Twin Cities Experience, 2014

Favorite quotes from TCX:  

"If we rationalize our sin, we are disagreeing with God." -Rick James

"Don't ask, 'What is God's plan for my life?' Ask, 'What is God's plan, and how does my life fit into that plan?'" -Ben Newton

"Sin echoes...and I don't want that echo." -Troy Shirley 

Great challenge on dealing with personal sin areas...praying that many students will not forget what was said!

While hanging out at our Cru Inner City booth, Tom decided to venture down and visit with some of the other staff.  I was upstairs in the room, and suddenly my phone buzzes with a text from a number I don't know....it was a staff girl I've never met, sending me a pic of Tom!

 ‪#‎tcx2014‬‪#‎lotsoffunphotoopps‬

 ‪#‎mysonthesocialbutterfly‬‪#‎imightonlybefiveyearsoldbuticanstillhangwiththecollegestudents‬

One morning, Rex and Neil got to participate in a packing party at Feed My Starving Children...such a blessing that our kids get to learn about children all over the world who are in need through this wonderful ministry!

I love my job!  How is it that Hoffbeast and I have had the great privilege of serving with Cru for this long now?  Twenty-five years for him, and almost 18 for me...amazing!  TCX was encouraging, challenging, and refreshing, and believe it or not, our family of 7 did just fine in a hotel room for a week!

Merry Christmas Morning

Five happy Hoffkids on Christmas morning! Merry Christmas, every one!

Paper Bag Christmas, the Play

Exciting times backstage at The Paper Bag Christmas! Rex performs again tomorrow, but the other cast is fabulous, too. Great entertainment, a wonderful message, and a fundraiser for Children's Hospital all rolled into one.  SUCH a blessing for our Rex to get to be a part of it!

When Jill was here, she captured this image...I love the expression on Rex's face as well as the emotion being shown by his "brother" and "mom".

"Lots of hard work and talent, well done!!" --Aunt Jill  

The Thankful Game, Part 2

Today....what to choose? Well, as I sit here staring at my FB cover photo, I am thankful for my family....my mama, my dad, my brother, my sissy, and of course, the reason for the picture, my wonderful nephew and his bride.  Becky, Tim, Mom, and Dad....how thankful I am for each of you. If we were together around the dining room table right now, the stories would start flowing and wouldn't stop for hours. I love the adventures we had as kids, and I love that we are still journeying together now. Tim, I love picture of us. You will always be my big brother, and I love you very much--and I forgive you for all the times you cheated at "Odd or Even" when we were little. Becky, you were so gorgeous on the day of Richie's wedding--I loved everything about the way you looked, because I think it matched the pride that was in your heart.  Richie, I'll never forget the day you were born...it was one of the most special days of my childhood, and watching you get married in September was a joy. Stacy, we are all so happy to have you as part of our crazy family! You chose well, and so did he! wink emoticon What a beautiful day you had for a wedding!

The Thankful Game, Part 1

The thankful game...call me late to the party or just trying to do things a little differently. (It's both, I assure you.) Either way, I'm thankful today for so many things...how do you choose??! Okay, here we go...today, I am thankful for my sweet boy, my baby Bart. He is a treasure and gift to me every single day. Though I could do without his newfound squeals, I will take them, every one, for it means that when nap time comes, I can sing him our song, and he will snuggle in close. And when nap time is over, he will hold his arms out and give me the biggest grin, and he will put his forehead to mine and move in for kisses. He is the sweetest baby I know, and everyone loves his disposition...how could they not? My heart still longs for my Aaron....for Bart's twin brother to be here living life with us, too. But God knew what I needed, and He knows so much better than I...He is trustworthy and kind, and here is yet another thing for which to be thankful. Thank you, Lord, for giving me Bart to hold in my arms...my heart is full of gratitude.

Thanksgiving 2014

Such a wonderful time being together as a family for Thanksgiving this year!  We usually go to Indiana for Thanksgiving, but this year, because Jill (Hoffbeast's sister) was home in the USA for the first time in over 20 years, of course we had to stay in Wisconsin!

 We all gathered at Katie and Robert's house, and thanks to AtoZ, we had a beautifully decorated table!

 Our good eater, Mr. Bart, loved the meal and charmed everyone around!

Another bonus was that even though Jill wasn't able to be in town for Rex's opening night, she did get to drive home with me for a couple of his rehearsals...we had lots of good time to visit, and she got to see the boy actor in his element, too!

K5 Thanksgiving Feast

Tom was very proud to choose to be an "Indian"! I continue to love watching their relationship grow...so thankful for my sweet Pilgrim and my precious Indian!

Berta & Bart

We first met Roberta when she staffed our summer project, when she was a student on SITC, a long time ago.  I'm not really sure when it was anymore.  I do know that she came and spent a weekend at our house when our friend, T, came and visited us...it was great, and Roberta seemed to fit right into life here at 2319.  

When I was pregnant with Bart, Roberta was a student on project, and she was such an encouragement to me as I watched her minister with her team in the city.  Later, after Bart was born, she was one of the first to visit us in the hospital, and when he was a few weeks old, she visited and cemented their relationship.  :)

All these years after first meeting, Roberta remains a special person to us as a family and to our ministry here.  I might be hoping that she will end up interning here and maybe even living with us.  Yep, I just might be.  ;)

Love you, Berta!  Thanks for coming this weekend...look forward to seeing you next time, whenever that may be!

Better late than never

In this case, it would have been never.  But thanks to the fact that our boarder is a teacher and often gets her hands on random extra stuff, our kids were trick or treated to some delicious sugar cookies with fabulous decorating fun included.  (Okay, the cookies aren't that good because they are a wee bit old at this point, but the kids don't care, and they had such fun decorating!)

Thanks so much, Shanice!

Paper Bag Christmas: The Rehearsals

This Christmas, Rex has the amazing privilege of sharing the lead role in Morning Star Production's The Paper Bag Christmas, a show about a group of kids who put on a Christmas pageant at a local  Children's Hospital.  This play is being used as both an outreach and a fundraiser for our amazing Children's Hospital of Wisconsin.  

All of our boys have been patients at Children's at one point or another; Neil, Tom, and Bart have all had surgery there, and Rex has visited the ER a time or two!  We love the fact that some of the proceeds from this wonderful holiday show are going toward such a fabulous place which cares so well for so many families each year.

Here are just a few glimpses from play practices so far this fall...

"Katrina, are you in there?" Rex plays Molar, a boy who is asked to befriend Katrina, one of the patients in the oncology unit. He learns that isn't as easy as it sounds.

Molar (Rex) and the angel choir...

Rex's Molar counterpart, P, rehearsing with Alan, a seasoned performer playing one of the doctors at the hospital.  Together, Rex and P are going to help make this show a smashing success!

Mrs. Davison, the show director, is surrounded by part of her Paper Bag Christmas cast.  (I wonder what was on the computer that was so interesting to Rex and his friend, I?)

We're so proud of you and all the hard work you are putting in to this show, Rex...keep it up!  Just a few more weeks, and you won't have any more rehearsals to go...for now.  ;)

Veteran's Day Tribute

I am grateful today for the military service of so many, but tonight I want to give a special shout-out of gratitude to my father-in-law, Rex Hoffman, who served during WWII, my dad, Hunter Goin, who served during the Korean War, and my brother, Tim Goin, who was in the Navy during the Gulf War. I love all of you and am grateful for the example that you set and the sacrifice that you made! Happy Veteran's Day!

My Football Guy

Neil's first flag football game...it was SO fun to watch! Two TDs and two interceptions for him, and the final score was 31-0...nice!  

Neil had been waiting for years to play his favorite sport, and as his mama, I loved seeing the joy on his face in the above picture--and all throughout the season!  He was quite a football rock star....love you, Bud!

One more year of flag football, and then we probably move on to tackle....yikes! I'm holding out just as long as possible!

Oh, my uber-compliant one!

Conversation between me and Beth this morning as we are getting ready to leave for school:

(I'm getting dressed, and she knocks on my door.)

Me:  "Who is it?"

Beth:  "It's Beth."

Me:  "What do you need, Sweetheart?"

Beth:  "Do I have time to go to the bathroom?"

Me:  "Honey, in the time you came upstairs to ask me that, you could have gone to the bathroom."

Beth (sounding a bit dejected):  "Oh."

Me (so as not to crush her spirit):  "Sweetie, from now on, if you need to go to the bathroom, just go, okay?  You always have time to go if you need to go."

Beth:  "Okay."

Beth:  "Mama?"

Me:  "What?"

Beth:  "So, does that mean 'Yes'?"

Scott Walker vs. Mary Burke, the cartoon version

Hey, friends...check out the debut of Seth's political cartoons....there are more where this came from, and they are GOOD!  The cartoon was introduced on Monday, Nov. 3, and then today, after the election result was known, he delivered the mystery panel fill-in.

If it's not obvious, the top was drawn by hand, and the bottom was drawn on the computer.  The expressions aren't quite as crisp when drawn on the computer, but it's still pretty good.  We really might have a polital cartoonist in the making....I think these are awesome! And he had others, too--witty, creative, funny, and well-drawn.  Anybody know where I can get his work marketed?!  I think he's ready!  ;)

Cross Country Banquet

Another Cross Country season is in the books for Rex, and I personally am so glad that he's been on the team these last two years.  I wish we had pictures from his last meet....it was pouring down rain and really cold.  Brrrrrr!  We had lots of blankets and a stroller and a friend who cuddled Bart and a really good parking space for quick and easy runs back to the van.  It was a great memory, and I'm proud of Rex's perseverence.  Hoping he will run next year, too, but we'll see!

A couple of photos from last night's fall sports banquet at school...

Coach Swick and the middle school cross country runners.

Rex got the award for "Perseverence."  We love watching him run and hope he continues to enjoy this sport and get better every year!

The Chalkboard Legacy

This month on Facebook, I posted this picture of Tom standing in front of a double-sided chalkboard that we were trying to give away.  We were successful, and said chalkboard now has a new home where four fabulous little people can enjoy it for years to come!

The day after I posted it, Hoffbeast's sister commented and asked if that was the chalkboard that used to be at their parents' house.  Indeed, it was!  I actually had forgotten that fact, but it was a fun memory...knowing that my husband and his siblings had used it, our kids had used it, and now another family was going to have the joy of drawing and writing and scribbling all over the thing!

That thing is sturdy!  It's lasted for half a century....not bad for a chalkboard!

Ho hum.

The unexpected is always around the corner. How thankful that He is our rock, our stronghold, our fortress...and because of Him, we will NOT be shaken. (Nothing horrible happening here, folks. Just things like the realities of living in an old house, parenting challenges, and details of life. But sometimes even the small challenges can seem overwhelming when they are lumped together...and they are lumped together at 2319 today.)

What an incredible autumn day! You couldn't ask for any better weather on Oct. 25...it's beautiful!!!

This weekend, we went to Madison to see Grandma Enid, and outside her place, there was a lovely fall display, complete with mums and gourds and cornstalks and, of course, lots of pumpkins!  We had to take advantage of the setting for a little brother/sister photo shoot!

Wedding pics galore!

My handsome nephew...

...now a husband!

It was a beautiful setting...

...and an absolutely gorgeous day!

The perfect cake (Seriously...doesn't this look like it should be on the cover of a wedding magazine?)...

...and fabulous dancing for old and young alike!  (Here, my great-niece, B, gathers rose petals on the dance floor while Beth leaps in the background.)

It really was such a wonderful day all around....I am very thankful for the way everything went and for the fact that Stacy is now an official part of our family!

Before the ceremony, Beth and Bart wait with Grandma....isn't my mama so beautiful??!  I hope I look like her when I'm her age!  Love you, Mama!

Helping usher Rex with his boutonniere...he took the job very seriously and was fabulous in his first-ever usher job!

Rex is poised and ready for Grandma as Pa starts the walk down the aisle.

I love this picture!

Richie and Stacy used a fingerprint tree as their guestbook...great idea!

My girl....what can I say?!

Giving a toast was fun....I really am so glad to have Stacy as a NIL now.  That's Niece-in-law.  :)

I love this pic of Beth, too....also love that Richie's Aunt Rhonda is laughing with my great-nephew, T, in the background.

My youngest nephew, N, along with Bart and my great-niece, K.  Bart and K are just two days apart.  Bart is older, but K is doing absolutely everything before him!

Without a doubt, one of my favorite pictures taken of Dad in a long time...love you, Daddy!

The kids enjoyed the dance SO much...maybe more than the adults!

Last but not least, one of my fave pics of the day....me and my beautiful sister.  Becky was absolutely glowing as she walked down the aisle with her son....it was such a special moment.  Bek, I love you so much....Congratulations on your new daughter!  :)