Women #7-Esther Joy Travis

It is with tears and yet joy that I write my last post on the March Challenge-celebrating women who have touched our lives. This young lady isn't a women and yet she is a testimony of what we as women should be like. This is Esther Joy Travis. By looking at her you couldn't tell that she has been fighting the last two years with cancer. A rare form of cancer that only 20% of children survive. Her page on Caring Bridge tells of her life-an entergetic 6 year old who has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and instead of letting it get her down she has continued to fight and to tell everyone she comes in contact with about her Saviour, Jesus Christ. At the end of last year they thought that they had kicked the cancer but it has returned and within the last couple of days her kidneys have shut down and she has been given anywhere from hours to a week left. She has continued to fight and yet she has told her parents that she is ready to go home to be with Jesus. We should all be a testimony of God's grace and mercy. If I have learned anything from this young lady it is that no matter what happens God is in control and it is worth living my life for Him whatever happens. Here's to Esther Joy. When the day comes, may you finally have the perfect, pain-free body with Jesus that you so deserve. We love you and will miss you greatly!!!

Women #6-Katherine Pierson

I don't have a picture of Katherine but I would like to go on with this one. About a month ago we went to basketball game in Hatch. The girls game went okay even though we lost but no major problems. Then came the boys game...and you know how parents can get. Well a group of praents had showed up for the boys game and sat up not far behind David and I, The game was going okay-I enjoyed watching the boys this time because they have gotten much better and it was actually a pretty good game! After half-time things started to get rough and one of the moms (an "upstanding" person in our community) started yelling at the coach "telling" him that he should use all of the players. Her son was getting to play!!! and she was still yelling at the coach from across the court! People tried telling her to sit down cause one she was being loud and two she stood the entire game so people couldn't see around her! After a little while the coaches wife-Katherine finally had to get up and had to leave cause she couldn't stand hearing it anymore. She didn't try yelling back at the lady of doing anything she just left. After the game she was standing by the door and on the way out I stopped and told her that I was sorry she had to hear all of that. Her answer..."I guess I just have to have big shoulders sometimes." That really got to me-sometimes in the ministry you just have to have "big shoulders." It's not always easy but it's not worth the arguement. So I guess this goes under "Inspires" She is a great teacher and handles things very well when people go against her husband. I hope to be more like that.

Women #5- My Girls

I know this isn't a very good picture but this is some of my inspiration. I love my teen girls. These girls inspire me to be the lady that I am suppose to be-to set an example. My life has been in such a turmoil over the last few years. It is these girls that inspire me to stay sane, to keep going, to conitue to draw closer to God. These are "My Girls".

Women #3 & #4- Melissa and Sherry

Women #3&4

Melissa Phillips

Sherry Morales

When I first thought about doing this challenge I thought of four women and these ladies are two of them. I think this falls under (and I changed it a little) "Who you wish you could spend more time with or talk to more" and "Who made you want to be a mom." Both of these ladies are wonderful!

Melissa-My sister-in-law =) When I first met her she didn't like me because she thought I wasn't right for her brother-in-law. I won her over by taking her children to the other side of the room and playing with them =) So #1-she is protective of her family and friends and once you are a part of that group very little can take you out. She is Loyal to the end! Also, the first time I got to go to their house I got to watch her in action with her kids. The boys adore their mom and respect her tremendously. I love how she is able to be mom to three boys and not lose herself in a house full of "Men" =)

Sherry-a good friend. The first time I met Sherry we were both pregnant, due around the same time. I had traveled with her sister Esther (our pastor's wife) and another friend to got to a Ladies Conference in CA while staying at Sherry's. We get there and she was so excited to see us not just Esther (who she was extremely excited to see) but all of us even though she didn't know us. She went out of her way to make Brandy and I feel at home and even though she was just as pregnant as I was she babied me the whole time! She is the most creative woman I have ever met! Her love for others is something that is seen every day.

The reason I picked these ladies is because: 1. Their families are number one in their lives. 2. They are loyal to family and friends alike and to the end. 3. Thier kids love them and aren't "ashamed" or "embarrassed" to be seen with them and love to hang out with their mom. The biggest reason? They are REAL. There is nothing fake about them. They will not put up a face for anyone but neither do they have an "I don't care" attitude. You can talk to either one of these ladies at anytime and they will be honest with you and do anything they can to help. They are REAL!! I would love to spend more time with both of them and they are the kind of moms that I want to be.

Woman #2- Marmie

Woman #2-Marmie

Okay so I talked about my number one woman =) my mom. Well here is where we both learned it from-Marmie. I love this picture cause it is a three generation picture on my wedding day. Marmie is the greatest. How do I explain her?!?! This falls under the "Who touched your life in a major way" and "Who taught you a skill that you use often." Marmie (her name is off of "Little Women" by the way) does everything! She cooks, cleans, sews, and works like a mad woman on the farm-she is: a jack of all trades. Marmie has taught me how to be a lady. She is one of the greatest hotess you will ever find. We could be sitting down for dinner and a vistor will drive in and within minutes they are sitting down with a plate full of food, eating, and not even realize it! The Skill?? Cooking-I have learned so much from standing next to her watching while she cooks for (honestly) who knows how many!! She taught me how to sew. You can take any piece of clothing to her and she can fix it, put it together and she makes the most beautiful dresses! Her house is always clean (even with the country dirt always blowing). My best memories of Marm are: riding in the Tractor and Combine with her(She always had the cleanest windows because of me) =), "doing" her hair (which included a comb, water bottle, and tons of bobbie pins) she never compained but she was always soaked by the time I was done, and her taking care of me when both of my parents had to work and I was sick. She has always been there-especially when I can't get a hold of my number one woman-my mom. So here's to Marmie!! The best Grandma in the World!

Woman #1-My Mom

Woman #1 - My mom

My mom is one of the most amazing women I know. Today I went to a track meet not only to be with my husband but to show "my" teen girls that I support them. It was alot of fun because I was "Mom" today. You know where I learned it? My Mom. My Parents were youth leaders when I was growing up and I remember my mom being the kind of woman that almost all of the teen girls would rather talk to my mom instead of their own. They all started calling her Mammy and my mom could ask anything of those girls and they would do it. My mom has always been fun to hang out with and will help anyone she can. She now cooks 9-11 weeks out of the year at a youth camp. She is not only cooking but any time she gets KPers (kids who have gotten in trouble and thier punishment is working in the kitchen) she will take the time to sit down with them and find out what is going on and witness to them. I don't know how many kids she has led to the Lord just because she took the time to sit down with them. The workers respect her and she has many "kids" besides Jerrad and I. I think that is where I get the "these are my kids" thing. But my girls know I would do anything for them and I am always here for them and I learned that from my mom. I can't always say that I am as forgiving and thoughtful as my mom but I know that I have learned from the best!!

Hi! =)

I can't seem to get on here and blog just a little bit. It always turns into "book". So I just want to say Hi! to those who read my "books" and thank you all for your comments!! Have a good week/weekend =)

Our Teens & Track Meets

David and I have been wanting to get more involved in the community, after all we are in a small town. Things have been tight money wise and so part of me getting involved was getting a job substituting at the schools (elementary only). It has been awesome! I love walking down the hall and hearing "Hi Ms. Katrina" or "Hi Ms. K." especially when I haven't been there for a week or so. It has been awesome to know that I have teachers asking for me to sub for them. I even had one teacher get mad because they took me off the list to work in her group because I had hurt my back while working with that group. So she talked to me yesterday and I explained what happened and she asked the secretary to put me back on the list. It makes me feel good to know I have been doing my best and it is paying off. I love hearing the kids tell me that I am the best sub ever. =) So this has been my way into the community and I have loved it!
For a while now people have been asking David to either become a coach for city league basketball or a ref. (which he refuses to do because he doesn't like to be the one on the receiving end of angry parents) =) I don't blame him!!! BUT...track season has started up and this is his cup of tea!! He used to be one of the best in Colorado in track and cross country. Last year we got to go to two track meets because of course the rest are far away. So far this year David and I have tried to be on the treadmill alot more. This makes him miss being in track! Yesterday David got on the treadmill before he came to pick me up from work and when he got there he told me that he was interested in working with the track team. I was excited to say the least!! So for the last two days we have been at track practice =) He has also started taking steps to become an official volunteer track coach (talking to the head of athletics, filling out forms, making a resume, and tomorrow he takes a class for certification). I am proud of him, I know this might be wishful thinking but I'm hoping that next year they will take him on full time as a track coach. It would be something that he loves, gets us more into the community, and he would be able to make a little extra money. It is nice to be able to go around town and have people recognize you and say Hi. Our teens love us-this is the original reason why he wanted to help with track-to help one of our teens get to state as a long distance runner. It's fun to be "Mom" at the track =) It is just one more way to prove our love for our teens-to prove that we are there for them! So starting this Saturday until the middle of May we will be going with the team for meets!! I am so excited!!