Lindquist Family

Happy Birthday Eli.

2007-09-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday sweet Eli (I'm sure in a couple years you will cringe at hearing me call you sweet, but for now it fits you).

It is hard to believe that you have a whole one year of living under your belt now. What will all the future years bring for you sweet boy? and for your parents?

You are such a bright spot in Papa, Mama, and big brother Zane's lives. Your huge personality brings many smiles each day to all of us. I have tears streaming down my face and a huge lump in my throat as I reflect on how kind it was of God to loan you out to Papa and I for a short time.

There are so many amazing qualities that God has imprinted into your personality - your charm, your stubborness (yes that can be a good quality at times), your determination, your ability to make others laugh even in a not-so-funny situation, your constant out-of-the-blue displays of affection, the list goes on and on.

Eli, I had no idea at this time last year after only meeting you a couple hours before what kind of personality you would have, but it has been such a joy to just begin to see who God has made you to be. You continually bless all of our lives with you just being you. We love you so much Eli. Happy 1st birthday.

Life. Friends. Fun. Treasures.

2007-08-24T12:18:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pic.'s of life lately.

These are some pic.'s of birthday fun for our friends Lauren and Tracey's son Stephen. It's been pretty neat to continue to get to know this couple in our house church (small group) because they are one of our few friends that have boys. Everybody that we are friends with usually has only girls. What's even cooler is their two boys are only a few months younger than our two boys. So Zane and Eli both have a friend their age.

"Check out this water fountain Stephen!"

"Let's try to get our finger stuck in the water spout for the 50th time!"

"Hey you! Don't forget me. Catch a picture of this good lookin face."

Time to open presents.

Mike, Lauren with Eli's friend Aaron, Maggie, Manuela, and Jake with Eli.

For some crazy reason whenever Zane get's a hold of stickers this is what he likes to do. As I was preparing dinner last night I was trying to find something to keep him occupied. I noticed we had received a bunch of complimentary address stickers from St. Jude's Children's Hospital. So, I stocked him up with a bunch of paper and all the stickers. This is what happened.

"Welcome home Papa. Don't you want stickers on your face too?"

"Just in case I forget my address..."

"What's on your face?!?!" "No, I asked first. What's wrong with YOUR face?!?!"

Here are some of my new treasures I found one day at some thrift stores nearby. Thank you Mark and Katie for venturing out with me in the afternoon to continue my search.

I love old things. I love the fact of knowing something has stood the test of time and weathered many years. It feels as if each thing I find probably has a story of it's own. I love it!

This huge picture is for my daughter's room someday (Yes, I know I don't have a daughter as of yet but maybe someday). I knew my husband was going to give me the roll of the eye's when he saw I had bought a a piece of art of ladies swirling together in the wind, with a touch of pink flowers at the bottom, and to top it off, french words written across the bottom. My husband feels he has had his share of French words since he was over in France for a few weeks during a summer a couple years ago.

Anyway, I think I'll paint the frame gold and probably just hang it in my closet for now.

The next few items are two small mirrors with engravings on them. I think I'll put these in the living room for now. The other piece is an old record I picked up for 50 cents. I loved the worn look but the hints of bright color. It's just "cool and sparkling" like it say's on the record cover. I hung this in my closet (Yes, my closet is pretty big in case your wondering). My really girly stuff goes in my closet (at least for now).

Everything "smelly" we learned, we learned from Papa

2007-08-16T10:10:00.000-07:00

We knew Eli likes imitating most sounds he hears, we just didn't realize he tries to imitate EVERY sound that comes his way.

We were laying in bed the other morning and had lively Eli "laying" (bouncing around) there with us. All of a sudden Eli and I hear the common morning sounds of Jake passing some gas (Sorry hon, your secret is out). Eli just does what he does best, "Phhhhttthhh!!!" We began to realize that every time Jake let out some "musical" sounds, Eli quickly followed suit with his best impersonation of Jake's "special" talent.

Note to self: Make sure Eli is not around when I am exercising any "special" talents of my own. Because of course, I would never want to take all the credit for teaching Eli such skills. So hon, I humbly give you ALL the credit.
Love always,
your wifey

Revelation

2007-08-15T14:00:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd give hallelujah shout out to God. I just realized that I am starting to really enjoy being a homemaker. I knew that desire was tucked away inside of me somewhere, it has just taken a little bit longer to surface in me. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed being a homemaker, wife, and mom before but for some reason in the last 7-8 months I have begun to relish in it. I'm not sure if it is the fact that I have now been doing this for almost 4 years now. Maybe it is due to having a couple kids or possibly it could just be that God has been working the wiggle out of this "worm".

I am suprising myself lately with how I enjoy planning a weekly dinner menu, making a grocery list, and then of course going to Trader Joe's to see my second family. No joke! This last week when we arrived at TJ's the one guy who sometimes helps me wheel all my groceries out to the car, hollered, "She's here! We've been wondering where you were." I was a day later than my usual shopping day. Then a few of the workers came on over to chit chat with us and get their weekly dose of happy smiles from Eli. They also dish out the compliments to Zane on what a great helper he is to Mama pushing his own minituare cart and filling it with a bunch of groceries we don't need (I'll have to write a post sometime on all the adventure that takes place with Zane when we go to TJ's).

I have also suprised myself lately with not just tolerating cooking dinners but getting really excited to see that 3:30ish-4:00 hour roll around so I can begin focusing on cooking. Actually that's the most crazy hour around our house. Everyone has some kind of need or a meltdown it seems but like I said, I am still for some crazy reason loving cooking even in the midst of chaos. I think I love the challenge lately of creating something that is going to taste good to my husband, a 2 year old, and an 11 month old all while trying to make it healthy. I am of the opinion that you can always make unhealthy stuff taste pretty good. Load it with unhealthy fats or sugars. But to try to make fresh ingredients taste good is a challenge.

I still find that I definitely need to get out of the house at least once a day if possible to run errands, hang with a friend, or just go do something fun with the boys. I get a little stir crazy easily. But overall, I look forward to the quiet of evening and being at home with all my boys. There is something comforting about hearing the front door open and Zane bellowing out "Papa! Papa!". Then hearing the click clack of shoes walking towards the kitchen to give me the "Hello, glad to be home with you" kiss.

We all sit down to share our day as we eat around the table or if it's later in the evening, as we wind down with quiet play or reading books. It is so calming to all be back together under one roof again. To share some peace together from the pressures of life. Thank you God, I am starting to clue in to the fact...you've given me the best job ever.

Life as of late...

2007-08-11T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hey Everybody! Sorry it's been quiet at our blog lately. We've been pretty busy and when I did try to post blogspot was having some issues. Here's some pic.'s of my Mom's 50th birthday, along with pic.'s from my college roomate's wedding in Lincoln, Nebraska. I should have taken more picture's of friends but I was so busy talking. The rest of the pic.'s are from our weekend in Kansas City. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer before it quickly comes to a close. Stay cool! (Literally)
P.S. Sorry I uploaded all the pic.'s in reverse order of how they happend.

I couldn't resist putting this pic. in of one of the many fountains in KC. I'm sure you see why I found it so amusing.

Eli's first black eye after falling off the bed the day of the wedding. Figures!Another fountain to splash in!Hubby with Aunt Grace and friends at dinner time.Quick family photo before getting on the road again for hours on end.

Tabby and her husband Adam . Tab was another one of my college roomates and is one of the funnest (my great use of the English language) people I know.

The beautiful bride Kate and her new husband Ryan

Awww!!! Her dad is about to give her away.

Try to ignore the big half a head in the pic.

Fighting already! We hadn't even got into the car yet to leave for NE.

Lovin' the hat.

So is Grandma (Birthday girl).

Eli, Uncle Jerry, Aunt Tina, Katie, Dad, Mom, and Zane

My brother Mark and his friend Katie. Along with Uncle Jerry and Jake and my cousin John in the background.

Jake, Grace, and John.

New Hope and other Random Tid Bits

2007-07-20T11:21:00.000-07:00

First off, I just want to say, "Yeeeaaaaahhhhh!!!! It's Friday!!!" We love Friday's here at the Lindquist household. If we don't have something going on with friends or family then it is usually Movie Night. We all cuddle up in Jake's study on the sofa with our to go food and pillows, and then just enjoy the relaxing evening together. I can't wait for my hubby to get home so we can get this party started. Some of you are probably thinking this does not deem worthy to be placed in the category of party, but yes, these are the things we with kids start to look forward too.

I just also want to throw in that I am so proud of how I bravely protected my boys and I this morning. We were leaving to go to the Y and when I opened the door there was a massive, hairy, black spider hanging from the doorway. I made Zane step back and I wacked that baby with a paper towel clear across our front porch, down the steps, and onto our walkway. Then I went over to it and smashed it not once, but twice because it would not die right away. Crunch, crunch. It was such a big spider that after you kill it, it still looks like a spider and not just smashed guts. Ok, so that's not the end. Then I think to myself, "Angela your being so brave go and look inside that hanging potted plant on your front porch to see if those birds finally hatched out of their eggs." When we moved into our house months back there were these potted plants that were hanging from our front porch. The plants were all dead from sitting outside in the winter but I left the one up because there was a nest with 3 eggs inside. I've been wondering what had become of the eggs because it is now July and they should have been hatched. So, I figured I was safe to go and take the pot down for good today. "OH MY GOODNESS!!!!" There is a baby bird laying in the nest staring back at me. Then I realize the bird does not move because the bird is...DEAD. Dead with bones hanging out. Ugh. That was such a long walk to the trash can carrying now not just a gargantuan spider, but half a bird skeleton in my pot. After I disposed of all these dead creatures, I got my boys in quickly in the car before some other freakish thing of nature happened. Phew... thank God that's over with.
Anyway, onto a more serious note. Life is hard. I'm sure you all know that though without me telling you. Christ said, "In this world YOU WILL have trials and tribulations..." It's a given that we will experience pain, hurt, injustice the list goes on and on. Still it is hard to experience this ourselves, and what sometimes is even harder I think, is having to watch others go through this. I have had the honor of being welcomed into some women's lives recently through becoming involved with a ministry at our church, called New Hope. It is is a ministry focused on single mothers or women in need. Let me tell you, these women know trial and tribulation. Yes, some is brought on by their self, but sadly, a lot of the time these women have never known that there really is any other options for their life and their children's lives.
Last night we had a meeting and let's just say, "God showed up." What I love is we are all (volunteers included) just women among women and just dump all of our baggage (which between all of us is A LOT) together at the feet of the cross. I love the real faith that some of these women are choosing to live. I need more of that. For example, there is one sister who has 3 young boys and her husband kicked her and the kids out of the house. He harasses her and then last week tried to run off with their boys to get at his wife. This sister has so much on her plate, but she continues to actively believe God by trusting him to provide for even her and her sons most basic needs while patiently enduring with her husband. There are others that have experienced the horrors of incest or molestation. Others are still so close to falling completely in a Loving Saviour's arms but are scared to hand over complete control of their lives. One girl has been hanging out with New Hope for years. She is in her early 20's and has 4 children. She recently had an abortion because she could not handle the thought of being a single mom of 5 children (One lady the other week was a single mom of 8. I can not even fathom that!) She called her unborn baby a devil child. This girl fights away from love from God and from others, probably because it has had to be a kind of survival mechanism. We have all tasted that in some form or another... and if you haven't God will reveal at some point or another your specific survival mechanism habits. He's so good and faithful like that. Anyway, last night this girl's hard exterior began to shatter as she shared that she was just "Empty." The Lord is never done working with any of us. Thank you Lord! It's so healing to know He loved us "WHILE we were still sinners..."(Romans 5:8) not when we had perfect behavior modification. I guess that is why it is now more than possible with Christ to face "trials and tribulations in this world because HE HAS overcome this devastating world. Be of good cheer" this is truth.

Bonus Pic.'s

2007-07-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to put a couple pic.'s out there of my friend Toni and her husband Brandon's new baby Jordan. Congratualtions Toni, Brandon, and Breanne. Welcome to the world Jordan.

Also, these next pic's are for you Matt and Jaimie. Eli loves Ozzie!

It's time to shave when...

2007-07-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

You know it's time to shave your legs when your two year old son keeps coming up to touch them and keeps saying, "Oh wow! Oh wow!" Then he checks his legs to see if he has stubble too. The sad thing is I just shaved them last night. Waaa!!! Why does it grow back so fast?!?!

Something to Consider

2007-07-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

I'm baaaacckkk!!!! I haven't posted for a LONG time, but I promised some people that I would start up again so here I am. So many things have transpired over the last few months. I could not even begin to relay all the big and small things of our everyday life where I think to myself, "that would make a good blog or, I really should blog about that." I suppose I'll just pick up with the most recent and pressing thoughts.
There has been a cry in my heart for as many years as I can remember now, to experience what true freedom in Christ means. I think God has given me small glimmers of what this means through various books, Bible studies, and just having to face the real me in everyday life and through heartbreaking circumstances. Recently though since Jake and myself have commited our selves to being involved at New City Fellowship the Lord is starting to give us more of a downpour of grace, to really broaden our minds and hearts of what this means and looks like.
There is too much to post on this topic, so I'll start with a little food for thought and what I've been pondering the most recently. I'm sure a lot more along the lines of this topic will be seeping out here and there in future posts because there are continually new dimensions of grace the Lord wants to bring me in to.
Here's the lowdown...I am learning more about the truth of John 14:18 "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." There are many patterns and habits (many I am still not even aware of fully yet) in my life where I revert back into an orphan mindset instead of rightfully taking my place as full-fledged daughter of God.

"I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:18)

"...God sent his Son...to redeem those under the law, that we might be receive the full rights of sons (or daughters)." (Galatians4:5)

What has this orphan spirit looked like for so long in my life? To sum it up in a nutshell- religious moralism. Here's a good definition of what this looks like from one of my favorite books lately "From Fear to Freedom" (Disclaimer: do not read this book unless you want to experience transforming grace in your life and not just biblical self-help methods)

"Religious moralism and Christianity are both concerned with obedience and standards; they are both involved in doing good. Religious moralism is rooted in the power of the will and self. Eventually it fails and we act like orphans: frightened, insecure people who need to be in control. We might be able to analyze our problems, but we cannot invent a cure. Christianity is rooted in the power of Jesus Christ. Eventually we come to rely on what he has already done about sin. We can still analyze our problems, but ultimately our hope for a cure rests on the grace that comes through our relationship with Jesus."

The lady who wrote this book I just quoted has said she " isn't even sure if she was or wasn't a Christian before she started to really take hold of her position as a daughter of God and no longer functioning constantly from an orphan type spirit, rooted in being a religious moralist." She says in another book her husband wrote "Come Back Barbara" that she is "just glad she didn't die in that condition and face her Heavenly Father that way." WOW and by the looks of things she was quite the "godly" lady (for crying out loud she was a pastor's wife!) ;) All this to say, this has had me thinking, if I continually function in a mindset of self help and living just a good moralist life and not laying hold of the power given to me by God's Holy Spirit, was I ever really a Christian? That's something to really sober me up before the Lord.

I have one last thing to share of conviction to my heart, but it has also been helping me more consistently shift my mindset from that of an orphan to that of a daughter of God (bear with me through another long quote).

"Record building for these women meant living for the approval of family, church, and community. Always trying to look good is a terrible burden to bear. The problem is that your conscience condemns you because you must do everything perfectly. You mentally make a list of how to be the perfect wife, mother, or daughter (interject whatever else you want...perfect friend, sister etc.) If you do fairly well, then you become the judge of those who don't make it according to your lists. If you don't measure up, you either try harder of give up."

Maybe no bells and whistles rang out when you read this, but for me this made something start clicking in my mind. I am free from having to try to meet the demands of everyone else's list for me. Along with my own "christian" list of demands that I trying to live by, even though at times I was living by them sub-consciencly because they were such an ingrained habit. But more importantly, by God's (and not my own) transforming grace, God is helping me to free up others in my life to not have to meet my old lists of demands on their lives.

Anyway, I'm finally glad I got this off my chest. If you have stayed with me up till this point then you definitely deserve some kind of prize. Too bad I don't have one for ya though. Better run, the babes are awake.

Zane turned 2!

2007-04-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Here are some picture's of Zane's special day.

Eli and Grace (my cousin)

I love this picture so much!!! His face say's it all.

Quick update

2007-04-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a lot of fun. We got to hang out with our friends Molly and Nyah. Zane love's Nyah kitchen set and all her toys for that matter.
Jake and I also got a suprise date night. His uncle gave us his baseball tickets (from Augie Busch...yes owner of Busch Beer Brewery). So to say the least, we pretty much had the best seats in the stadium. We were seated right next to the dugout in the first row off the field. The players were always walking in and out near us. This gave me something to watch as I ate our $6.00!!! nachos, along with the photographers right in front of us taking pic.'s of the game and working on their computers.
It was a good game though. Jake can give the run down on that if someone's interested. I really did pay attention better than most times and was really proud of myself. It did help to have two older ladies next to me who liked talking about their baseball crushes on the team. The only pic. the one lady could get of her favorite, Edmonds, was his backside. But she said she could look at that all day, so I'm sure she wont mind what kind of pic.'s she get's, as long as some body part of Edmonds was captured on camera. These ladies then switched seats with their 12 year old nephews towards the end of the game. They were super nice, well-mannered pre-teens and in high heaven over their seats. Then to top it off Albert (ya know Pujols?) tossed them the ball quickly as he entered into the dugout after being outfield. It was this kid's birthday eve and he told me he got the two best presents ever. To have those seats and then to get a ball from Albert. You know that night will forever be played out in that's kid's mind even into manhood as one of the best time's and birthday's of his life. I wish you all could have seen this kid's face and heard him talk. What a great memory to take for life for him.
Anyway, I'll have Jake refresh me again tonight hopefully, on how to post some pic.'s from yesterday. Yes, I already forgot even though he went over it all 2 days ago. Gotta go for now. The boys are up from their naps and were off to the Y and errands.

Jake's Gramps and Grams

Sorry, I tried to add a video of the baseball players coming in to the dugout but I keep having prob.'s uploading.

Finally...

2007-04-15T19:08:00.000-07:00

Finally...I am posting for the first time. I have been wanting to start blogging for a while but with moving to our first house recently I have gotten a little side-tracked. So I just needed to try this out and start getting comfortable with doing this. The first step is always the hardest with anything in life it seems. So here it goes...

P.S. My husband made the comment in passing that bloggers (at least a lot of mommy bloggers) only write what they want you to know. A lot of the true reality of life has a tendency to disappear in some blogs. So I hope to be real and honest and not just always try to paint life so flowery if it truly isn't a flowery day. Also, here are some pic.'s of the boys. I had to try posting some pic.'s so I can get the hang of it.