Things that make me smile...

This picture makes me smile because...

1) I just love it!

2) I love how my dad is smiling at me.

3) I love that we have our hands the same. 

We're both pointing our index fingers out straight :) 

I love when I find things that I do like him.

Miss you, Daddy!

Thankful - Day 16: My Daddy

Happy Birthday in Heaven, Daddy!

 

 

 

I am so thankful that out of all the dad's in the world, I got you! You will always be my Daddy.

I miss you every day. I think about you a lot and still can't believe that you're gone. Sometimes, I feel like everything is normal. That I'm just living here in Omaha and you're back at home with Mommy, working and preparing for the next basketball practice. It doesn't take long, though, for me to remember the way things really are now. But no matter what, I will always be thankful for the 25 years that I got to spend with you.

 

I will always be thankful for you - for how you taught me how to be goofy and just totally off-the-wall sometimes. I will be thankful that you taught me how to properly clean my ice cream bowls by licking them out and I will be thankful that you taught me how to watch 3 different television shows at the same time, all on the same TV. I will be thankful that you taught me how to be a hard worker, to not be a pansy  You were always such a hard worker! You easily were the best, most devoted basketball coach, a great "pig guy", a great "cow and fence guy", and a great dad, husband, son, brother, and friend. Thank you for teaching me how to think of others, especially mommy. You were always there to tell us kids to look out for her and help her out around the house. 

 

Thank you for making my senior year of basketball, the best one I could have ever dreamed of. Although, I realize now, that I probably talked back to you a little too much (Sorry for that!), you showed me what it was like to really be devoted to something and I got a front row seat to see exactly how that great basketball-mind of yours worked and how many hours actually went into making the winning teams that you had! I will never forget all the late nights we spent watching game film and taking stats after games and all the times we'd watch one play 6 different times and in slow motion so you could show me what you wanted me to see and learn from it. I'm sure that you're up in Heaven putting together another winning team!

 

Thank you for showing me how to be a good child. You were the best son to Grandma and Grandpa and were really a great son-in-law to Grandma and Grandpa Jons. You were always willing to help them out whenever they needed it and always tried to get us kids to be respectful to them because they deserve it! I promise that I will do my best to be the best daughter and daughter-in-law that I can be, and someday I hope I can set a great example for my children. I can't wait to tell them all about you and all that you taught me!

 

It really is true that you don't know how good you have something until it's gone. There are so many things I wish I would have said to you while you were still here. Things I wish I would have learned from you and experienced with you. I know now, though, that you are looking down on us from Heaven. You hear what I'm saying and know how much I love you and how much you mean to me. I look forward to the day that we are all reunited again, but until then I promise to do my best to make you proud! I won't always get it right, but I will always try my hardest!

 

I'm certain you're having a grand celebration up there today!

(I hope they have cake like Grandma Kock's in Heaven!)

 

Thank you for being the best dad!

I love you and miss you every day!

 

 

 

 

 

Thankful - Day 15: My Mommy

 

Today, I am extra thankful for my mom. Today is her birthday!!

 

My mom is an extremely amazing person. She is always busy, but no matter what she has going on, she won't ever hesitate to make time to help others out when they are in need. She very rarely takes a day just for herself, even though she deserves it more than anyone that I know!

 

My dad used to always tell us kids that we were going to grow up to be just like our mom. We used to always shriek and say "Ohh nooo!!" when he said that, but, in all honesty, I would be lucky to grow up to be like her! On several occasions, Trent has told me that I do things that my mom does, so I guess I'm well on my way. =)

 

With "Pat Sajak"

I am thankful that I love to do so many things with my mom. I love that we like to play Bingo together whenever we can and that we both love watching Wheel of Fortune. And I'm thankful that we shared the experience of going to the Wheel of Fortune auditions here in Omaha. I love that she likes to go to the Botanical Garden in Omaha and loves to play whatever games come up at family events.

I am thankful that my mom will do anything for her kids, even if it is super inconvenient for her and is something that we probably should do ourselves! My parents have always been our biggest supporters, driving all over the midwest to come to all of our events, no matter how big or small. We have all been VERY spoiled as we were growing up. All the "things" we had, all the dance lessons we got to go to, all the sports equipment and summer teams we played on, all the college education we received, and everything that she still gives us to this day are all things that I am so grateful for. I will never be able to repay them for those opportunities!

I love all the little things that my mom does that are "so her". It makes me laugh when I talk to her either on the phone or on the computer and we can say good bye and have every intent to end the conversation and then we'll proceed to have a whole additional conversation about something else before actually saying goodbye for real. And I love that my mom is such a good hostess. She always has way too much enough food for everyone there and there's just nothing like going home for a family get-together for a birthday party or some other event.

 

I am always thankful for my mom's advice and her "expert" opinion on things that I'm just not sure about. I appreciate her and everything that she's done for me. She truly is the rock of our family and even when she has every right to just fall apart, she is still the one that is keeping us and everything else in her life all together. I am thankful that she has raised me in the church and demonstrates her commitment to our church family and to God every day. I am blessed to have such an amazing role model in my life.

 

Happy Birthday, Mommy.

I love you and hope I can be there for you like you've always been there for me!

 

 

Thankful - Day 9: Warm Socks

This sounds silly, but I am sooo thankful that I am privileged en ought to have enough clothes and blankets to keep me warm. I seem to be cold ALL the time, so when I am warm, I'm a much happier person.

I am thankful that I have a house with heating and my fuzzy socks to put on my feet.

It's the simple things sometimes.

Thankful - Day 8: Our House!

I am very thankful that Trent and I have been lucky enough to spend the last 5 and a half months in our new house. Although it is still pretty empty and there's a lot of "unfinished" things, it is a house that is ours together and I love it! I am very much looking forward to continue changing things and making it all ours!

I am also thankful that nothing catastrophic happened this week. As it was a year ago this week that I was home alone at our apartment because Trent was gone at a conference for the week and I came home to let Mattie out at lunch to find our apartment was filled with an inch or so of water. That lead to us having to move everything out of our apartment and live in a hotel for three weeks.

At the time last year, I was thankful that we didn't live a house so someone else could deal with all of the mess and getting our apartment back to the way it should be. And that just makes me even more thankful that nothing like that happened to us this year when it would be our problem and our money to get everything fixed!

Thankful - Day 7: Aunt Doreen and Uncle Nick

The seventh thing I'm thankful for this month is my Aunt Doreen and Uncle Nick. I can't even tell you how lucky I am to have them in my life. I guess I should say that everyone in our family is SUPER lucky! They do so much for us all and make our lives so much easier. 

No matter what it is, they are always willing to help us out. 

They also make our lives 100% more fun by being in it!

Aunt Doreen has spoiled me with love since I was born and she married a wonderful guy who loves us just the same!

I am so thankful that I was blessed to have such a wonderful Aunt and Uncle.

Thankful - Day 6: My Right to Vote

The sixth thing that I'm thankful for this month is my right to vote. 

I'm thankful that I live in this great country and have the opportunity to voice my opinion through my vote that I have the privilege to use. And although we know the outcome of our votes, I pray that everyone treats our leaders with respect and works together to get our country on the "right" path. I also strongly believe that we should all be thankful that we live in this country when, even at its worst times in history, it is a place where we are better off than millions of other people in the world.

Thankful - Day 5: Music

I know I have missed a few days, but between working and studying and all the other random things I get distracted with during the day as well as always attempting to go to sleep early, the days just go by so quickly! So I'm just going to do a little catching up here throughout the rest of the month!

For my 5th Day I am thankful for music. I love what music and songs add to every situation. It intensifies situations in movies and makes the exciting moments more exciting and the sad or romantic moments even more dramatic. I'm also very thankful for the part music played in my younger days when I was in band and choir. I sure learned a lot through my years spent playing the clarinet and piano and singing and all that stuff with Mr. Meyer. =) I love what music adds to church services and picture slide shows and I'm very thankful to have music to make a car ride less dull. 

Lately, I have especially enjoyed it when I hear a song and part of it can sum up exactly how I'm feeling. I love that I can turn up the songs very loud in my car and just sing as loud as I want. For some reason, singing these words makes me feel better. Especially the chorus of Over You by Miranda Lambert below, when she sings "I miss you", a lot of times I just sing and cry, cuz that's exactly how I feel! But then, I know, that even though I miss my dad every day, that I will see him again one day. This world is temporary and he is in a much better place! For the time being, though, I, along with my family, will all learn to deal with the empty place in our hearts and we will be okay as long as we lean on God to comfort us and heal our hearts.

I have picked out these three songs that have really spoken to me as of lately to share. These songs bring me comfort and hope in the sadness and heartache I feel - and for that, I'm thankful!

See You Again by Carrie Underwood

I will see you again. 

This is not where it ends.

I will carry you with me. 

'Til I see you again.

Over You - Miranda Lambert

But you went away.

How dare you?

I miss you

They say I'll be okay

But I'm not going to ever get over you.

Steady My Heart by Kari Jobe

Even when it hurts

Even when its hard

Even when it all just falls apart

I will run to You

Cuz I know that You are

Lover of my soul

Healer of my scars

Steady my Heart

Thankful - Day 4: Lauren

Today I am thankful for my very best friend. Lauren has been there for me ever since we found each other in college and I know that I am incredibly lucky to have her in my life. 

Lauren is always thinking of me and is there for me whenever I need her. There isn't anything that she wouldn't do for me. I know that she is always praying for me and wants to do all she can to be there for me.

Lauren and I have had so many amazing times and I am thankful that she has been with me through all of the fun and happy, sad, and important days of the last 6 years. Our days as roommates are some of my favorites and I look forward to sharing all that life hands us in the future. I am so thankful that we still live close together and will be able to share all the happy, sad, and very important days of our lives that are to come!

Thankful - Day 3: My Job

A special appearance by my mom!

I am so very thankful for my job. I have been at my job for a little over 2 years now and I constantly am thankful for how blessed I am to be in my position. I am lucky enough to have joined Union Pacific in the greatest time in the company's 150 year history and be a part of all of the wonderful and exciting things that have been going on to celebrate UP's amazing past and bight future.

Although the occasional long hours are no fun sometimes, I am thankful that I am then given some flexibility to spend time with my family when it truly matters most.

I am blessed to have amazing coworkers and great bosses and to work in an environment where I am able to learn something new every day. I love the responsibilities that I am given in my position and to honestly feel like I am a vital piece of our organization. I am thankful that I was placed into the Financial Reporting team when I started 2 years ago and to have a job that is visible to the public (even though they don't know that I'm one of the people putting those reports together) and to truly feel like I matter. It's been a wonderful two years so far and I know I have a lot more to learn, but I look forward to becoming the best "train counter" I can be!

Thankful - Day 2: My Husband

Today I am so very thankful for the amazing husband that I have. I am incredibly blessed to be able to walk through this life with him by my side. I am so thankful that he is always there for me and that he is willing to put up with me all of the time!  I very much doubt that he knew what he was getting himself into when he married me. I want him to know how much I appreciate him and all that he does for me and for Mattie.

I am so lucky to have married a man who loves me through the times that I've forgotten one thing or another at the most inconvenient time,  the times that I lock the keys in the car and he has to drive an hour to bring me the spare key, the times I am really loud in the morning or at night when he's trying to sleep, and when I am a little too stubborn or am just plain crabby!

He truly is a selfless man and I know that I've got a partner for life - no matter what!

Thankful - Day 1: My family

Happy November, Everyone.

I just decided that I am going to do the whole "things I"m thankful for" thing for the month of November again this year. Really, a lot of me didn't want to do it this year because, although I have so much to be thankful for, it just hurts sometimes to think about good and happy things in my life when my heart is really just so sad. But I have to be honest with myself and I know that I am so incredibly blessed to have the life that I live and I know that there are millions of people in this world who have it much worse than me despite my heartache. And I really do believe that this will probably be therapeutic to purposely think about all that God has given me and all that I have to be happy about.

So I figured I'd start out this month with the most obvious thing I'm thankful for! 

I am so thankful for my wonderful family that I have. I honestly believe that I have the best family in the world and I have been blessed to be able to live close to all of my grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins my entire life and have been able to share every aspect of my life with them. I still love spending time at home and we have so much fun when we are together.

My immediate family

 I am also now doubly thankful that I am surrounded by even more love from my in-laws. I couldn't have picked a greater family to join if I had tried. 

My in-laws - Trent's family

Thank you, Lord, God, for the gift of family. I give thanks to you for the many joys and blessings that 

have come to me through my family. I pray for you to bless each of them and hold them near to you. 

Let our family shine the light of your love unto the world. Amen.

P.S. - Tell my dad Hi and that I love and miss him!

My whole immediate family