The Difference Two Years Make

The first day of school this week made me think of the first day of school two years ago. I was new to the whole "kid in school" parenting thing. To be honest, I was petrified. I really did not want to send Emma away. I was afraid what I would miss out on in her life. I was afraid she would have horrible influences in her life that would change my little girl forever.

Fast forward two years. My Jo Jo is starting kindergarten. She goes to all day when Emma only went half days (which they no longer offer). I was comfortable dropping Josie off, because I know her teacher. She was Emma's teacher, and the best teacher I could have ever dreamed of for my kids. I am not as scared about the changes in Josie's life, because Emma showed me in many ways I was wrong. Emma was able to make good choices about friends, and how she spent her time without me hovering and picking for her, and you know what? Even when Emma didn't, that was okay too. They are going to fail sometimes. She is (they are all)growing up. I can't keep them from that. They are making mistakes, and learning from them. I am here to be excited that they got a "good job" sticker on their paper, be the comforter when they struggle with new math problems, help them make the right choices when they are asked to sit next to a mean kid.

Maybe this journey is in more ways going to grow me than them.

Emma's first day of kindergarten. 2008

Josie's first day of kindergarten. 2010

Sending Emma off to school. 2008

Sending Josie and Emma off to school. 2010

I can't believe how much they have grown in two years!

TWO Cool for School!

Josh and I now have TWO daughters in school! That's right. Josie is an official kindergarten baby.

Yesterday was the first day. Josie seemed really excited to join the ranks of the formally educated, while Emma wished for another week or two of summer. Addie was sad that she didn't get to put a uniform on, and that she has two wait to years for her turn to go to school.

It will come faster than you think, Addie. Trust me on this one.

Are you all ready cute little kindergarten girl?

Such a serious second grader. :)

Look at how BIG their back packs are!

Daddy can make anything exciting!

Josie's a Whole Hand Old!

Josie turned 5 on August 24th! FIVE! Can you believe it?

Her birthday just so happened to land on "freshman orientation" day here at New Tribes Bible institute. On registration and orientation, we don't really get to see Josh, because he doesn't get home until after bed. I took some cupcakes to the dining hall so he could be part of the celebration.

The Saturday after her birthday, we took Josie to Portage Lake for some swimming and grilling, like any summer birthday should have! We had a great time with family. Josie was especially excited that she got "two cakes" this year. :)

The whole dining hall sang happy birthday to our Josie girl!

After swimming we came home for a doll birthday cake!

Oh, and of course, we can't forget the presents! :)

My Favorite Mac and Cheese Recipe

Macaroni and cheese is the perfect comfort food! So warm and gooey, salty with a little bite. This is my favorite and my family's favorite mac and cheese recipe. It is THE BEST! I guess you could say that makes this the perfect perfect comfort food!

I got a couple of recipes for this yummy goodness, and added a little of my own, so I guess you could say this is my recipe. At least that's what my Momma would say!

Tamara's Mac and Cheese

16 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked and drained

1/2 t. salt

1/4 c. butter (the real stuff!)

1/4 c. flour

2 c. milk (2% or whole is best)

8 oz. brick of extra sharp cheddar cheese, cubed

Melt butter with salt on medium heat. Add flour and stir until smooth. (be careful not to burn the butter). Turn to low heat and add milk. Stir constantly until boiling. After it starts to boil, stir for about one more minute, so it coats the spoon when you lift it out. Remove from heat, and add cubes of cheese. Stir until melted.

Stir macaroni noodles with the your cheese sauce and place in a 1.5 or 2 qt baking dish. Bake in 375 F for 30-35 minutes, and your done!

I like to serve this with warm yeast rolls and green beans, or a salad. Let me know if you like it!

Galveston!!!

Josh and I had the GREAT privilege to go visit Ben and Emily in Texas a few weeks ago. The aunties in Indiana graciously looked after our three kiddos as we went for a great time of relaxing. We got to see the hospital where Emily works, and help set up Ben's new classroom for the year. They took us out for some wonderful Mexican food and more, and we vegged out watching episode after episode of The Office. Josh and Ben got some time in at the range while Emily pampered me with a mani/pedi. It was a very fun time.

One morning we took a trip to Galveston. This is a beautiful place! It was so very hot (really? August in Texas? Um, YEAH.) so we only stayed for the morning. We walked around, ate at the best restaurant I have ever been to, and drove around looking at these castle size houses. It was especially neat to see how this town has rebuilt since Hurricane Ike which destroyed so much down there.

This was a great visit, but what made it the best was Ben and Emily. They were so much fun to be with, and so completely hospitable and just super easy going. SUCH a fun time! I also never realized how much Josh and Ben are alike. I know they are brothers, so there is a little to be expected, but it was just cracking me up to see how very similar they are, even with little things. :)

Taking a walk in Galveston. It was too hot to hold hands. You could only hold pinkies. :)

All of the buildings down there have these rich details. It was really beautiful.

Emily driving us around.

These mark the waterlines of different hurricanes they have had in Galveston. The one at the top that Josh is pointing at was Hurricane Ike!

Don't we look so warm? It was more humid than I can describe.

This is the Mosquito Cafe. Best place ever. Eat there if you are ever in Galveston. Trust me!

One of the many cool castle/mansion places down there.

Happy Campers

I took another unexpected blogging break! Josh and I did some traveling(which I will share about soon), and then my back had the audacity to go out on me again. It didn't even ask! Can you believe that? After a week of lying around, daily chiropractor appointments, and wonderful pain meds, I am happy to say I am on the mend. I wish I could say I was completely better, but that will have to wait for another time. I do want to share more of our summer with you though!

Last month we decided to take the family camping at Warren Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan. What a wonderful time it was! We couldn't have asked for better beach weather. Lake Michigan was 75 degrees! We basically spent all day, every day at the beach, which is just how we like it. :)

We were able to borrow our friend's camper which was so nice. Josh reserved a spot online, so we were not sure what it would look like. It turned out to be a very big spot. We drove around and scoped out some of the better spots for next year if we decide to go there again.

It was so fun to be at a place where the girls were all old enough to really enjoy camping. Emma was a huge helper! She always wanted to be doing something. Josie and Addie were VERY dirty, but who cares! That's part of camping, right?

One of the sand dunes, with the moon showing itself.

This was our campsite. It was HUGE!

Josie all smiles at the beach.

Emma working on a mote for their castle.

Our African Safari

These pictures pretty much speak for themselves.

The sign that greets us into the park.

I don't think Addie liked this part. She and Josie didn't want anywhere near those long giraffe tongues!

I just LOVE their zebra print coats, but isn't animal print SO last season?

Look at these three little tribal missionaries in training!

Zoo-rific Day!

After we got back from Ohio, we decided to make the most of the rest of the week that Josh had off. The first day we went to Binder Park Zoo. What a wonderful zoo it was!

It was such a hot and humid day, but we had so much fun looking at all the animals, and talking with the park staff about them. :) This was a really nice zoo, so if you are ever in Michigan this would be a great choice for a family activity!

Learning about a skink's tricky tail.

My what big teeth you have!

Josie, the bird whisperer.

On a tram ride to our favorite part of the zoo!

Stay tuned for Africa! Who knew you could drive there? ;)

Summertime in Ohio

While I took an unannounced blogging break, my family took a trip to Ohio to visit with Josh's family.

We spent a lot of time just visiting. It was so nice that we could all be together again.

A lot of time was spent around campfires.

Addie getting her cuddle time in with Uncle Ben.

The girls loved watching Grandma's Disney movies.

I can't forget a cousin favorite: Restaurant!

My Life Ten Years Ago Today

Ten years ago at this time I was with my dear girl friends getting all gussied up. We were putting the finishing touches on the table tops, and making sure our make up was just right.

Ten years ago I was packing some last minute items for a week away with my beloved. I was eating chicken nuggets from Mc Donalds for lunch. I had everyone who was dear to me all together on that day, and I was having the time of my life.

Ten years ago today I said my vows to a young man who I thought made my world turn. We held each others hands, and pledged our love to each other, and our commitment to God.

Today, as I remember ten years ago, I know he makes my world turn. We share a life better than I dreamt it could be on that day ten years ago. Oh, and it just keeps getting better!

Happy tenth anniversary, Joshua! Thank you for the marvelous life we have together!

June Bride

Our friends Don and Chrissy asked if I would take pictures at their wedding. I of course could not pass it up!

I have to say that their wedding was one of the most beautiful outdoor weddings I ever attended. It was a wonderful ceremony. I was so blessed to be able to witness the union of these two special people! I only wish that Josh had been with me. It is no fun going to a wedding where people are pledging their love to each other, and your love is far away. :(

Josh was away at the Big Ticket festival in Gaylord, MI sharing with people about New Tribes Mission. He said they had a lot of people interested. It makes me so excited to think about the possible new students coming because of what they heard at the festival. The team of people that went up there did great!

He is back now, and I am glad. :)

Here are just a couple shots from the wedding.

Summer Spaghetti Salad

When I was a little girl, my Aunt Suzanne would bring this wonderful salad to potlucks we would has as a family. It was a favorite of mine. I called my mom to ask for the recipe (which she had!). I quickly realized my grocer did not have all the stuff I needed for the salad, so I decided to recreate it. It turned out great! So, if you would like to try a yummy spaghetti salad, here is the one. Why not make it for your next potluck?

Summer Spaghetti salad

16oz of spaghetti noodles, cooked and rinsed until cold

4 Roma tomatoes, diced

1 large cucumber, peeled and diced

1 medium white onion, peeled and diced

1 c. Italian salad dressing (I used Wishbone)

1/4 T garlic salt

1/4 T sesame seeds

1/4 T poppy seeds

1/2 T red pepper

1/2 T fresh ground black pepper

1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Mix all into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to eat. Yum! Yum!

Just one year ago...

How about this little cutie?! I found this picture hidden with others from a year ago, and couldn't resist sharing it... -Joshua
Tamara and Leah Jackson in Waukesha, WI Spring 2009

Can 30 Really Be Here?

Today is my 30th birthday. I find that so hard to say.

It's not like I think thirty is old or anything. The majority of my friends are a good ten to fifteen years older than me, and I know that they are not old, so thirty can't be old.

I am going to admit it. I am having a hard time turning thirty. I used to think that getting older was the stupidest thing to get upset about. "Who cares how old you are?" I'd say to myself. I mean, what is the significance of a number?

But, now I'm thirty. Not my best friend. Not my neighbor. Not my old classmates. Me.

I think the biggest problem with this thought is that I figured I would be so different at thirty than I am now. I thought I would be living in a different country, speak another language fluently, have four kids, learned to play an instrument proficiently, not struggling with the same health issues that plagued me ten years ago, be more confident in my mothering skills, finally be brave.

My biggest problem with thirty is that it didn't change who I was. It didn't turn me magically into this bright, beautiful, has-it-all-together woman. I guess the most discouraging part is now that I am thirty, I am realizing that person will never exist. I will always have faults (I know, hard to believe), I will always have room for improvement, I will never be able to say "I have arrived!".

But, isn't that a good thing? I think that if I have "arrived" at thirty, then what would be the point of thirty one, or forty one, or one hundred and one?

So, here I am. I am a thirty year old woman who is still to afraid to learn to ride a motorcycle, or jump off a cliff into a lake, or if we are being really honest...to get a car wash.

I can also say I am a thirty year old woman who has known Jesus as her Savior for twenty three years. I have been married for almost ten years to a man who I am more in love with now than ever. I have three of the most amazing girls that God ever created as my daughters. I love my ministry with New Tribes Mission. I love my church. I have some of the best friends any gal could ever have.

Yeah. Thirty isn't all that bad. I mean, it's not like I'm thirty one...

My twin sister and I. Happy thirtieth to you too, Tomesia!

"Budding" Artist

We went down to Ohio for Memorial day weekend and visited with Josh's parents and extended family.

What a gorgeous weekend it was! Their yard was in full bloom, and Emma just couldn't resist trying to draw some of the new flora. Her Momma couldn't resist watching her work. She looked so cute out there by the roadside, trying to figure out how to draw different flowers.

She used to always ask me to draw something for her. I would answer "You try it first". Now she is learning she is better than she once thought. I love that she loves to draw. It is so neat to see your children grow in their gifts and abilities. I am also happy to see she shares my love of flowers. :)

I am spying on her. :)

She still hasn't seen me yet. :)

Working hard at her artwork.

Give your Mommy a smile. :)

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

I have been wanting to tell you all about the fun time we have been having, but when Josie's health concern popped up, it seemed to be the only thing on my mind.

She is doing okay. She had another "episode" last night. It lasted about a minute and a half. She has had about three days feeling amazing, and then she was just sitting in the back of the van, during one of our Sunday drives, and her little heart just started racing. I am praying that on the 21st when they do the 24 hour monitor, that she will have an episode and we can have it recorded. But, until then we will just wait, and while we wait, I will share with you all the fun we've been having!

A couple weeks ago we went to a baseball game. Emma's school sold tickets again this year, and we went to see the Lansing Lugnuts play. This time we took the whole family, and got to sit with our friends the Troyers, Gilleys, and Carraways. As it turns out, my parents went to the same game with their church group. They were in the section right next to us, so we saw tons of friends! It was great!

The game turned out to be a double header because the night before they had a game get rained out. It was fun, but a little longer than our girls could handle. The games were pretty uneventful, so we decided to leave early.

We apparently left about a minute too early! From the time we left the park and walked to our car, my dad called. Emma's name was on the screen. She won a baseball! Then our friend Clint called. Some lady had just gotten hit in the face with a pop up that was right in our section (poor lady!!), then Keisa texted. Clint caught a fly ball for her sons. Crazy that all of that excitement happened after we left! I am kind of glad I didn't see the lady get hurt. I am sure that would have turned into a mini phobia for me.

All in all, it was a nice day. The girls may be a little young to sit through a double header, but now we know. :)

This was Addie's first baseball game!

We are very excited to be there!

Can you tell?