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ADVENTURE to ALASKA with MOM - #MomDaughterVaca

This is my mom. We call her "Pioneer Woman" because she blazes a path ahead into almost any adventure. This time: ALASKA! She and my amazing dad were going to go on this dream vacation - but he's in Heaven - a way better place than even Alaska, and so 18 months later.... Mom's going to ALASKA! We wanted one of those fabulous girlfriends of her's to go with her but none could make it. AND SO... we looked to her kids. I'm the oldest of 5 kids and the only one in the country with no one graduating or getting married or starting a new job, so I'm elected. And .... I'm thrilled! Today: we're packing and repacking! She's already driven 3.5 hours North to my home so she's far more ready than I am! Tomorrow: to the airport in Minneapolis and then to Anchorage where we'll rent a car and meet her long time childhood friend Jack and his wife Carolyn! TRANSFORMED BLESSING: It was supposed to be dad and mom, but God transformed things again - from one blessing to another. Dad's in Heavenly Bliss. Mom and Debbie will be in Alaskan Bliss in one day! Oh - and this is me - Debbie

TRANSFORMED BLESSING UPDATE

SEPTEMBER 1, 2014
YEP.... God did it again!!!!! He took my crazy life of abundant blessings, crazy challenges and wild life happenings and transformed a great job and a great life into something I could not have even dreamed up in my thoughts of what a perfect life would look like: He gave me JOE DIETRICH whom I fell in love with and he with me in a most extraordinary manner. We got married and we are ABUNDANTLY BLESSED in the most fabulous of ways! Truly indescribable!

In a nutshell: My dad passed away on January 5, 2014. (how could God TRANSFORM THAT into a BLESSING for me?? - oh HE DID ... AGAIN!)
A WEEK LATER - I got THEE SYMPATHY CARD that CHANGED HISTORY from a guy I knew of but had never spoken to or met. My sisters said - He's SAFE, He's SINGLE, He's HANDSOME - WRITE HIM BACK!. I did and we wrote every single day (inboxes to emails) till we met in person at an MLC vs Roseville basketball game. (He did meet most of my "Characteristics in a Man Worth Getting To Know" spreadsheet ... but of course, much more research had to be done .. more on THAT in another post).

We'll.... there are LOTS OF AMAZING details but 5 months later we brought his 4 kids and my 4 kids and his dad and my mom together for the MEDFORD MASH (also ... another post topic). 1 month later we were engaged and 50 days after that WE GOT MARRIED! We are living THE DREAM, in the best earthly BLISS we could dream of, FABULOUSLY HAPPY and having a blast! Here's a few fun pics of the big amazing day!

NYC! What to do? What to see? How to do it affordably? Hannah (only daughter) and I are ON OUR WAY!

First, I extensively researched the various blogs, tips, hot spots, and what all my friends and acquaintances did while in NYC and what wasn't worth it and what was.

It's Hannah's first time and she loves history and fun. We've decided to do the Grayline double decker 48 hour tour days 1 and 2 in the city, adding the NYC Pass (55 attractions included) for days 2,3,4.

I'm excited to "do NYC" with Hannah as she, like me, is ready to tackle the world and almost burn out doing as much as we can! (ok, we're not going for all 55 attractions, but plenty).

We're not seeing a show this time around. We are spending a full day with a great friend from HS who is allowing us the MAJOR affordability of allowing us to stay at her house during our trip. Jen is trucking us to the train station on a daily basis and for that we are utterly grateful!

Will the plan work? Can we really do the city AM to PM 4 days in a row? I'll keep you posted!

Tell me what YOUR "must sees" where and we'll share ours!

A Blogger Comes Back

WOW, that was a long hiatus from blogging! But, I'm back. I think that for a year and a half I just torpedoed through life!
God's been holding me tight though and continues to transform anything negative into blessings - as He always does!

I'm at a new job now. MISS Luther Prep MUCH, but they are doing great! I'm so thankful to have a full time job - necessity in life for me - and at a great place with a meaningful mission, great people to work with, an amazing supervisor VP for Development, and wonderful hours. I do have to travel 3 times as far as my .5 mile to Luther Prep - but I'm handling the traffic - 4-5 minutes on a good day - high Watertown traffic (hee hee) on a bad day - 7-8 minutes! God is so good to have had this fall in my lap at just the right time. I LOVE the work and the job every day!

Big fun: my sister and husband and 4,6,8 year old have been living with me all school year. AND, my youngest who lived in a dorm, came home to live this year. I went from quiet times to constant FUN, INTERESTING, FOOD and TOYS and HOMEWORK, a sister to share a glass of wine at night, a brother-in-law who is amazingly talented and wise and energetic at fixing up things. It's been a great, albeit wild, ride!

GOOD Good Friday to all! As I ponder the horror of my sins and am humiliated and thankful that Jesus died for them, I await with expectation of hope and happiness and joy beyond imagination for Easter Sunday and the real gift of Jesus' death and resurrection: HEAVEN!

More later - Deb

Homecoming: A Success

Homecoming/Alumni Weekend at Prep was a great success! Thanks to God for watching over us, keeping me healthy, giving me tons of supportive help and physical labor! Those volunteers from prep are AMAZING! Thanks Ann, Maureen, John, and so many more!

I could write more and more! Check out the photos at www.lps.wels.net

God is good.

NOW: Onto preparing a presentation on social media for Oct. 8! Must get back to work and stop all this social media connecting!!!

This weekend: MLC Homecoming! I can't wait!

Just arrived back home from a MOST enjoyable vacation to a Prep girl friends house. JEN was the hostess with the mostest! WE TRULY relaxed every minute! We walked through historic Ridgefield, ate at the famous and newly rebuilt after a fire: Bissel House, took long walks, sat by her pool, talked, read LOTS of books, took pictures with Jen's new camera, played with Shelby - the cutest lab/golden retriever puppy ever!, made supper for David her hubby one night, more sitting by the pool and reading, more walking, more talking! SO MUCH FUN... SO MUCH RELAXING.

I now feel everyone should take mini vacations! It's absolutely life altering every little one I go on. THIS ONE WAS SO great!

THANKS JEN!