both of her babies were born. And, how special those memories are!

So, as you can see, we have a lot of catching up to do! I flew to San Fransisco in the fall of 2002 to see Jenn and the kids. And, she flew here in December 2002 to stand up with me when Jon and I were married. We haven't seen each other since the night of our wedding - New Year's Eve 2002. Our reunion is long overdue! And, I just can't wait. I don't care if we spend every moment I'm there just talking on the couch. No matter what we do - I'll just enjoy being in their presence.

I'll be excited to update when I get back home - with new pictures and video. Until then, I'll leave you with a couple of old photographs of Jenn and I. Take no notice of how I've aged since then. :)

God bless,
Stephanie

Words of Wisdom

2007-04-10T12:12:00.000-05:00

I received this list by email recently. The email stated that this list is from Larry the Cable Guy. Whether that's true or not, I thought these were funny! I hope everyone had a great Easter.

Love,
Stephanie

The wisdom of Larry the Cable Guy......
1. A day without sunshine is like night.
2. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
3. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
4. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
5. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
6. He who laughs last, thinks slowest.
7. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
8. The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
9. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
10. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
11. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
12. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
13. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.
14. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
15. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
16. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
17. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
18. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
19. What happens if you get scared half to death, twice?
20. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
21. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering, "What the heck happened?"
22. Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

Two new cakes... Special K and Blue Music

2007-04-04T22:24:00.000-05:00

I recently baked a couple of new cakes. I'll share my least favorite first... the "Blue Music" cake. The cake below is for a guy in our youth group who is turning 18 tomorrow. His mom asked me to make him a cake but I didn't have much guidance on the theme. She told me that he loves the color blue. And, I know that he loves music. He plays guitar and sings. So, I incorporated both of these themes into one cake. I had some issues with it and had to do some repair work. But, I'm getting just a little faster with each cake.

And, now I'll share my favorite cake that I've ever made. I think of this one as the "Special K" cake. Jon's sister, Katelyn, recently graduated from The System (Paul Mitchell). We had a surprise party to celebrate her graduation and new career as a hair-stylist. My mother-in-law, who I think is hilarious, came up with the idea for all of us to show up with wacky hairstyles. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of our wacky dos. But, I do have a picture of Katelyn's cake. It's my favorite of all of them that I've made. And it was so-o easy to do! I can't wait to make another one that is similar...

Before closing, I'd like to share a praise report. My cousin, Melissa, is in the process of her stem-cell transplant in St. Louis, MO. Before beginning the process she endured a PET scan. And, amazingly, both of the tumors that were in her stomach are now completely gone! No trace of them to be found! I know that God is capable of any and all miracles. But, He never ceases to amaze me. She has not received the results of her bone marrow test as of today. And, they're proceeding with the stem cell transplant to prevent her cancer from returning.

I hope that all is well with our friends and family. Is anyone else taken aback by the freezing cold weather this week? What happened to our 80 degree temps??

A day out with Melissa...

2007-03-26T11:44:00.000-05:00

I had the pleasure of traveling with my mom, aunts and my cousin, Melissa, to The Landing in Branson for a day of shopping, dining and fun on Saturday. It was our last day together before Melissa travels to St. Louis for her stem cell transplant. I don't know exactly how many people view this site regularly. But, if you happen to think of Melissa, please keep her in your prayers. She has a fight ahead of her and will be forced to be away from her 10-year-old son, Nathan, for several weeks. My mom and I plan to set aside a Saturday to see her in St. Louis. I am so thankful that Melissa has a relationship with Jesus and that we can pray for her strength and healing. Last May God saved her after the doctors told our family that she wouldn't make it out of the hospital alive. I know that he has a plan for her life and will be with her through every step of the process. But that doesn't change the fact that this is a very difficult time for her - especially being away from Nathan.

Here is a picture of all of us girls from this Saturday.

God Bless,
Stephanie

What a weekend!

2007-03-21T12:26:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend we just had! My brother, Jason, and his wife, Amanda, came for a visit. And, we spent the better part of the weekend just hanging out at my parents house. We brought out the old-school Mario games and had a blast. I was sad when the weekend ended. We always look forward to their visits and the time seems to fly by. My mom just emailed me a few pictures that she took. So, I thought I'd post them.

March 13, 2007

2007-03-13T21:57:00.000-05:00

I love to post when I have new pictures to share. But, this post doesn't have any special theme... just a variety of comments and photos.

First I wanted to share a couple of photos that we took at our church's Valentine Banquet. It was a simple gathering of the adults in our church. But, it was a fun time. Jon and I were one of four couples to play the Newlywed game. And, I'm not trying to brag, but we tied for first! (Here's a little secret for ya... that's only because my husband is the greatest listener I know. He remembers everything I tell him.)

I was recently asked by a friend at church if I make wedding cakes. I assured her that I have never made one and I'm a complete amateur. But, she asked to see pictures. I had my doubts about even considering it. But, I decided to make her a sample. After hearing that she wants all white cakes on separate cake stands, I decided that it might not be too scary after all. What was I thinking? Just kidding. I had fun this past Saturday making a small cake for her to try. And, she asked me Sunday night if I'd make their wedding cake. I'm excited and scared to death all at the same time. But, here is a pic of the cake I made on Saturday... it couldn't get more simple than this. She's supposed to be bringing me a picture of the cake she'd like done. Crossing my fingers that it's an easy one...

And, last but not least, I'd like to wish my parents a Happy 32nd Anniversary! If you have an extra minute, you should read my mom's trip down memory lane on their blog. You can use the link to the right. Anyway, she posted this wedding picture and I wanted to share it here too. 32 years is quite an achievement. And, trust me, I've lived with both of them. Just kidding! But seriously, they've been a great example to me of what families should be about... loving each other through thick and thin and sticking it out in good times and bad. That's commitment!

Anticipating spring

2007-02-23T16:29:00.000-06:00

I meant to update as soon as I returned from the Dare 2 Share trip two weeks ago. But, as usual, time slipped away from me. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’ve really been enjoying the warmer air. Winter is my favorite season… especially if it snows. But, I’m itching to hide the sweaters and throw on my capri pants and sandals. I’m ready for a tan and a pedicure.

I have to first mention our youth trip to the Dare 2 Share conference in St. Louis, MO. I now know that I was meant to attend the conference. Although it was designed to impact the teens, I learned so much from it. I think that because I accepted Christ when I was just a little girl and I’ve been in church since birth, I sometimes (embarrassingly) take my salvation for granted. I also overcomplicate it all of the time, which only makes it more difficult for me to share salvation with others. I was blessed at this conference. I was reminded that I cannot earn my salvation, no matter how hard I try. I’ve had this imaginary checklist in my head of the steps I need to take for God to see me as a “good Christian girl” and more often than not I feel like I fail miserably, which is very discouraging. I was reminded that we’re all imperfect and undeserving of the sacrifice Jesus paid for us on the cross. But, He did it because of how much He loves us – imperfections and all. Thank God for that! The pressure is off – no more perfection required. It allows me to relax in the knowledge of how much He loves me, to love Him all the more and to thank Him and worship Him for how gracious He is! I also learned a lot about Judgment Day and I’m anxious to learn more about what the bible has to say about it. We were taught a very simple way to share the gospel with others. And, we were then able to go out into the neighborhoods of St. Louis to share the gospel with anyone willing to listen. Unfortunately, due to a paperwork error, we weren’t able to spend more than 45 minutes in our assigned neighborhood before a policeman forced us to leave. But overall, I’m very thankful that I attended the conference and am already looking forward to next year. Jon is off of work for the trip next year so he’ll be able to experience it, too.

(I almost forgot to mention this! The teen boys just couldn't wait to prank me because of my fear of mice. They were fairly clever at it, too. One of them glued grey felt to a miniature remote controlled car that was only about 3 inches long. He even made a tail with wire. He got me - and unfortunately it was right in front of some others. Very funny and very clever. )

I’m so glad it’s finally Friday! I’m headed to Branson tomorrow with my mom, two aunts and my cousin, Melissa. I’d like to request prayer for Melissa. She will soon be undergoing a stem cell transplant in St. Louis to fight her cancer. There is a link to her web site to the right. We’re praying for complete healing! It will be nice to have a girls day out tomorrow before she spends several weeks in St. Louis.

Hope all is well with all of our loved ones! Have a great weekend!

Just a typical Monday

2007-01-29T11:55:00.000-06:00

We had a nice weekend. I was able to spend all day Saturday at home - which I loved! It does my heart good to spend time at home... doing laundry, picking up the house. I always feel so much more at peace when I have that time alone to catch up on chores and clear my mind of work stresses.

We had the opportunity to teach the Senior High Sunday School Class at church yesterday. Actually I should say that Jon taught the class. We both enjoyed the opportunity and have been asked to take over the class this summer. I have to say that I really admired Jon as I watched him teach and converse with the kids. I can tell that he is in his element with the youth group. It's been a slow process of getting to know the teens. And, I hope that we'll only get closer as time goes by. I will soon have the pleasure of attending the Dare to Share conference with the entire youth group from February 9th to the 11th. I've heard great things about the conference and I'm getting excited about it. Jon cannot go because of his work schedule. I'm not sure what happened to Miss Independent, but I have a hard time being away from him for too long. When I first moved back to Missouri, I didn't need anyone. And, now I can hardly stand to be away from Jon overnight. But I guess that's a good thing... to love spending time with your husband more than anyone else? He's the sweetest, funniest man I know. Although, I could have kicked him at church last week. He took it upon himself to tell the guys in the youth group about my fear of mice and frogs. If they try bringing the little critters along on our upcoming trip, Jon will be in big trouble! :)

Ice Storm Photos

2007-01-19T08:55:00.000-06:00

I thought I'd include some pictures of the damage caused by the ice storm that hit this area a week ago. Some of the ice looks so pretty but it's incredibly damaging. There are still 108,000 people in this state without power. We were some of the lucky ones. Our biggest scare was when we were almost out of gas and every gas station was either without power or without gas. I've included a picture below of the lines of people at a local gas station. Unfortunately, our forecast is calling for 6 inches of snow and more ice this weekend.

Ice Storm

2007-01-15T21:02:00.000-06:00

Well, we were some of the "lucky" Americans who were hit by the recent ice storm. Thankfully the roads weren't affected much. However, my parents and Jon's parents lost power for most of this past weekend. Around 200,000 people in this area have been without power. And, it's supposed to get down to 8 degrees tonight. As you can see from the pictures below, it was a blessedly boring weekend in the Brownwood house. I hardly stepped foot outside the house until it was time to go to work this morning. I loved every minute of it. I'm one of the weird ones who actually enjoys being stuck at home. I think Pua enjoyed it too. As you can see, she thought that our fireplace was lit especially for her. :)

Family videos

2007-01-10T12:32:00.000-06:00

I'm very excited that I can now share family videos on our blog. I'm adding a few of my favorites from our recent vacation below. And, I'll soon be adding links to all of our videos to the right. Happy Wednesday!

Happy New Year 2007!

2006-12-30T22:33:00.000-06:00

I cannot believe that 2006 is almost completely behind us. I think the last twelve months have flown right by. And, I've heard that it only gets worse as you get older. This time of year is always extra special for Jon and I. We will celebrate our 4th anniversary tomorrow, on New Year's Eve. And, my birthday is on New Year's Day. So, the partying won't end until Tuesday. We're looking forward to tomorrow evening. Jon's parents are having the entire family over - including my parents - for a New Year's celebration. I think that it will be a lot of fun.

I also wanted to let everyone know that all of our cruise pictures are now available on the web. You can click here to see them or use the link to your right (under Photos). I'm going to include a few of my favorites (and some of the goofiest) on this post.

Happy New Year to all of you!
Stephanie

My Elfamorphosis

2006-12-28T08:33:00.000-06:00

Click here to see my elfamorphosis. My brother sent me his elfamorphosis and I haven't laughed that hard in quite awhile! I don't think he'd be too happy for me to post his here. So, I'll share mine. Merry Christmas.

Roller coaster mania

2006-12-21T22:26:00.000-06:00

I came across this picture that was taken a few years ago. It never ceases to make me laugh - really hard. Can you tell that I take after my dad? Pay close attention to the wide-open mouths. Anyway, my friend Mindy seems to be enjoying herself just fine. But my poor mom was just miserable. I think it's the expression on her face that makes this one of the funniest pictures I own.

New cake, busy month...

2006-12-11T19:44:00.001-06:00

Is everyone's December as busy as ours? After Christmas I'm going to be ready for a vacation. :) Just kidding. I had some time last week to make a cake for a baby shower at church. This cake was much less stressful than they've been in the past. Maybe (I'm hoping & praying) this gets easier the more cakes you make. Jenn, if you're reading this, is that true? :) Anyway, Jon and I are both getting excited for Christmas to be here. My favorite part of Christmas is spending so much time with family - opening gifts, joking around and best of all... playing games! (I can hear all of the men groaning!). I hope that everyone is having a great Christmas season. Don't forget to wish everyone you see a Very Merry Christmas - even the store employees who aren't allowed to say it back!

God bless,
Stephanie

Cartoon

2006-12-07T11:09:00.001-06:00

I received this cartoon by email today and wanted to share. I think it's funny!

Winter has arrived!

2006-12-05T21:54:00.000-06:00

Hello all! It's been too long since I've updated. Well, winter has officially arrived in Missouri. We had somewhat of an ice and snow storm last week. And, the ice has still not melted! Many schools in the area are closed. And, I was fortunate enough to miss a little work. They closed our office for half a day due to bad weather.

It's been a very busy fall and winter. We arrived home safely from our cruise. And, what a time we had! I have about 200 pictures to share. And, the only reason I haven't shared them yet is because I'm preparing a special vacation video to share with my parents who went on the cruise with us. I don't want to spoil the surprise. I should be able to share them all by the end of next week. Let me just say that this was the best vacation of my life. I'm already harassing Jon about when we can plan another one. I'm hoping for sometime in 2008.

We had a great Thanksgiving... another special holiday to add to our family memories. With a new baby on Jon's side of the family, the day was full of seeing Jacob laugh and smile. And, my parents hosted a Thanksgiving supper for my Dad's family. I'm attaching a couple of pictures below. But, I've added them all to our 2006 photo album. Thankfully my brother, Jason, and his wife, Amanda, were able to be here the entire weekend. It's always nice to catch up with them.

Last Saturday I enjoyed a special night with my Mom and two of my closest friends and their mom's. We enjoyed a nice dinner at Olive Garden and then went to the Jim Brickman Christmas concert at Juanita K. Hammons. Afterwards we had coffee and a nice, cozy chat. I'm hoping that the six of us can have regular outings for "just the girls."

I'll leave you with a few pictures that I took over the past month or so.

God bless,
Stephanie

Me with my cousin, Melissa, on Thanksgiving Day

The front of our house after the ice and snow hit last Thursday!

The view out our front door last week!

Mom & I before the Jim Brickman concert.

The ship sails in 4 days!

2006-09-27T09:15:00.000-05:00

Wow! How time flies. It seems like just last week that we purchased our Royal Caribbean cruise tickets. And, now we set sail in just 4 days! We're both getting very excited! We recently booked excursions in Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Even after what happened to Steve Erwin, we decided to plan on swimming with the sting rays in Grand Cayman. Everyone who has been there has told us not to miss that part of Grand Cayman. We purchased an underwater camera, so hopefully we'll have some good pictures of them. I'm just keeping my distance. :) I'm sure I'll have dozens of pictures to share when we return.

Some wonderful family news... there is a new baby in our family! Jon's sister, Elise, and her husband Ross, are the proud parents of Jacob Ross Clement. He was born on September 10th! He is so sweet. Family get-togethers will be even more fun now with a baby in the family. :)

I should close for now. I hope that God is pouring out his blessings on all of those we love. Take care!

Cookies!

2006-09-12T07:20:00.000-05:00

This is my first attempt at cookie decorating. So far I'm really enjoying it... much easier than cake decorating and lots of fun!

Clothesline Cake

2006-08-19T16:09:00.000-05:00

I made this baby shower cake for Jon's sister, Elise. I had fun making the fondant bear, baby clothes and buttons. But, I struggled more than usual with the construction and icing of the cake. So, pay no attention to the leaning top layer or the lumpy icing. :) There are a few more pictures in my cake photo album (link to the right).

And... I couldn't resist adding a recent picture of Pua. She's just so cute.

Summer 2006

2006-08-11T13:03:00.000-05:00

We're only halfway through August. But, it's been a busy (and very hot!) summer so far.

I just added several new pictures to our 2006 photo album.

We recently celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Jon's grandparents, Roger & Norma. The first two pictures below are from that celebration!

I also took some photos of Pua & Biscuit doing what they do best - playing ball outside. Our golden retriever, Biscuit, is famous for her love of socks. And, I snapped a couple of pictures of her at her finest moment - with her mouth stuffed full of socks (unfortunately, I must admit... dirty socks).

I also added some pictures in our photo album of a pie safe that Jon's grandpa, Roger, built for us. It's beautiful... and more special than anything we could have purchased at a furniture store.

I wanted to update everyone on my cousin, Melissa. She seems to be doing much better now, after a few rounds of chemo. A scan showed that her tumors have decreased by 50%! We thank God for that. She'll have another scan in September.

I hope all is well with everyone!

Countdown to vacation = 50 days until we set sail!

Roger & Norma

Jon, Grandpa Roger, Ross

Pua & Biscuit

Biscuit and her socks!

Flowers from Jon

~ Caribbean here we come ~

2006-06-23T12:37:00.000-05:00

About a week ago I received an email listing a special rate for a 7 night Western Caribbean Cruise aboard the Royal Caribbean-Rhapsody of the Seas ship. Jon and I have been talking a lot lately about what to do for vacation this year. And, because of the discounted rate, we decided to go for it. We set sail October 1, 2006 for Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Jamaica. And, I couldn't be more excited!

Jon went on a similar cruise a few years ago and I'm sure he's sick of hearing all of my questions about what it will be like. But, it's fun just talking about it.

Just 99 days and counting...

New Pictures!

2006-06-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

Hello, hello! I finally spent some time on my home computer this weekend and uploaded several new pictures to our Kodak albums. You can access the photos by using the links to the right.

I hope all is well with everyone.

God bless,
Jon & Stephanie

Prayer Request

2006-05-28T19:04:00.000-05:00

I hope that all is well with our friends and family!

I wanted to share a prayer request with all of you. My cousin, Melissa, who is 39, was admitted to the hospital a couple of weeks ago after they discovered a tumor in her stomach the size of a large grapefruit. Last Thursday we were told that she would not live past noon. But, praise God!, that outcome changed. She has since been moved into her own room (out of ICU) and is stable. She has started chemo but we haven't heard the results yet. According to my Aunt Fran, Melissa's mom, her white blood count has dropped dramatically and she's asked everyone to please pray for Melissa. I wanted to share this with my friends and family so you can be in prayer, too. I created a web site for Melissa shortly after she was admitted to the hospital and there have already been over 2,000 visits. So, we know that people are praying for her. The web address is: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/melissaharmon

We just returned from Nashville. My brother was married yesterday. I have several pictures to share from the past few months. I plan to add those to our site soon. But I wanted to add this prayer request first.

Thank you all!
Stephanie

Leaving winter behind

2006-03-17T12:20:00.000-06:00

I haven't updated in awhile. But, there hasn't been anything very exciting to report. We've just about left winter behind. Thankfully no one in our families was hurt during the recent tornadoes. And, everyone's homes are still in tact. We're just gearing up for spring and the busy-ness that it brings. We're hoping to take a camping trip next month. We've also got graduations and weddings galore. I hope all of our friends and family are doing well! Take care.

My first "event" cake

2006-02-04T20:42:00.000-06:00

This is the first cake I've made outside of class (for an event). My sister-in-law was sweet enough to allow me to attempt a cake for a bridal shower she was hosting. I used the napkin (pictured) for the theme. This took me much longer than it should have but I had fun. I'm hoping that this will become second nature some day.

Cakes, cakes, cakes!

2006-01-14T20:21:00.000-06:00

I've started a new hobby ~ cake decorating! I'm currently in the Wilton Course II at our local Hobby Lobby. It is so much fun! I'm just itching for reasons to make a cake. :) The pictures below are of my first cake made outside of class. I did it just for fun (and practice) today. I have a long way to go before I do this for anyone other than famiy. But I'm having a lot of fun. :)

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-26T22:15:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas everyone ... from our home to yours.

Silver Dollar City

2005-11-27T12:06:00.000-06:00

We recently visited Silver Dollar City to see the Christmas lights. It was beautiful. I've included some pictures of the lights in our 2005 Photo Album.

Fall 2005

2005-11-24T10:47:00.000-06:00

What a fall we've had! I have so many new pictures to share.

We returned from vacation in mid-October. There are many more pictures added to our 2005 Photo Album. Jon enjoyed his hunting season and shot a 9-point buck during his first few hours of hunting. And, the last picture I've pasted below is special to me because I finally caught one of Pua's smiles on camera. I'm hoping for a better one someday soon. But I just had to share.

Happy Holidays to all of our families and friends. This is my favorite time of year here in Missouri and I'm praying for tons of snow! :) I'll share pictures if we are blessed with a big snowfall.

God bless each and every one of you. Happy Thanksgiving!

Labor Day Weekend

2005-09-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

We had a fun Labor Day weekend. We camped at Stockton Lake from Friday to Sunday with our good friends, Clint and Maggie. Then we headed back to our campsite on Monday with my family. My brother was here for a visit and we had fun on the lake for a day.

Our Destin Condo

2005-08-25T20:04:00.000-05:00

Our original condo reservations were at Navarre Beach, FL but the condo was hit by a hurricane. So we changed plans and we're so happy that we did. We recently reserved the condo in the pictures below. Just thirty six days until we're there.

60th Wedding Anniversary

2005-07-20T06:37:00.000-05:00

We had a great weekend recently celebrating my grandparent's 60th wedding anniversary. Every single member of my mom's immediate family came for the reunion. There were 27 of us. We all attended church with my grandparents on Sunday and almost doubled their church attendance. :) I've uploaded additional pictures to our 2005 Photo Album.

Jon on the Lake

2005-07-01T21:41:00.000-05:00

I just had to post these two pictures of Jon. I think they're great. I took a day off of work recently so that we could spend the day on the lake and we had a great time.

Dad's Hot Air Balloon Ride

2005-06-19T12:12:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, 06.18.05, my Dad went on his first hot air balloon ride and I was there to take some pictures and enjoy the spectacle. Haha. I've posted a couple of pictures below. But you can view more by using the 2005 Photos link to the right.

New Church Sanctuary

2005-06-14T11:59:00.000-05:00

Below I've inserted before and after pictures of our church sanctuary. It gives you a good idea of the changes that were made. We now have three video screens in the front, special lighting, etc. Our new "butt-friendly" chairs are in place and I think everyone is enjoying them.

Countdown to Vacation!

2005-06-04T13:40:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that we're almost to the half-way point of 2005. How time flies. At the beginning of this year my parents asked if we'd like to go on vacation with them this fall. They were planning a trip to South Carolina and Washington D.C. Well, those plans have changed and we're actually heading to Navarre Beach, Florida. We're leaving town on September 30th ... 118 days from today. We don't have much planned other than laying on the beach. I think the only "plans" made so far is that Jon and my dad are going deep-sea fishing.

We're also looking forward to the weekend of July 9th. My mom's parents are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary! The whole family will be in town for a celebration on Saturday. And, we're all going to attend church with them on Sunday.

One more mention ... I've created a new photo album of our 2005 pictures. If you'd like to see them just use the link in the right hand column. Happy June everyone!

Landscaping ... "Before" Picture

2005-06-01T20:33:00.000-05:00

Our latest project is landscaping!! I've been dying to do this since we moved into our house. When we first moved in we kept busy with leveling the yard, laying the sod and building the privacy fence. And, we're finally planting bushes and laying blocks. I've posted a "before" picture below. We've already made progress since this picture was taken and I hope to post "after" pictures soon. We're keeping it very simple since we're both new at this. Jon has also been pricing lumber this week and we hope to build a small deck on the back of our house by the end of this month (with the help of Jon's dad). But like I said -- we're keeping this simple. Let's just hope I don't kill all of our new bushes and trees within the month. :)

The Merry Month of May

2005-05-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

Jon and I recently travelled to Nashville to spend a few days with my brother. We had a great time and I'm always sad when we leave. But we had a memorable, relaxing visit. We also enjoyed a peaceful Mother's Day at my mom and dad's house (see picture below).

Jon was a groomsman yesterday in his best friend, Clint's, wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony and I think Jon really enjoyed being around his good friends. I wish I had pictures to share of Jon in his tux. :) But, my camera was not working yesterday (Apparently I purchased expired camera batteries).

Mother's Day 2005

Launch Sunday

2005-04-11T15:58:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the official Launch Sunday of Springfield Community Church. I think it went really well. We had about 200 visitors! And what I loved about it was the variety of people that showed up. There were families looking for a new home church, recovering drug addicts, seniors and young couples from the surrounding community. The lower portion of the sanctuary was so full that we actually had to use the balcony! I don't think I've ever seen our church filled to the balcony on a Sunday morning before. Very exciting!!

Probably the funniest moment of Sunday morning occurred outdoors. We had a new playground area built for the children's department. An adorable little three-year-old boy decided to pee off the top of the wooden play structure. We had a good laugh about that last night.

I'm looking forward to getting to know many of the new people in the upcoming weeks.

Hello Spring!

2005-03-30T11:00:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that spring has already arrived ... especially since we didn't seem to have much of a winter here in Missouri. I'm hoping for buckets and buckets of snow next year. :) Now that the weather is starting to warm up I'm in the mood for spring cleaning and feeling the breeze float through the house. Jon and I are planning to finally landscape at least our front yard this year. And, of course, mowing season has begun. I can't say I missed it the last few months.

As usual, we both keep busy with our full-time jobs. And, we've been busy at church lately too. Jon is heading up the landscaping at church and I am on the worship team. Our church, formerly Crestview Church of the Nazarene, has undergone a "restart" and we're now known as Springfield Community Church. You can see the new church web site by clicking here. Our Grand Opening service is April 10th and we're very excited about what God has in store. Last week our church was full of visitors and we're hoping for more over the next couple of weeks. I am so anxious to see God work through this situation and for people to experience His love and salvation. If I can remember to take my digital camera to church tonight I'll be able to post before and after pictures of what our sanctuary looks like.

Happy spring everyone!