Quick Links

I added some links to the sidebar. If you have any you would like added send them to me (Jill) via email.

Mizpah Steph and Nate

A tearful farewell......

More Christmas Photos

Thanks Folkerts for letting us celebrate with you in your beautiful new home. What a great place for our family to get together.

Aww.....

Aww.....

A crowd favorite

Room for all sorts of activities

Candy !!! Thanks Clawsons !!

Vroom vroom...still a kid at heart !!

Mesmerized by Guitar Hero

What a pair...

Too cute !!!

A Grand Time!

The littlest cousins....
Rock on, Devan!!
Now that's one huge sofa!
Making connections before saying good-bye!
And now you've met Brad's girlfriend...

Thank you, John and Mendi, for hosting our Christmas party last night! You have a wonderful home, lots of space, room for all! It was great being together!

Anna on the net

Here's a podcast from Anna's classroom. She's at the very beginning. While it is not much - who else in the family had done a podcast?

Here's the link: http://blogs.oaisd.org/resserver.php?blogId=236&resource=12-14-07.mp3

Maria's First Snow Outing

Yummy Fun!

Life is good; food is good when you're almost 9 months old!

Matthew & Mom

It's our birthday week. Love you Matthew Ryan !!!

Birthday Photos for the new Dad!

Happy Birthday Keven! Hope you have a wonderful Day!

Happy Birthday!

It's number 58 today! Can you believe it!! It's number 28 for Keven! We need a picture of him and that new baby!!

Strange, Weird & Cute!

Cute Munchkins!
Weird....that would be Al and Rick!!
Strange...that would be Jill!
Cute little Tigger!

Exploring the world!

Hey, it's a new computer! I think I'll have one of these! Exploring the world is so much fun!

5 years old!!

Jaden, it's your birthday today! Have lots of cake and ice cream! Being 5 years old is the best!!

New Email

I didn't realize until yesterday that my webmail from Calvin expired. My new email is steph.kooi@yahoo.com Use this one instead of the snl2 one from Calvin. Thanks!

Happy Birthday, John (October 16th)

Since we missed your birthday you get 2 pictures. Lucky you!


Hey John, are you at a wedding or the beach?


Don't be too excited....corn.....yummy!!!

Trip to San Francisco/Napa Valley

Golden Gate Bridge is awesome!


Sea lions in Fisherman's Wharf at Pier 39


Benziger Family Winery in Sonoma area


Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley

Wake-Boarding on Sept.30

Here's a picture of Brad wake-boarding on Twin Lake last week Sunday. We checked out the lake and it will be good for our group. There seem to be lots of good places to fish, too. It will be fun!

Blue Beauty

Kathy~I hear you. We took this picture on Saturday and were surprised by the bounty and beauty still found in the blueberry patch at the very end of September.

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Marci and Dennis! Happy Memories! And many more to make!

The Goodness of God

This is Kathy posting not Randy. For some reason blogger won't let me post under my account.??

This passage from a book I'm currently reading resonated with me.

"Many of us live and work in contexts that are divorced fron the rhythms of the natural world. We have lost our connection to the soil our food sources and the skill of making things with our hands. We rarely notice the rising or setting of the sun. We gulp food without tasting. We rarely pause to look at the flowers or into the eyes of a child. Our pace of life affects our capacity to appreciate the goodness of God. We may simply be too busy or distracted to notice and receive the bounty that surrounds us. The demands of a hurried life and the dominance of technology cloud our awaremenss. Slowing down and learning to pay attention to the moment may be a path to affirming God's essential goodness and presence."

It seems so simply stated. We all know it's true but are we committed to changing??? I plan to reserve a day with my family to do nothing shutting off all of technology. We'll go to some natural place (maybe our back yard) and just be in anticipation of connecting with the presence and goodness of God. Perhaps we will incorporate it into our family rythym.

(Please forgive the missing commas. Our comma key has died.)

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Nicole! You're our favorite daughter-in-law! :-) Enjoy your special day. (Sept. 27)With hugs and good wishes for a wonderful year!

Memories to Cherish

In memory of Mom and Grandma who died to this life and was born into eternal life 13 years ago yesterday, September 25, 1994.

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."

The Race for the Cure is this week Saturday. Anyone who wants to run or walk in her memory is welcome to meet in front of the stage at Rivertown Mall before the race starts. You can register at the mall in front of the theater on Friday evening.

One Year!!

Today is a very special day for a very special couple! Happy First Anniversary, Scott and Melissa! We love you!

Another Anniversary on Sept. 20

Happy Anniversary to John and Mendi, too!

More Retreat Memories

I love this picture......

Life is full of many changes....some of them are very hard. It's a good thing we have family to love us along the way and help us through.

Nicole...you're a GREAT mom !!!

Catchin up on the news

Bags...with an audience

Brad & JD...bet you've never done church like this before