i've been tagged

Thanks for tagging me, Ang. My instructions were:

1. Choose the 4th folder where your pictures are stored.2. Select the 4th picture
3. Explain the picture
4. Tag 3 other people

And here we have the oh-so-exciting photo...

Of all the random photos, you don't even get one of David and I. That's what I get for taking so many pictures of our neighbor animals. These are some of the adorable calves that live next door to our crooked house that we aren't living in right now. I miss being able to look out our kitchen window and see cows, goats, horses, and donkeys. But luckily, I have so many photos to remind me what it's like! Ha...

Let's see... I will tag Erin, Tara, and Jessica (Coello).

what a weird holiday

our Christmas card photo

the Christmas card that was never printed or sent

You probably want a rundown of the last couple of months, hmmm? We went to Disneyland Thanksgiving weekend and then dropped off the face of the planet for the holidays. The end. Not really, although that is what it feels like. The story is that I got sick on Thanksgiving weekend and have been sick ever since. I won't go into all that entails, but the highlights are: 3 ER visits, multiple doctors who don't seem to know anything, being in bed for over a month, an ear infection, hypoglycemia attacks, asthma, some terrible respiratory virus, laryngitis, and lots of other fun things. We think that the doctors have diagnosed everything that needs to be maintained with rest, meds, etc, although it will be a few weeks before we can tell if it's all working. I am starting to get some energy back and was able to go shopping for a bit one day this week and was also able to go to church yesterday. It will take a while to get back to a normal energy level because I am still healing and my body is still very weak from being sick for so long. It has not been a fun couple of months, but the Lord has encouraged me through friends and family and His Word. Even though I lapse back into discouragement here and there, I know that He is being faithful and I can trust Him through it all.

So if you wondered what we did for the holidays- I layed in bed, made an appearance at our family Christmas Eve Eve, layed in bed some more, and then went to the ER Christmas morning with a hypoglycemia attack. We got home around 1, opened presents as a family, and then I layed in bed again. It was a bizarre holiday and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. David and I have agreed that when I am totally well, we are going to celebrate Christmas in our little house- whether that be in February or March. I'm looking forward to it because I love Christmas and was very bummed to not be able to decorate, look at Christmas lights, cook, wrap presents, go on Christmas dates, and all the other fun Christmasy things.

So there you have it- the holiday update. You are all updated and I'll continue to update you as I heal. We appreciate your prayers as things can be tough even in the healing process. I am ready to be 100% well, but know it will take time and I may relapse if I push myself too much. So yes, prayers are welcome. Happy January!

backyard photo shoot

I took a walk around my parents' backyard today- quite the feat, I know- and took some photos of their pretty flowers and such. It was a beautiful day and it felt nice to be outside for a while as I have been stuck in the house sick since Thanksgiving weekend. I'll post a little more on that later, but for now, I just want to share the beauty of the country.

david the star

David was told that he looks like this guy:

Simon Baker of The Mentalist

David Ower of my life

What do you think???

thanks, disneyland

Happy December! I don't know where November went, but apparently it's gone. David and I went to SoCal with his family for Thanksgiving and then we all went to Disneyland for 2 days. It was fun even though David and I were getting sick, and are now full-blown sick. You probably need to see some pictures to be convinced we had fun though, right? Okay then- check out all THIS fun.

Splash Mountain protection... prior to not getting our photo because we were told by Splash Mountain officials that it was inappropriate. We were flashing some gang signs, throwing the bird, and standing half out of the log, so what? Just kidding! We still have no idea what was inappropriate because no one was doing anything inappropriate and they wouldn't tell us what it was. It was pretty weird.

The Ower brothers are all just little kids at heart.

Photo op with our nephew, Sam. He turns 6 today!

A fraction of the Ower family waiting around trying to decide what to do, who will go where, and when we will meet again. 

Curbside at California Adventure

We're all 3-D. Can you tell? Those are our intense 3-D stances.

Check out Bert's expression and stance and then David's. Classic.

Some more Uncle David and Sam love.

David loves to take these random shots. And I love to make these random faces.

The Ower girls and an Ower-girl-to-be

Disneyland Christmas magic fireworks explosion!

See? It was FUN!

in case you were wondering...

I like goats.

And goats like me.

phantom of the opera

Phantom of the Opera is in town and I want to go. Big surprise, right? Who doesn't want to go? I've gone once, when I was in college, and it was amazing. The commercials for Phantom keep sticking songs from the show in my head. I'll admit though, I don't mind having Music of the Night stuck in my head. Let's see if I can get it stuck in your head too.

petaluma past & present

I miss the youth from Petaluma. I started working with the Jr. Highers there alongside my hubby in 2005 (when we were dating) and I can't believe how old everyone is getting. We'll visit a Petaluma youth event with our Healdsburg youth group from time to time and the girls are so tall and beautiful and the guys are so big and mature... ha ha... not so much. Luckily we still live close enough that we can visit and hang out with some of the kids every once and a while. One of the darling girls who I have seen grow up- and I mean grow up, she's almost as tall as me now- is my friend Michelle. I remember the first time she came to youth group as a tiny, shy 7th grader. Now she's a beautiful, bubbly young woman. We had the chance to hang out yesterday and I had a great time catching up and being silly (of course) with her. Time is sure flying by.

Michelle and I one of the first weeks after she started coming to youth group.

Us trying on vintage hats yesterday.

We can't help it- we're just kooks. Oh, and coincidentally, tomorrow is Michelle's 15th birthday.

Happy birthday eve, Michelle!!!

the last breakfast

Our last breakfast in our crooked little house for a while. We have moved in with the parents so we don't die from mold something-or-other. Goodbye little house. I will miss you.