The Ruoss Crew

One Post Every 6 or 8 Months Isn't Bad, Right??

2011-08-03T21:23:00.002-05:00

Things have been so busy for so long I have forgotten the practice of putting our lives in print! I really enjoy going back and reading all that we have done in past years, so it's a good discipline for me, if nothing else. Aside from that, days like today demand an outlet so...here I am.

Jacob just got back from his trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. He and six other Scouts (along with four leaders including Kermit) spent two weeks backpacking in the mountains. He had a blast and came back lighter, full of stories and much, much stinkier. Did I mention that two weeks in the mountains with no deo or showers will really make a bunch of guys stink? Oh yeah, and they really stank! Aside from the wretched stench riding the train with them back from Chicago (which arrived four hours late), it was great to hear all about their travels, the things they learned and how they all now want to go to Sea Base. Aaaaahhhh! Another trip! Jake is also excited that he starts his new job tomorrow and that he will be a junior in high school in two weeks (ok, so he's not really excited about the school part). Oh, and he went on a World Changers mission trip in June which was a lot of fun even though it was "only in Indianapolis".

Hannah has not been enjoying her summer. She has enjoyed not having to get up early but she has not enjoyed being away from her friends all the time. Unfortunately for her, all of her friends live on the other side of town so she has not had as much of a social life as she would have liked. She recently got a new haircut that she loves and was allowed to get a few highlights for the first time (this took years of begging and wearing down). She also went on the World Changers trip in June. She has already started her high school band prep by attending weekly practice. She marched in her first parade on July 2 (in the blazing heat) and is very excited about band camp coming up over the next two weeks. Most excitedly for Hannah is that she is finding high school boys are much more interesting than junior high boys (she would kill me for saying that).

Lily has been playing all summer. We got a used quick-set pool at a friends yard sale so she has been splashing with the neighborhood kids. She has stayed home with Jake and Hannah all summer except for the week that they were gone on the mission trip. She attended day camp for that one week and decided she was glad to be able to stay home and sleep in. She has struggled a bit with not having a schedule (she NEEDS a schedule) but has faired ok. She is very excited for school to start again since she found out that she will have the same teacher for third grade that she had for second. She continues to make us laugh and make us pull our hair out (usually by fighting with her sister)! She is very creative and loves to write letters and songs.

Kermit went on the Philmont trip with Jake. To say it kicked his butt would be an understatement, but he enjoyed it just the same. He was so excited to have completed one of the most difficult treks and lived to tell about it! He picked up the name "black water" while he was there since the crew had to keep telling him to "keep on rollin'". It was a great time for him and Jake to spend together and he is so grateful for the opportunity to go. Now he is trying to figure out what program he wants to follow to keep off the 27 pounds he lost!

I have been here holding it all together! I took a week off work to spend with the girls while K & J were on their trip. We got mani-pedis, spent a day at Lake Michigan, went to the mall, etc. It was a great week. Oh, and I redid our bathroom while they were gone, too. This was a great surprise for Kermit since he didn't have to do anything except hang the towel rack. I even laid the replacement tiles that have been missing for waaay too long! I was so glad to have them back. I realized that I guess I could be a single mom if I had to, but I sure wouldn't like it (kudos to all you single moms out there!)! I was just glad it wasn't during school when the kids have full schedules. I also realized I really miss the company of my husband when he is not there and we can't talk by phone. Not that I didn't know this already, but it was particularly clear on this trip (kudos to all you military wives out there that go long periods without their spouses!). So happy they are back and they didn't get their faces eaten by a bear : )

That just about catches us up...I'm sure there is so much more but there is only so much time for blogging. Right now it's time for bed!

We're Still Here!

2010-11-26T13:36:00.002-06:00

Been quite awhile since we posted and a lot has happened since then.

The kids have started school and are almost ready for Christmas break.

Jake has finals in a few weeks and is looking forward to two weeks off to do nothing (or so he thinks). He has been busy with Scouts, friends, school and more friends. He completed his first half of drivers ed (requirement in IL) and has gotten his permit. He has been driving us any time and everywhere we will let him. He has only scared me a few times. Thankfully he tends to be pretty cautious. IL has pretty strict teen driving laws so he has another 6-8 months before he can get his license.

Hannah has been busy with school, music lessons, church choir, newsletter club and anything else she can find to do. She has added the french horn to her list of instruments (thanks to the school for loaning her one) and really, really wants to learn to play violin. No. She has enjoyed traveling to the high school for an hour each day for Honors Geometry. She loves a challenge!

Lily has been using school as her venue to meet new friends and influence people. She does her work but does it as quickly as she can so that she can move onto more "interesting" and "important" things. She believes it is her job to make sure everybody is doing exactly what they should be and that everyone knows exactly what SHE thinks they should be doing. At the same time she is such a sensitive kid who loves others and tries to help them. She may, in all reality, be the death of me.

Kermit has been doing a multitude of home projects. He has installed the new dishwasher (thanks to a very generous donor!) and a new whole house water filter. Soon it will be a water softener, but we have a little bit to wait for that one. He has been really busy at work with lots of overtime and then even more projects with scouts and church. He is really looking forward to the beginning of a new year when he will once again have some vacation time!

I have been keeping busy with work and family life. We are now heading into my favorite time of year....the holidays : ) I have enjoyed the last week of preparing for Thanksgiving and I have been listening to Christmas music for weeks. My sister and I went out for Black Friday shopping but, for the first time ever, I had to come home because I was too tired to shop. I was so ashamed.

Well, I must go. I need to remind the girls to clean their room!

Hello World

2010-07-07T22:45:00.002-05:00

Greetings from Casper, Wyoming. I am sitting here thinking about the splendor and majesty of God. Seeing the awesomeness of His creation and the way He blesses us.
Just a quick rundown of the latest events in our lives :

Jacob, Hannah, Sasha Study,Houston Woodman, and I are working hard and enjoying the cool air in Casper, Wyoming while on a World Changers mission trip. You can get daily updates by going to www.world-changers.net and looking for the Casper page.

Candy decided to take the week and visit with Mary in North Carolina instead of having to take time away from the family later. Isn't she the greatest wife a man could ask for?

Lillian is staying with Grandma Carol in Mississippi for the time that we are all gone.

It is really quite interesting trying to get in touch with anyone due to all the time differences. If it is 6 in Casper, then it is 7 in MS, and 8 in NC. Isn't that a little confusing (as if working with 8 teenagers isn't).

Anyway, I think that it is now time to start getting ready for bed so that I can get up and tackle the rest of what God has planned for us here in Wyoming.

Life Goes On

2010-06-10T21:39:00.002-05:00

Summer break finally arrived! I am so thankful it did. One more week might would have thrown me over the edge.

Jacob has been enjoying parts of his summer. He spent the day at Six Flags with his girlfriend, spent several nights with his friends and slept late almost every day.

Hannah has had a bit of a rougher time. None of her friends live close so she has a harder time getting together with them.

Lily is enjoying playing outside and watching endless hours of Spongebob (oh, how I hate that sponge!).

This week has been especially eventful for the kids. We have had all four of my sister's kids at our house for the last six days. My sister had some issues at home and then was unexpectedly in the hospital so they have been staying with Favorite Aunt Candy (who probably is NOT favorite anymore). They have all done exceptionally well under the circumstances, but they will be really thankful to go home.

Please pray for my sister. She is under incredible stress right now and is not doing well physically.

Hoping for a non-eventful weekend. 5K on Saturday and visiting my grandmother. No more drama!!

It's Almost Here!!

2010-05-16T15:48:00.002-05:00

Yay! The last day of school is almost here! I will be so excited to not have to watch bedtimes, homework, etc. for a few months. It will also be nice to be able to get back to the Y to workout/swim during the week. At this point it's hard to go and still get back in time for Lily to get to bed early enough to not be a crab the next day. Quick update on what's been going on...

Jacob has been keeping up with school and currently has a B average. He has decided he really likes High School. Well, he likes it as much as he could like any school. His favorite class has been Intro to Tech in which he did small engine repair, woodworking, electrical and architecture. He liked architecture enough that he is taking a CAD class next year and deciding whether or not to become an architect in his adult life. He remains active in scouting and is working on Eagle. He has one week to go before finals and he can't wait. He begins driving in a few months. *sigh*

Hannah has been very busy with school, friends, band, piano, etc. She has really begun to act more like a teenager and is more concerned with what she is wearing and how she looks each day. Thankfully she is still has a good head on her shoulders and finds most of today's fashions for juniors too tight or revealing. I am not naive...I am sure this will change, but I will take it as long as I can keep it! She is not looking forward to summer break because she will not see her friends every day. It's all about being social, you know.

Lily is looking forward to summer vacation because she wants to be able to sleep in. At this point she is up by 5:45 each day and out the door by 6:20. She will be spending the summer with Jake and Hannah so she can sleep past 7:00. She sang in a musical at school, this week, called "Going Buggy" and did a great job. She has become quite a little singer and feels that she has to sing for us constantly. How could I have three kids and not even ONE of them be shy?? Anyway...she also made her first school research project last week on ducks. The last line of her report was "I like ducks because they are cute but my dad likes ducks because they are tasty". What a nutball.

Kermit has been recovering from a mouth/tooth infection. It started out as a lost filling which moved into a root canal. A few days later the tooth broke and had to be pulled. I have never seen him in so much pain, but thankfully he is feeling better, now. He has been working with the contractors on our church remodel and has really enjoyed not having to do a lot of the work himself. It's been nice for us to have him home! He has started training for the Scout trip to Philmont which is mainly hiking with his pack. It's kind of funny to watch him try to keep up with the 6'2'' very long legged Scoutmaster who keeps his own fast pace. He has also been working on preparing the youth from church for our World Changers trip to Wyoming in July. He's a busy guy.

I have been doing a lot of running around taking kids here and there. I have also been working on my normal teams at church and have started planning my grandmother's 80th birthday party in July.

A few prayer requests:

My Dad - he is in the hospital, again. He has another infection in his leg. Hoping he can come home early this week.

EK and Linda Lash - Linda's dad passed away this morning. He lived with EK and Linda so this will be an especially difficult transition for them.

Our World Changers Group - We are in full swing with fund raising but it's not going as well as we would like.

What a Surprise!

2010-03-05T12:03:00.002-06:00

Last night, I had the opportunity to take Hannah to Aurora to see Toby Mac (her fave) and Skillet. The cool part was that she had absolutely NO clue what she was in for. We got to the venue which was a high school gym a little early and checked to see what time the ticket counter opened. We then went and chilled out (literally) in the truck to kill some time.
I asked Hannah if she figured out the surprise yet and she said that it was a concert. That lead to her asking if it was Toby or just people doing his songs. My response was not a lie, yet not the whole truth. I told her it was people doing his songs (I figured his band plays the songs, so no lie there).
Hannah made friends with a young lady while we stood in line waiting to get in. Once in, we were lead past a table and was told to pick up our CDs(one from Skillet and the new one from Toby). Oh, yeah, I should mention that we sprang for the VIP seats which included the CDs, up close seats, and a Q&A session with Toby and John Cooper from Skillet.
As we entered the gym, I let Hannah decide which seat she wanted. Her new friend then mentioned that she was excited to get to see Toby. Hannah about flipped out when she finally realized that she was getting to ser one of the favorite Christian artists.
Needless to say, I hear "THANK-YOU DADDY!" about a hundred times.
Getting up for work at 5:00 am this morning as a little rough considering we didn't get home until around 1:00 am. It was all WELL worth it just to see the enjoyment on Hannah's face.

Busy, Busy, Busy!

2010-02-25T21:24:00.003-06:00

Wow, has it really been two months since I have posted? A lot has gone on, I'll try to summarize quickly.

Jacob has completed his first season of wrestling. He enjoyed it greatly and loved the fact that he saw positive changes in his body from all of the training. We were all shocked at the time commitment. He had practice every weekday from 3:15-6 (later if he had a home meet) and on Saturdays he had tournaments from 6:15am - 5pm. He was so excited to be able to sleep in that first Saturday after the season ended! He has been doing much better in school and at this point has almost all B's (there are still a few C's). He was voted Senior Patrol Leader again in Scouts which means he has another six months of leading the troop. He is more comfortable with it now, so we will see how he does. He is also starting to work on his Eagle project. Oh, and he has a new "friend"...Tiffany. Lastly, I must not neglect to mention that Jacob is trying to grow mutton-chops.

Hannah turned 13 last month! She is now officially a teenager and displays everything that goes along with teenaged girls (aka HORMONES!). There are days that I think I may just pull her head off! But, she is also a sweetheart who really has a heart for others and for doing what God wants her to do. She recently participated in Solo and Ensemble for both trumpet and piano. She got a "1" for trumpet but only got a "2" for piano because her music only had 24 measures and the state required it have 28. She was terribly disappointed but learned a valuable lesson for next year. She made it onto the volleyball team again this year and has been doing much better than last year. She is thrilled that she can actually serve over the net and her coach no longer rotates her out when it is her turn to serve.

Lily turned 7 this week and she was thrilled. She is now looking foward to having her skating party this Saturday. She has never had a party with her friends before, so it will be fun for her. She has been enjoying school but still says she does not like it. She is trying to decide if she wants to do gmnastics, dancing, karate or play an instrument. She wants to do everything and thinks she knows everything.

Kermit has been super busy with Scouts and church. He has been working with contractors on bids for a bathroom remodel and elevator install at church. He both loves it and hates it. He has also really picked up with Scouts again (had time off during other remodel project) and has become quite a chauffer helping get all of the kids to their respective appointments.

I have been working like crazy. Between regular work and being part of a team at church searching for a new Minister of Worship. I'm very excited that job may be coming to an end! I got to scrapbook for two days at the end of January which was very fun and relaxing. I have been enjoying our new Wii Fit even though it reminds me of all the hard work I need to be doing. I have joined Weight Watchers at work which I have enjoyed. We'll see how it goes!

I Love the Holidays!

2009-12-27T18:46:00.002-06:00

What a great week! Christmas was fantastic! The entire family (minus Mary and her crew) were here on Christmas Eve. We had such a good time just hanging out and talking. Good food and good fellowship : ) Of course, the kids were anxious to open presents. Everyone received gifts that they enjoyed.

Christmas day was quiet with just the immediate family plus grandieu and my mom's twin brothers. Santa had visited and brought the kids things that they NEVER expected including a cell phone for Jacob and an Ipod for Hannah. Lily received the Sorry Sliders game she had been asking for.

Kermit received something he has wanted for years... tickets to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra. We attended on the 26th and it was fantastic! It goes without saying that we will probably attend again next year.

I was blessed enough to receive things that I never spend money on for myself...a certificate for a manicure...a certificate for a massage...certificates for scrapbook/cardmaking/stamping supplies. My family loves me : )

Through it all, I was so grateful to see that my kids truly understand the real meaning of Christmas. They make me so proud : )

Long Time No Blog!

2009-11-16T22:15:00.006-06:00

Wow, it HAS been a long time! We always get busy this time of year. School is in full swing and the kids have after school activities that take up our time. They are not involved in too much (we limit how much they can be involved in), but it all seems to be on different nights. Thankfully Kermit is a hands on dad who doesn't mind helping any way he can. He is a lifesaver!

Jacob has settled into his first year of high school. He has had a few bumps along the way but is coming out no worse for the wear. He has found his motivation to do his schoolwork. This motivation is called "wrestling team". He is enjoying the challenge but not enjoying the time commitment. He keeps telling himself "it's only until February".

Hannah is back in her element...school. She is playing in the band as well as being part of the newsletter club and the drama club. She is not so patiently waiting for January to role around so she can try out for the volleyball team. She is still taking piano lessons and recently filled in for the church pianist for the entire month of November.

Lily is enjoying first grade. She is a SUPER reader but will try to act like she can't read at all if you let her get away with it. She comes home everyday telling us who all got in trouble and which boys were mean to her. She always neglects to tell us that SHE got in trouble for talking, but her teacher reminds us each week when she sends home Lily's end of the week report.

Kermit is working, scouting, churching, constructing, fathering, etc., etc., etc., and doing a great job at them all!

Candy is working like crazy to finish her full month's worth of work by the 17th so that she can have off the rest of the month!! She will then be catering a Bible Conference and then traveling with the family to Mississippi for a great Thanksgiving.

CAN'T WAIT!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDY

2009-08-28T06:27:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to the best wife and friend a man could ask for. Candy turns 3X today.

LIFE time

2009-08-26T10:23:00.003-05:00

What a great son we have. Last night (August 25), Jacob had his first go at being Senior Patrol Leader for Troop 85. That means that he basically runs the troop. Of course, the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmasters are over him, but the SPL mainly is in charge.

Jacob also got to advance in rank and has acheived the rank of Life Scout. Six down and only one more to go! If he does it right, he can be an EAGLE before his sixteenth birthday. I for one know he can do it.

WAY TO GO AND CONGRATULATIONS JACOB!!!

Happy Birthday!

2009-08-21T12:00:00.000-05:00

Happy 40th Kermit!

What's Been Happening?

2009-08-13T21:52:00.003-05:00

Just a few quick updates on happenings in the Ruoss household.

Jacob went to freshman orientation this week. His freshman class has over 700! He is looking forward to starting a new year with a new principal and teachers. He attended wrestling camp and is thinking about joining the team. Oh, and this week he was voted Senior Patrol Leader for his scout troop. This is the lead position for the troop so he is both excited and nervous!

Hannah is getting ready for a weekend retreat in Lake Geneva, WI. She is terribly excited to be able to get away with some of her youth group friends. She has been a little lonely this summer since none of her friends live close enough to see on a regular basis. She is getting very excited for school to start in a few weeks. She is also excited that she will be playing piano in her first wedding next month.

Lily is gearing up for school, too. She is very excited to be in the first grade. She is even more excited that she is going to be in before and after school care. It ought to be interesting as she has never been in a daycare setting before. She has spent the summer charming the neighborhood boys (no girls on our block) and fighting with her sister.

Kermit enjoyed his week with World Changers and is already gearing up for next year's trip. He is getting back into the swing of things at work and finishing up the last small details on the church remodel.

I have been steady holding everything together as everyone goes here, there and everywhere. Not that I do it alone...Kermit is a pretty good holder-togetherer, too : ) I'm looking forward to a new women's bible study we are starting since it has been WAY too long since our old group used to meet. Also looking forward to a possible trip to MS in November.

Couple prayer requests:

Tina and Daniel Gallant - Daniel is still looking for permanent work and ministry opportunity. Please pray for finances and a clear line of sight to God's plan.

Amanda McGraw's mom Diane - she is still struggling physically and is currently in ICU and needs God's intervention. Pray for her healing as well as strength for Amanda and her brother and for Brian as he tries to handle the family affairs while she is away.

My sister Elizabeth and her husband Doug - Doug is in desperate need of a job!

Buffalo Update

2009-07-27T21:43:00.003-05:00

I talked to the guys for a few minutes today. They are having a blast in Buffalo! They spent today cleaning up a garden/sitting area at a school. It was right up Kermit's alley since he loves yard work. He said he had to keep making himself stop working since he is supposed to be supervising the kids doing the work.

They also were talking about the amazing worship times they are having and how great the overall experience is.

The rest of the week should be more of the same with a break on Wednesday afternoon to go to Niagra falls. FUN (I'm totally jealous)!!

Busy as a Bee

2009-07-20T07:24:00.006-05:00

Well, I just thought that I would share a little of what's been going on.
Saturday afternoon saw the return of Jacob from a week of Boy Scout camp. He was soooo excited that he told us everything that happened and I think that during the conversation, he forgot to breathe. He passed all the Merit Badges that he was going for including Rifle. He wanted to earn that one so that (when things finally settle down) I can take him to the range at Bass Pro Shop. He also passed enough that he will be able to request a Scoutmaster's Conference and Board of Review so that he can advance to Life Scout. As I posted on Facebook on Friday the 17th, that means that he will be just one step below Eagle. I don't think I can say enough how extrememly PROUD I am of him for kicking it in and sticking with it.

Jake will only have a few days at home to rest up and get ready for a week of work in Buffalo, NY, as he and I will leave on Friday night the 24th heading out with the rest of the World Changers crew from our church. If you would like to follow our adventures for send Jake an encouraging note, just go to World-Changers.net. Once there, select the "Work With Us" tab. There will be a link on the left side that says "E-couragegram". Click on that and then scroll down until you find the listing for Buffalo under the New York state listing.

The remodel project at church is winding down and I can actually see light at the end of the tunnel. I only pray that the light is not a freight train coming this way. This past Thursday saw the installation of our new sound system which sounds WAY better than the old one. Comparing the two would be like comparing an early model VW Beetle (the ones with no heat), to a 1964 Shelby Mustang GT 500 (Elenore). You just cannot do that. We had an unexpected trial run of the whole system on Sunday the 19th when the Korean mission church that we sponsored had their Constitution services at our church. The PowerPoint presentation shown through our new projection system went well, but the Worship time was UNBELIEVABLE!!!!

Thanks to the hard work of a lot of people in the church, everything looks and is working great. However, I have to mention that Mr. E.K. Lash has made the biggest difference because he built the new sound booth and installed three regular doors and replaced the double doors for the Sanctuary. These doors were HEAVY and not easy to deal with. E.K. did a fantastic job and I thank him bunches for his willingness to use the gifts and talents that God gave him.

Oh well, enough rambling and time for work.

What a Great Weekend!

2009-07-05T19:37:00.018-05:00

We just got back from a great weekend camping at Camp Timber-Lee in East Troy, WI. It's only about an hour and a half away from home so it is far enough to seem like a vacation but not so far that we all dread the ride home. Timber-Lee has both a Christian youth camp (i.e. week long sleep away camp for kids)and also a family campground for RVs and tents. I used to go to camp there with my church youth group when I was a kid (before we moved to Mississippi)and Jacob and Hannah have both gone a few times. This was the first time we ever went camping there as a family. We arrived on Friday afternoon found our campsite. We actually got the best site, but that comes with a price to pay....it overlooked the lake and the beautiful sunsets but was also up a pretty steep hill. Kermit and Jake were gracious enough to do most of the heavy carrying (I love my men!). We set up camp and started making plans for the rest of the weekend. One nice thing about camping at a youth camp is all of the fun activities you can sign up for. Before the weekend was over, at least part of us had gone horseback ridding, gone boating, done leather crafting, played tether ball & volleyball, built sand cakes and pies (Lily's version of sand castles)and done the other normal camping stuff like making smores and playing Uno by the light of a tiny, tiny lantern. The only disappointment of the weekend was that we could not go swimming or kayaking due to them finding "blue algae" in the lake the morning we arrived. Evidently it is toxic to some degree and they didn't want anyone getting sick. Oh, and the hayride was full before we were able to get on so we had to go on a family hike, instead. This wasn't a bad thing, just a change of plans.

Jacob was only partially looking forward to the trip. He has reached that age where he could not imagine the entire weekend without his friends and could not imagine actually enjoying an entire weekend with the family. He was sure he would not have any fun. Well, needless to say he was able to find plenty to do. He really enjoyed horseback riding and boating but was very sad that he could not go kayaking (one of his favorite things to do). But he did enjoy pouring water all over our plastic Uno cards to see if they were really waterproof. Believe me when I tell you that plastic Uno cards stick together when they are wet. In the end he had to admit that he had a lot fun (but it would have been better if he had brought a friend)... good grief!

Hannah had a blast! She loved the giant slip and slide (made out of two full size billboard vinyls) and also enjoyed leather shop where she made a musical note key chain and a coin purse. Her favorite activity was also horseback riding. She is very sore and bruised today from the slip and slide. Her poor hip bones are scraped and blue. She really had fun winning at Uno and canoeing with Jake.

Lily spent the entire weekend on the go. She did not want to stay in camp for more than a minute (we could barely even get her to eat!). Our campsite was close to the playground so when we were not doing everything else, she was down at the playground burying her feet in sand and making friends with everyone she could. Her favorite part was...you guessed it...riding the horse, although she was not old enough to go on the trail ride. She just got to ride the horse as it was led by a farm hand. She also made a pink bracelet at the leather shop and spent hours on the slip and slide.

Kermit had a weekend of relaxation...well, almost. With any camping trip comes work, but I have to say that he has camped enough that he has it down to a science. He and Jake had tents up and down in a flash and fires built from scratch in minutes. Poor Kermit had an earache most of the weekend but was still able to be a enjoy all of the activities. He said his favorite part of the weekend was spending time with the family (but we all know he really enjoyed the horseback riding).

This was the first time that we actually camped as a family alone, without the scouts. It was my first time packing for the trip and then cooking, keeping everything organized, etc. I had such a great time watching the kids play together (without fussing and fighting)and just spending time outside in God's amazing creation(the weather was gorgeous - 80 degrees, light breeze and zero humidity). We saw beautiful sunsets and heard dozens of different birds including loons and wild turkeys. Once again, I just took time to soak it all in and hide it away realizing that times like this with the entire family will be gone before we know it. Below are some pictures of our fun and a video or two.

Our 100th Post!

2009-06-12T21:20:00.004-05:00

This is our 100th post (if you didn't catch that in the title). Not that it is important, just thought it was a neat, round number.

Summer break has arrived! The kids are thrilled to be off of school and sleeping in each morning. They are enjoying staying up late and not being held to a strict schedule. Kermit and I are enjoying it, as well. It's really nice not to have to fuss about homework and such.

Jacob is looking forward to high school, sort of. He is glad to be out of junior high but not 100% sure he is ready for the big leagues. We keep assuring him it will be fine. He will be going to wrestling camp in a few weeks to see if that is a sport that he would like to pursue. He has been enjoying hanging out with his friends every day and some extra freedom. He has also been helping watch the girls on days when Papa has to run errands or is sick. He is looking forward to Scout camp in July and then a week in Buffalo, NY on a World Changers mission trip. Oh, almost forgot, he finally got the guitar he has been wanting and started taking lessons this week.

Hannah is halfway happy about being out of school but upset that none of her friends live close by. She was excited to go shopping for summer clothes. She no longer fits the clothes at the consignment shop that we usually go to so we had to buy NEW clothes! This was quite a treat for her. Although she didn't get as many clothes as she would have at our normal shop, she was thrilled to be able to pick new clothes from the latest trends. She was glad to see longer Bermuda shorts coming back into stores since she knows that short shorts are out of the question and we were able to come to a compromise with spaghetti straps which she can now where as long as she wears a t-shirt or high front tank. Oh the things you have to deal with when you have pre-teen girls. She is desperately looking forward to church camp coming up in about a week. She will spend a week in northern Wisconsin doing all the fun things you do at camp. I wonder if we can find somewhere to send the other two for that week????

Lily has been playing outside like crazy! She loves to be out from sun up until sun down. The only kids to play with on our block are boys so she is constantly playing pirates, bad guys and the like. Every once in awhile she is able to talk them into playing house, but it never lasts long. She is constantly singing (to the point of driving me crazy!). She always has something to say and thinks she must have the last word. The other day I sent her to sit on her bed for something she had done and as she was sitting I heard her talking to herself saying "doesn't she know I'm a six year old girl? Six year old girls are grown and can do what they want. She can't tell me anymore! Soon I'll be seven and I will do whatever I want!". We welcome your prayers : )

Kermit has been working like a madman. He is still working full time and then working at the church to try to finish up our remodel project. It looks great and I have been so proud of the work he has done but I will be really happy when it is DONE! I am just so thankful for him. God is good!

I have been working on a temporary project at work which has allowed me to work from home three days a week. It has been so nice to sleep a few minutes later and not have to commute. Even more I have enjoyed just spending time with the kids. I have to admit that I am a bit less productive when they are around, but it is totally worth it.

Looking forward to more summer fun and relaxation!

Fair vs Just

2009-06-04T21:58:00.004-05:00

Why is it that life seems so unfair at times? Have you ever noticed how some people move through life with very little resistance while others can't seem to catch a break for anything? I know a few people who just seem to get hit over and over again. Just when things start to seem ok, something else happens.

One of these people is very dear to me and my heart aches for her every time something new happens. She tries very hard to have a positive attitude and to rely on the God that she knows cares for her and is working on her behalf, but sometimes it gets hard for her to handle it all. She had another one of those things happen today....it has been tough on her.

Although I know she has never said "this is not fair", others who know her have said those words for her. In the beginning I was inclined to agree, mostly out of raw, human emotion. But then the Lord helped me remember that His word never describes Him as "fair", but instead describes Him as "just". I believe there is a difference.

Fairness gives evil for evil and plays favorites to those who are favorable. It is tit for tat. It's definition changes from person to person because fairness is always driven by an individual's own perceptions of what is right and equal. Because of this, we often mess up "fairness" because we get our own agendas involved.

Being "just" is a different story. Justice can only be handled by God because it is based on HIS righteousness, not our perception of right. It is based on HIS view of the big picture, not our view of the immediate circumstances that plague us.

If God had been FAIR to us, we would have all been consumed long ago and all of our eternities would be sealed in a devil's hell. BUT PRAISE GOD THAT HE IS NOT FAIR!! Instead, He is compassionate and JUST! His wisdom goes far beyond what we can comprehend so He is able to see beyond the present into eternity to see how all of these "unfair circumstances" will pan out in the end. HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING!

Now, I don't claim that it is always easy and I don't claim that everything that comes our way should make us say "yippee!", but I am sayind that we need to remember that "fair" is a human word. God is in the business of justice!

Observations of an 8th Grade Parent

2009-05-29T15:33:00.004-05:00

I am a total people watcher. I enjoy just sitting and observing people's actions, what they are wearing, how they interact with others, etc. Last night was a great opportunity for this as Kermit and I attended Jake's' 8th grade graduation and then chaperoned the 8th grade dance (much to Jacob's horror).

Let me start by saying that the graduation was great. It wasn't too long but still gave credit to those who were deserving. Jacob even won an award! We were shocked when the American Legion Auxiliary named him third place in the "Where Have the Heroes Gone?" essay contest. He didn't know he was getting the award so it was great to see the surprised look on his face. He looked handsome in his cap and gown and he was very excited about not having to ever go to the principals office at Gavin Jr. High, again : ) By the way...when did we start having 8th grade graduation ceremonies? My 8th grade graduation consisted of them handing me a report card on the last day of school and saying "have a great time in high school, now get out" (or something like that).

Then came the dance. Sooooo interesting.

The first thing I noted was that all of the girls seemed much older than 14. I have never seen so many young girls dressing like mature women in my life. Some of there outfits were so revealing that I wouldn't want to see ANYONE wearing them. In stark contrast, the boys were struggling to keep their ties on and some even pulled off their dress shirts so that they could wear their T-shirts to the dance.

Next I watched their dancing. It was interesting to see that some songs immediately got everyone dancing and some made everyone stop. I was impressed that the majority of the dancing was clean and harmless with only one instance in which I had to go over and say "leave some room for Jesus in there". The funniest part was that all the girls really wanted to dance and most of the guys were totally not interested. This meant that most of the girls danced together in big groups while the guys stood in the back of the room doing kung-foo and seeing who could slide the farthest across the floor.

Slow dancing. There was a definite difference in the different versions of slow dancing. Some were very close and some stayed at arms length away. Some were very smooth and some were very stiff legged and awkward. In almost all situations, the girls dragged the guys onto the floor for the slow dances.

You could really see the cliques. It was obvious who were the popular kids and who were not. Jacob is not in the popular group but he is also not completely friendless but you could still see who approved of him and his friends and who did not. He didn't seem to mind.

As I stood guard at the door (so no-one could get out without their parents), I thought:

- What made the popular kids "popular" in a way that they feel it is OK to treat others poorly. What makes the "lessors" feel like they are less?

- What type of home life do these kids have? Do ANY of them know Jesus or even have an idea of basic morality?

- Why do young teens feel the need to be grown up? Could anything have been done to make them see the value in just being 14?

- Why do young teens feel the need to experiment sexually? Do they not understand that when they give themselves away they are literally giving away a part of themselves emotionally that they will never be able to retrieve?

- What can I be doing to make a difference for the ones who obviously need positive attention?

I have to say, I realized that I am just as "un-cool" now as I was when I was in school. I have never been the trend-setter or the trend-follower. I am no more in touch with what is going on with 14 year old culture now than I was in 1986. BUT THAT IS OK! Because the biggest realization I had was that I am OK with never having been "IT"! Having grown up the way that I did I have an appreciation for the every day things in life that others take for granted. I have a heart for people who suffer at the hands of others and a desire to make things better for them. All of this came from at one time being 14 and struggling through everything I observed at this dance.

I would NEVER want to be 14 again, but I sure am thankful for what I learned the first time around! Trust me, I will be praying for these kids as they enter high school in the fall. Most of them have no idea what they are heading for.

Here are some pictures from the evening.

Great Music

2009-05-17T18:15:00.002-05:00

Here is Hannah performing "Linus and Lucy" at the school talent show.

Wrapping Up the School Year

2009-05-06T21:17:00.002-05:00

Every year I think Kermit and I get more excited about the end of school than the kids do. By the end of May I am just plain tired! When I look at my calendar for this month we have:

- a family dinner for Mother's Day
- a mother/daughter tea at church
- a Scout camp out
- a piano recital
- a band concert
- a talent show
- AWANA awards night
- school awards night
- church work day
- a baby shower (not mine!)
- an 8th grade graduation

I am counting the days until June!

But, so that I don't sound as if I am lamenting my life (because I'm not!) I am also trying to savor every minute I can while I still can. I realize more and more every single day how quickly the kids are growing up! Jake has girls calling (well, one specific girl) and will be in high school in three months, Hannah is wrestling with doing the right thing even when it is tough and Lily is reading like crazy and acting like a grown up.

So...we are plugging away until we get to the fun of summer which is one step closer to them all being grown and out of the house (sentimental sigh).

How Deep The Father's Love For Us

2009-04-10T18:08:00.003-05:00

On this glorious Good Friday, I find myself compelled to share one of my favorite songs by Stuart Townend. May you spend time focusing on HIM and HIS SACRIFICE as we go through the next few days coming up to Resurrection Sunday. Thank you God for loving me this much even though you knew I would despise you and reject you.

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that helf Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

What's Been Happening With Us?

2009-03-30T19:57:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since I have posted. Thought I might drop a few quick lines to tell what has been going on.

Jacob just got back from Washington DC. He went with his 8th grade class. He had a great time and came back with all sorts of things to share with us. He really enjoyed the Smithsonian Air Museum and the Holocaust Museum (maybe "enjoy" is not the right word for that one). He did NOT like the Einstein Memorial since it was just a statue of Einstein and he could not see why it was important enough to take up his time. He is thrilled that this week is spring break. Oh...and he got his first call from a girl, tonight. Don't tell him I told : )

Hannah is only half happy about it being spring break. She misses her friends and her teachers and band and everything else about school. She just recently finished her volleyball season in which her team won three games. They were thrilled since last year they only won one. She is now getting ready for the school talent show. She will be playing "Linus and Lucy" on the piano.

Lily is being Silly Lily. She is singing and playing and reading all the time. When she is not doing these things she is breaking down in tears trying to get her way. We are working on that one. She is quite a lady about town. She does not like staying home at all. Oh...she is also learning to swim! No more floaties for her!

Kermit has been working, scouting, camping, remodeling at church, fixing cars, being dad and husband and otherwise keeping himself busy. What a guy!

I have been recovering from getting my wisdom teeth out (sounds easy, but is taking FOREVER to heal)and playing with the Cricut die-cut machine Kermit and the kids got me for Christmas. FUN!

A few payer requests:
Our friend Amanda's mom, Diane - she has been on dialysis for years and is now having complications (AGAIN!). Please pray for her health and wisdom for the doctors. Also pray for Amanda and her brother as they are dealing with their mother's illness.

Daniel and Tina - they are back from the mission field to stay (at least for now). Daniel is looking for work, but as we all know, that is easier said than done. Please pray that they find work and a permanent place to stay. Pray that they will recieve clear direction from God on what their next steps should be.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 2 U!

2009-03-09T07:48:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to take the time to shout out a Great Big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a very special lady: My MOM.
XX years ago today Carol Louise Record (now Krieg) was born. I am very thankful for that because if she wasn't, then I wouldn't be here.

LOVE YOU MOM!!

What I Have Learned

2009-03-08T14:42:00.005-05:00

Last Thursday I had all four wisdom teeth cut out. The top two were rooted up into my sinus cavity and the bottom two were rooted up against the nerve bundles that run along the jawline. I have spent the last four days on the couch or in the recliner with a bilateral ice pack on my face. Glamorous...I know. The left side of my face is doing ok with minimal swelling. The right side, though, has swollen to outrageous proportions. I have seriously looked like I was holding a baseball in my cheek. It has gone down a little but has moved into my neck and up into my eye. The pain has actually not been bad, but the swelling is not comfortable.

With all this sitting around, I have had time to learn a few things:

- I always thought I handled pain well. Mouth pain is different and I now realize I really am a big baby.
- Sammie's has the best milkshakes in town, HANDS DOWN!
- Milkshakes are good, but one a day for four days is just too much. No more, please.
- Soup is great, but watching your husband eat an egg roll in front of you while you have to stick to the egg drop soup is just cruel and unusual punishment.
- Losing four teeth is a great excuse to have a Venti Frap.
- Children who usually fuss and roll their eyes at the thought of doing anything extra become super helpful when mom isn't feeling her best. I might be able to use this knowledge to my advantage at a later time.
- Six year olds have a hard time covering their true feelings when trying to make you feel better. They say things like "your face looks better...well, a tiny bit anyway".
- That same six year old makes my heart melt when she says "give me a pageant kiss (aka an air kiss) so I don't hurt your face" or "if you want something, all you have to do is let me know. I'm a great helper."
- Not eating for four days is a great way to lose 10 pounds.
- I could never be anorexic. I need real food.
- Big rear ends hurt after four days of sitting.
- Laughter is the best medicine until it pulls your stitches.
- I love serving my family and I do not like it when I cannot do things for them.
- My husband is the greatest and is willing to do whatever needs to be done to help me when I need it. He is a blessing!

So, all in all it has been a interesting ride. The family has been great and I am looking forward to things getting back to normal...quickly, I hope.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILY

2009-02-24T06:39:00.002-06:00

OK, the countdown is over. Today is the BIG day. Six years ago today, God blessed us with our third child. Lillian Grace Ruoss was born at Condell Medical Center and has been a blessing ever since. Last night while swimming at the YMCA, she decided it was time to start going under (a big step for someone who don't like water in her eyes).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLIAN.

Out of the Mouths of Babes aka How to Embarrass Mom

2009-02-23T16:31:00.002-06:00

Saturday was our monthly family get together to celebrate the birthdays and anniversaries of the month. This month was Lily's birthday, so she was really excited about what she might receive.

Before the get together, my grandmother let me know that she had bought Lily a new sweater with fur on the hood and a Dora the Explorer book bag.

Now, Lily decided about three months ago that she no longer wanted to be associated with anything Dora and that the Dora show along with Diego and Wiggles were "for babies" (and she will let you know she is not one!).

So, before she opened her presents I took a second to whisper in her ear "Lily, if you get something 'Dora', remember to smile and thank them anyway. You don't have to tell them you don't like it." She did a great job while opening the present and looked so happy and said thank you like a little lady.

Later, my grandmother said "Lily, I got that bag just because I know how much you like Dora!". Lily's response was "I don't like Dora at all but my mom said I had to pretend to like it!". Luckily, my grandmother is almost deaf.

I guess that's what I get for trying to get my kid to lie (although I didn't really think tell her to lie and say she liked it...more just being polite and saying thanks).

That child is going to be the DEATH of me.

Should have posted sooner.

2009-02-19T08:53:00.002-06:00

Maybe I should have posted about Hannah's team earlier. They won their second match Wednesday. The joy and excitement continues.

OH, and in case you are following: FIVE more days.

WAY TO GO TIGERS!

2009-02-18T10:30:00.004-06:00

Hannah recently started playing vollyball on her school's 6th & 7th grade team the Gavin Tigers. Each match they play consists of 3 games and the team to win the best 2 out of 3 games wins the match. Unfortunately, the Tigers (much like the Chi. Cubs) have not had a good season. They have won only one game during each of their past matches. Yesterday Hannah got REALLY excited because they won their first match.
All I can say is WAY TO GO TIGERS! Keep up the good work.

FYI: Hannah doesn't mind the losses because she has a BLAST playing.

Eight Days

2009-02-16T10:52:00.002-06:00

As Lily puts it: Only eight more days. I can't understand why she is getting so excited.

12 Days and Counting

2009-02-12T09:11:00.002-06:00

Just 12 more days (Lily makes sure I know) and counting.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH!

2009-01-29T10:48:00.003-06:00

Twelve years ago Hannah Elizabeth Ruoss came screaming into this crazy mixed up world. She was born at 9:37am at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our little piano player/ trumpet player/ vollyball player.

You can pick an Elk.

2009-01-27T09:10:00.003-06:00

You can pick an elk...
You can pick your nose....

You can even pick an elk's nose.

Jake is a "Star"

2009-01-21T17:15:00.002-06:00

Last night Jake achieved "Star" rank in Scouts. This is just two steps away from Eagle. He has made his plans and intends on achieving "Life" rank by September. He is really exited over this step. He sees Eagle as attainable, now. Of course, it goes without saying that we are PROUD of him!

Way To Go, Hannah!

2009-01-09T08:48:00.002-06:00

Hannah found out yesterday that she made the volleyball team at school! She was so excited she could hardly stand it. She tried out on Tuesday and Wednesday and came home telling us how awful she did. This made her all the more surprised when she made it to the team. She is so much more brave and adventurous than I was at that age. I never would have tried out because I would have been too afraid to fail. Her attitude was "if I don't make it, oh well!". Great job, Hannah!

Christmas Recap

2008-12-27T19:07:00.003-06:00

This has been such a great week. First, it started with me (Candy) having the week off with the kids. It was so nice just to hang out, make cookies, play games, etc. We have had a great time! One Sunday, Monday and Tuesday we made about 50 dozen cookies. By the time we were done, I didn't even want to taste them! On Tuesday night I kept my sister's four kids overnight since she and her husband both had to work on Christmas Eve. We woke up the next morning to make even MORE cookies! We then spent some time getting ready for the family get together.

The family all arrived around 2pm. We ate appetizers and fried chicken (thanks to my sister the manager of our local KFC). We then loaded up to go to Christmas Eve service at church. It was a lovely candlelight service with Lord's Supper. Hannah played the piano for the service. It was the first time she has had to play slow and low while communion was being passed out and she did great!

After church we all headed back to our house to open presents (we all draw names amongst the extended family). In total there were 19 of us squeezed into our little living room (10 were children). Needless to say, it was a loud, crazy night! We read the birth of Christ from Luke 2 and tried to help the youngest understand the REAL meaning of Christmas. It was then time to open presents. The kids were all thrilled with what they received.

Christmas morning was so much fun! My grandmother had spent the night so that she didn't have to drive out to our house two days in a row. She had so much fun watching the kids come down to see what Santa had brought them (yes, Jake and Hannah still get presents from Santa although they thank us for what they receive). Lily was thrilled that she received the doll that goes potty and the Polly Pocket Pop 'n Swap that she had asked Santa for. Hannah was amazed at the Cuttlebug Die Cutter that she found under the tree. This was something she really wanted but thought she would never receive due to the cost (thank you e-bay!). Jake received the I-Pod Nano that he wanted along with some men for his Warhammer collection. They had so much fun!

Later that day, my mom picked up her twin brothers (they are mentally disabled and live in separate adult care facilities)and came home to open the presents from our immediate family. Hannah received the bible she was needing, Jake received some obnoxious T-shirts (I never said you were a monkey, now take this banana and scram!) and Lily got a Guess-Who game. Kermit was excited to receive a new speaker system for his I-Pod.

The biggest surprise came for me when I opened my gift from the kids....a Cricut Expression machine! This may not mean anything to many of you, but I was thrilled as I can use the machine to cut letters, shapes, pictures, etc. It does some pretty neat stuff and I have used it already. Thanks, guys!

Lest I make it sound as if this Christmas was all about the gifts, let me take a minute to say that we have constantly been reminded this season of how blessed we truly are. We pray that you all are counting your blessings as well!

Hannah is a star.

2008-12-19T23:09:00.002-06:00

Hannah had role in the Drama Club presentation "Can Mrs. Clause Save Christmas?". I must say, she performed really well. This is just a small portion of the play.

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

2008-12-19T22:54:00.003-06:00

Me and my BIG mouth!

2008-12-09T22:53:00.003-06:00

I just had to make that comment about having "enough snow". Well, it happened to snow about 4-6 inches since that one post. Now I have to see if I can get Jake's help in building the artwork.

I can't wait

2008-12-09T14:00:00.004-06:00

I cannot wait until we have enough snow to pull this one off:

Let it SNOW

2008-11-24T08:42:00.004-06:00

OK, it is 5:30 am and I have to leave for work. Just imagine the surprise I got when I look out and see about 1/2 inch of snow. Much to Jacob's dissappointment, school was NOT cancelled. Maybe next time. OH the joys of living in the frozen North. It did look absolutley BEAUTIFUL on the trees.

Two Nuts Camping

2008-11-18T18:48:00.005-06:00

This past weekend afforded the opportunity for two nuts (Jacob and Kermit) to head out to the great outdoors and do a little camping. It wouldn't have been toooooo bad except for the extremely high temperatures hitting the area. Our temps only hit a high of about 34 Fahrenheit with wind gusts of up to 30 mph.

During the weekend, there was another Boy Scout Troop in the area who was going through wilderness survival with the Weeblos(Cub Scouts that are crossing over to Boy Scouts). They did all sorts of things like signaling for help in time of distress, using a zip line, and building shelters out of whatever they could find(branches, sticks, leaves, etc.). I must say that they did an EXCELLENT job! Well, when our Scouts who were away at the Naval Base for merit badge classes returned to the campsite, they saw the shelters and were begging to build their own. Then, they were asking to sleep in them Saturday night. Jacob was no exception.

Now I need to tell you that our Scouts did not return to the campsite until about 4 in the afternoon and it usually gets dark about 4:30-5:00. Let me show you what J-Man came up with.

These pics were taken with Kermit's cell phone so the clarity is not the best. The one on the left is the outside of Jacob's shelter. Yes, it looks like a big pile of leaves possibly because it IS one. The pic on the right is a view from outside looking in. I inspected the shelter before Jake moved in and thought it to be safe for the night. On Sunday morning, Jake told me how warm it was inside his makeshift shelter. All in all, he did a GREAT job and made me proud.

I should also tell you that we were having snow flurries while we were taking down our tents on Sunday. If anyone should feel the urge, our next campout is scheduled for January 16-18, 2009. Come join us!

It was ME!

2008-11-11T23:24:00.003-06:00

Sitting in Culver's last night, it went something like this:

Candy smells "something". She looks at Kermit and says (with a wrinkled nose)"Was that you?"

Kermit responds "No".

Lily says (quite loudly and with a huge, proud smile) "It was ME! I foofed!"

As I type this, I realize it does not sound funny at all. I guess it was a total location thing...you had to be there. We laughed until we cried.

Hannah in the Spotlight

2008-10-28T22:22:00.003-05:00

So... the other day when I came home, Kermit told me we had received a call from the school. I braced myself for whatever was to come next since these calls usually are not good (the last one was two weeks ago when Jacob was suspended for taking part in a food fight - that is a different blog for a different day).

ANYWAY...

Hannah's language arts teacher had called to let us know that Hannah had been selected to make a presentation to the school board about why she thinks the schools behavioral program works well and what she likes about it (I know...interesting in light of my comments on Jacob from the first paragraph).

ANYWAY...

Tonight we had the pleasure of watching Hannah as she boldly went before the school board to tell them why she likes PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention Systems) and how it motivates her to be a well behaved Gavin student.

We were SO PROUD of her. We then marvelled at the differences that God has designed in our children. I don't know where He will ultimately lead them in life, but I can guarantee they will define success and reach "success" in completely oposite ways!

Happy Birthday Jacob!!

2008-10-23T21:42:00.002-05:00

On this day....14 years ago....at 10:48pm....in Tupelo, Mississippi....Jacob Anderson Ruoss graced us with his presence for the very first time. We have been blessed ever since. Happy birthday Jake! We love you!

So Much Goin' On

2008-10-12T21:38:00.004-05:00

It sure has been awhile! We have been crazy busy as the kids have been getting back in the full swing of school, scouts, band, AWANA, etc. Below are a few snippets of the Ruoss household's recent activities.

Hannah has been enjoying being back in school. She is in the 6th grade so this is her first year in Junior High. She now has six different teachers to schmooze. She is working on straight A's for the quarter. She is particularly enjoying the fact that she gets to travel to the high school for band each morning since our Junior High does not have a band teacher. She really loves all of the challenges they give her and enjoys working on school projects. She did NOT get this from me.

Lily is now in Kindergarten. She is reading a bit and it is getting more and more difficult to spell out secret words in front of her. She is also on a singing kick. She has always liked to sing, but lately she sings everything. She remembers melodies and inflection well, but often forgets the words so she makes them up or uses different sounds that rhyme, etc. All the while she either dances, fakes holding a microphone or plays air guitar. Her recent favorites are Robert Plant and Alison Kraus duets and Hannah Montana syrup songs.

Jacob is once again fretting over school. He is working hard to do well and has done better this year than ever before, but he makes no bones about the fact that he "despises" school. But, he says if he is ever going to get into West Point and become a military officer he has to start doing well in school. He has been busy with scouts and for the next six months is acting as Den Chief to some Webelo Scouts that will be moving up Boy Scouts next February. This last week he made a very big step in growing up....he sold his legos :(

Kermit has been busy running the kids all over creation. He takes the kids to most of their activities as they usually start before I get home from work. He has been a real rock for me lately as I have been having to deal with some other issues that have come up. Thanks, Kermit!

I have been working like crazy to plan a surprise 60th birthday party for my dad. All the while, I have been dealing with my dad. My mom is away on business in North Carolina for five months. She is only able to be home twice a month and that is KILLING my dad. This is not something my mom would normally do, but they both agreed that it was an important opportunity in her job and that she she go. So, between the sadness of her being gone and his continued declining health issues over the last 18 months, it has all kind of caught up with him. He has been depressed in a way that I have never seen before. Between his back pain and his being more emotional than usual, he has taken a two month sabbatical from the church. This is the first time he has taken time off in the 12 years he has been there, but he still felt bad asking for time off. Anyway, we can just say I have had my hands more full than normal. Don't get me wrong, I DON'T mind. I'm thankful God allowed us to be here when he needed us.

If you feel inclined, please pray for the following:

My Dad (John) - after reading above...enough said

Kermit's Mom (Carol) - Her husband needs a new job as they are struggling financially. This is only getting worse with the economy.

My Grandmother (Mary) - She is awfully lonely and has been dealing with declining health.

Our dear friends Tina and Daniel - They are heading back to Irian Jaya to continue with their mission work on 10/14. They had to come home after only a few months in back in the field for Tina to have urgently needed surgery. With the downturn in the economy, their already stretched finances are stretched past their limits. Please pray for their ministry and their finances. As well, please pray that the Lord will bring them encouragement and reinforce in them his will and direction for their lives. If you feel inclined, please consider contributing to them monthly. Even if it is a few dollars, it can make a difference in them reaching a Fayu with the love of Christ.

They Call it Devil's Campground for a Reason!

2008-09-01T11:47:00.004-05:00

We spent yesterday at Devil's Lake and Campground in Baraboo, WI (about 2 1/2 hours from our house). Jacob had recently camped there with the scouts and told us what a great time he had bouldering up and down the cliffs. I have no idea why we thought is sounded fun, but it did. We played hookie from church (which is undeard of in the Ruoss household) and drove up to the State Park with my sister's family. After a picnic we headed off to the cliffs. We were a sight to behold...four adults and seven children bouldering up and then back down the 'mountain'. It all seemed like fun and games until we came to the part of the trail that was no longer trail...it was open boulders needing to be climbed. Believe it or not, up was easier than down. At one point my sister pretty much lost it watching her youngest (5 year old Caleb who has slow developing motor skills) climbing down the cliffs. She eventually had to take the lead at the head of the group so that she couldn't see her kids. They all did great with no injuries. Jacob was a bit frustrated that it took us old folks a lot longer to go up and down than it did his fellow scouts, but he was proud to have introduced us to our first bouldering experience. After we bouldered and kissed the flat ground at the bottom, the adults let the kids swim while we collapsed. Overall, it was a great day and the views were fabulous!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CANDY

2008-08-28T06:44:00.001-05:00

Just a quick shout out to wish a big Happy Birthday to the best wife and friend a man could ever aks for.

Love you Honey.

Happy Birthday Kermit!

2008-08-21T21:37:00.001-05:00

39 and counting!

My Little Boy is Growing Up!

2008-08-18T16:47:00.007-05:00

Well, the Scouts had another adventurous weekend. This time it was off to Devil's Lake State Park around Baraboo, Wisconsin.

We arrived on Friday night as usual and set up the campsite. There were some Cub Scouts (Brian, tell Caleb they were Weeblos) with us on this trip so that they could have a chance to get some of their camping and hiking requirements done. On Saturday, the Weeblos took off on a five mile hike with some of the older Scouts while the rest of the Scouts decided to go "Bouldering". I did not realize that the term "Bouldering" meant that they were going to climb up the bluffs by climbing on all the boulders that had fallen off the bluffs. I got a real shock when I learned that Jake had gone with the second group. Another leader and I caught up with Jake's group just in time to look UP (couple of hundred feet) to see them standing on top of the bluffs. Below is the view from the top. Disregard the ropes in this picture because it is the only one I could find on the Internet that showed a clear view. You think I would have brought my own camera for this trip.

Anyway, the bluffs are a total of over 500 feet tall and my heart nearly stopped when I saw Jake looking over the edge. He LOVED it. Here is another shot for you:

It was really neat to look down to see the Turkey Vulture flying around although I was really hoping that he wasn't looking forward to having frog legs for dinner.

Late in the day Jake went out on a canoe with the entire crew. He wasn't the most comfortable person around the water. He's fine if he can touch the bottom. But when it comes to deep lakes, he gets a little nervous. I am soooo PROUD of how much he has challenged himself and pushed himself to do things even though it might seem a little scary at first.

One other thing I failed to mention is that the Weeblos took the easy trail and also got to enjoy the view from the top.

On the ride home, our leader took us for a ride on the Colsac III ferry.
Jake REALLY got nervous on this one simply because he had never been in a vehicle driving onto a boat before. A few seconds into the ten minute trip, he was fine and out of the truck visiting with the other Scouts.

On a funnier note, we did have a little thievery going on at the campsite. On Saturday night, a raccoon decided to go into our equipment trailer and abscond with an entire loaf of bread and we were only a few feet from the trailer. One of our leaders chased after the little thief but let him keep the bread.

18 Years Ago Today.....

2008-08-04T20:13:00.002-05:00

Kermit and I said "I do!". 18 years....I can hardly believe it! We have had some ups and we have had some downs (and some really downs!), but GOD IS GOOD and has pulled us through 18 years. I'm so thankful that He is able to take us beyond where we can take ourselves. One of my favorite songs has a line that says "I cannot count the ways that you have made my life so blessed, all I know is that you came and made beauty of my mess...". That is so true for our lives and our marriage. I am so thankful that we didn't give up when it got tough. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that God is able to handle whatever comes and I look forward to the next 18 years with the strange little man that I love.

LOVE YOU K-MAN!!

Welcome Home, Jake

2008-07-20T22:12:00.002-05:00

Jake made it home last night around 9pm. Saying that he was wound up with excitement would be an extreme understatement. He spent a few hours showing us everything he had purchased (his favorite was a full size Canadian flag) and telling us everything he did. My favorite part was when he said "Mom, they shouldn't just call it World Changers, they should call it Life Changers because you really get a lot closer to God while you are there". He then told us all about their nightly worship services and their Tuesday night 'concert of prayer'. He was excited to tell us about spackling, painting, landscaping and spreading concrete. All in all, he had a fantastic time and can't wait to go again. Rumor has it that next year's trip may be to Alaska. I may just have to be team leader on that one : )

Hannah and Lily are thrilled to have him home. Lily, because he is her best brother. Hannah because 'everything is boring without Jacob'.

Mom and dad are happy to have him home and thankful for all that he has learned and experienced over the course of a week. We pray that he carries it with him and continues to grow.

Jake in Canada

2008-07-14T17:40:00.009-05:00

Jake is in Canada this week on a mission trip with World Changers. He left at midnight on Friday night and got there around 4:30 Ottawa time on Saturday afternoon. He was a bit nervous but very excited about the trip. He called on Sunday to let me know that he was put on a team that would be leveling and rebuilding supports on a porch, doing some landscaping, etc. He also mentioned how great church was that morning and that they had listened to a great preacher. If you feel inclined, lift him and his group in prayer this week to ask God's blessing on their work and that they would get the opportunity to explain to others why they are there doing what they are doing. If interested, you can visit his work site on http://www.world-changers.net/. Go to the tab titled 2008 Projects. Then, go to July 12-19 and click on the link for Ottawa, Ontario.

Hannah is a little envious that she did not get to go with Jacob (she was too young). I remember feeling the same way when I could not go on youth trips when my older sister did. But, she is getting to spend some quality time with us and getting to stay up late, etc. She also gets to boss Lily around more, and that makes her happier than anything else in the world : )

Lily misses Jacob (her best brother). On the way to church yesterday she looked at the empty seat next to her and said "I miss Jacob..." and fake sniffled a few times. She also slept in his bed last night so she wouldn't miss him so much. She also gets to get bossed around by Hannah more, and that makes her angrier than anything else in the world : )

Kermit is finishing up a few things in the basement. My parents are moved back in (most of the way) but there are a few lingering things to complete. There is a light at the end of the tunnel (a dim one, Kermit says).

I have been trying to hold everything together while things are chaotic...what else is new! I can't believe it is already the middle of July! The kids go back to school on August 20th....it is quickly approaching. AAAAHHHHHH!

Putting Things Back In Their Place....Soon I Hope!

2008-07-02T21:29:00.002-05:00

So one thing that Kermit didn't mention in all of his vacation posts is that our basement flooded while we were traveling. The biggest issue with this is that my parents live in the basement so a lot of their 'stuff' got trashed. We actually found out it was flooded on the day we were traveling home. My sister had come by the house to check on it and discovered the problem. We had been having record rainfall for several weeks running and either our sump pump couldn't keep up, the power was out too long or it all came in the back door. Whatever the cause, we took on about four inches.

I have to say, I was speechless when we got home and I realized that my sister and brother had come over at 8pm one night and stayed until 4:30am the next morning and cleaned out the entire basement of all of my parent's belongings (trust me...that was a job!). They even went so far as to rip up the carpet, cut it and roll it so the garbage man would pick it up the next day. They are such a blessing and they have no idea how much that meant to us.

Anyway, Kermit spent two days ripping out all the drywall, etc. We then had to let it dry out for two weeks. The drywall guys came this week and it should be ready to paint tomorrow...YES!! It will be great to get the parents back in their room. They have been living in our small living room for the last several weeks. Let's just say it's time to put everything (and everyone) back in their respective places : )

All in all, we have taken it all in stride. The kids have helped do the demo and done a lot of clean up. We have just decided that we don't know why God wanted a new basement in his house...but he is getting one!

The kids are enjoying being out of school. Jake has truly become a teen and wants to sleep until 10 every morning and then wants to stay up late each night. Hannah has been reading like crazy and trying to design clothes for her American Girl doll. Lily has been entertaining us with her version of all of our VBS songs from last week. She doesn't always get the words right but she sings them with gusto!

Closing for now or I'll keep rambling : )

Heading Home

2008-06-13T08:45:00.008-05:00

We actually started heading home on Wednesday. Because we were in no hurry, we were able to visist the Forbidden Caverns as mentioned in the previous post which included a trip through a really cool covered bridge. Then on the way, we hit some really nasty weather which slowed traffic to an extremely slow pace.

I guess old age is catching up with me (39 this year) because we did not make the trip all in one day. Instead, we decided to spend the night in Frankfurt, Kentucky before finishing the trip.

Here is how Candy saw me for the almost 2000 miles of highway:

And this is how Lily viewed Candy during that same time: And I never thought that I would appreciate the Chicago skyline as much as I did on Thursday afternoon:It was a GREAT vacation and we had lots of fun but we were glad to get back home.

I forgot to mention that on Monday as we were going from Winston-Salem to Gatlinburg, we stopped in the little country town of Hiddenite, North Carolina to check out the Hiddenite mines. You can either dig for gems, sluice for them in the creek, or (like us) buy buckets of ore and go to sluicing tables and search for gems that way. Lily got all into the action. I put the ore in the screen and she would start shaking it in the water. When that was gone, she would say,"I need more dirt." We all had a blast and I would recommend doing it if you get the chance. The cool part is that you get to keep whatever gems you find like the clear Quartz crystal, the Amethyst, Ruby, Emerald, or the "Dog" rock that Lily found (a large spotted rock).

Trip to the Caverns

2008-06-12T23:45:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, we decided to check out Forbidden Caverns before heading home. I think that it is so cool to see some of God's handiwork up close. Check it out:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbtGLJy0bMWTnY&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Aquarium Time

2008-06-12T23:09:00.003-05:00

On Tuesday, we hooked up with my mom and sister and her kids to go and take a walk through the Gatlinburg Aquarium. It was absolutely FANTASTIC!!!!!! There was one tank that had nothing but various different types of rays. Lily enjoyed the part where we stood on the moving floor and was surrounded by the tanks of fish. I was awed by the different types of fish.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbtGLJy0bMWTlQ&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Family Pics

2008-06-12T18:12:00.002-05:00

Here is a link to the family pictures from North Carolina (for those Westerners who are impatient).

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0AbtGLJy0bMWTjI&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5

Still Going

2008-06-10T22:13:00.004-05:00

Well, here it is day #6 and I still have pics to post from the SciWorks where we went Saturday.

There was this really cool green picture on the wall that if you looked at it just right, you could actually see the telescope in it.

And if you looked at it at yet another angle, you could actually see through the telescope.

There was lots of stuff for the kids to play with including the electric globes that make your hair stand up and if you put your foot too close to the person touching the globes, you can see the current arc and feel the shock (personal experience talking).

That is all for now.

National Bafoon's Family Vacation Update

2008-06-07T22:49:00.007-05:00

Here we are on the third day of our excursion. Day two yielded itself to the women going out shopping while I stuck around and was just plain lazy. The third day was the reason for our trip......Melissa's graduation. It is hard for me to believe that she is old enough to be doing that. Anyway,

here she is walking tall and proud with the diploma in hand. WAY TO GO MELISSA!!!!

After the ceremony, it was time to head to the house so the Grad could open her gifts. Jacob had to be the jokster and buy her a cowbell and stick and then tell her that the only cure for her fever is..........MORE COWBELL!!!! That was followed by lunch at the church in honor of all the Graduates from the congregation. It had been a while since I had roasted pig and let me tell you it still tastes great.

Later, Candy and I took the kiddos (Jake, Hannah, Lily, and Christian) to a place called SciWorks which is a hands-on kids place where they have all kinds of stuff to do including "Stuffy". Stuffy is a giant doll with all the guts hanging out so that you can put them back in. And when I say guts, I mean Guts. Here are the latest round of pics for you to enjoy.

STUFFY!!
There was a lot more but I'm too pooped to add them. Maybe I'll do it later.

National Bafoon's Family Vacation

2008-06-05T22:21:00.012-05:00

Well, I can't believe it's finally here. Time for the family to load up the "Family Truckster" (a rented Kia Sedona) and hit the open road for a few days of fun, festivities, food, and all the other stuff that goes along with putting three kids in a van for a few hours at a time.

The trip started on Wednesday, June 4th with little troubles. Traffic around Chicago was a lot better than I anticipated. With Candy riding "shotgun", we breezed though and was into Indiana in no time at all. The kids were really holding up well.

After many miles and several hours, I had just about taken all I could and decided to camp out at the world-famous Winchester Holiday Inn (where the towels are oh so fluffy). The next morning, we got up and had breakfast. Because we were not in any BIG hurry, we decided to check out a Civil War "Fort" we had seen signs for.

Well, after hiking up this MOUNTAIN for what seemed like an eternity, we finally arrived at the "Fort". It was the command center building that was now being used for personal relief purposes. There was also a couple of "Fortification Ditches" where the soldiers would fire from as well as.....

That's right, a REAL Civil War era cannon. And of course, the kids couldn't help but to climb on it and strike a pose. This thing stills rolls and is able to elevate and lower the barrel (just in case).

I then had Hannah take the time to pose solo for me so that I could try out a feature on our camera.............PANORAMIC!

I forgot to mention that this particular excursion was plagued by about one million (give or take ten) locusts. These things were EVERYWHERE!! Lily surprised me the most because she never freaked out while they were flying all around us. We also figured out what there was to defend:

A River Invasion from those pesky Yanks. I just thought that the scenery was really beautiful.

Anyway, after returning to the van and then the road, things went smoothly throughout Kentucky and into West Virginia and then Virginia. The whole trip was surrounded by absolute beauty that only God Himself could create. Lily didn't much like the idea of looking out of her window and being able to see a couple of miles down into the valleys but it was GORGEOUS! We even had to go THROUGH the mountains a couple of times via the tunnels that had been dug out.

Lily asked why it was so quiet in the van and we got to explain to her that we were inside the mountain and that not even the radio worked.

All in all, it was a great trip down to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to spend some time with Candy's sister Mary and her family before heading over to Gatilinburg, Tennessee and a chance to hook up with my mom and sister.

Check back as we should be posting about our adventures as wonderful things happen.

Great Job, Jake!

2008-05-25T18:04:00.002-05:00

Jacob completed his 50 mile bike ride yesterday! He came home a little tired, road weary and covered in gear grease, but very excited about the fact that he had finished. He had to change a flat before they even got started because he had over-inflated his tire while it was still cold and had some gear issues but all in all it was a good ride. His highlight was stopping at McDonald's and eating a Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and a medium fry. He enjoyed telling us about this because he knows that he would never be allowed to order that under normal circumstances! Anyway.....GREAT JOB JAKE!!!! WE'RE PROUD OF YOU!!!!

6 Days, 1 Hour and Counting!

2008-05-22T21:12:00.003-05:00

Tonight we attended Jacob's awards night at school. He received an award for perfect attendance and for his work in the Art Club. Everything was great...until we got home. So J-Man has been having some difficulty at school. Same old story..."Jacob is so intelligent, he just doesn't want to do his work" or "He could make all A's with his eyes closed, but he just doesn't care" or (my personal favorite) "He is so smart that he is just too bored at school". These are all statements we have heard from his teachers every year since he was in Kindergarten (he despised school even then).

Well, I have been doing some random checking of his work and thought tonight would be a great night to review some of his work. I reviewed his science paper and thought I would share some of his 'creative' answers. Below are some of the questions and his actual responses.

1. Why are space probes so useful? They just are.
2. The first probe to land on Venus was ____? The first one.
3. Which probe mapped 98% of the surface of Venus? The mapping probe.
4. How is Venus similar to Earth? It just is.
5. What did Sojourner do? Surrender

I only have one thing to say.... 6 days and 1 hour left....I CAN'T WAIT!!!

Special Day

2008-05-10T15:57:00.003-05:00

This is a special shout out to the one who gave me life, nurtured me, fed me, clothed me, and tried to give me advice although being the standard hard head I am I didn't listen. But most of all, she gave me love and now it is time to continue to give it back to her.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY CAROL KRIEG!!!!

Another Wild Weekend

2008-04-28T18:19:00.002-05:00

WOW! I just had another wild weekend with the Scouts.
It started out on Friday afternoon with the temp at 82. By the time we made the forty minute drive to the campsite in Zion, IL. (Illinois Beach State Park) on the edge of Lake Michigan, some really nasty looking clouds had rolled in and light rain started. Well, being the hard-headed one that I am, I decided to go ahead and start putting up my tent. I was almost completly done when there was a bright flash accompanied by a loud POW! Lightning had struck a high tension power pole only five hundred feet away. Needless to say, I made a hasty retreat for the truck (the scouts were still in the vehicles). I think that God is trying to tell me something about lightning in Zion because I nearly got struck about four years ago working on a tree for Candy's Grandfather, but that is another story.
Back to camping. After the storm passed (about twenty minutes), the winds stayed harsh and the temps dropped to around 45. The whole weekend was chilly and very windy (gusts up to 40 mph). Sometime Saturday morning, the Leader's dining canopy had gotten caught by the wind and decided to take a roll through the campsite. Not funny at the time, but hilarious now.
We had to take the new scouts on a nature hike so they could find and identify 10 different plant as well as 10 different animals. I learned somethings as well: 1) Illinois Beach State Park was the first nature park in the nation. 2) We have Prickly Pear Cactus growing in our area. 3) Sand being whipped by 40 mph winds HURTS!!
Well, I guess that about describes the event. Unless you want to throw in helping 10 Scouts around the age of eleven to learn the proper way to handle and sharpen knives and axes. Or helping them to learn how to build fires. All in all, it was a fun filled weekend and I would gladly do it all over again.

Lots Going On

2008-04-20T16:13:00.003-05:00

It has been such a beautiful week! Right now I am sitting in the living room with all the windows open. The breeze going through the house is GREAT! It is FINALLY spring! I'm sure we will still have a few more chilly days, but I think we have finally turned the corner. Now we just have to deal with all the rain. We have been blessed not to have any flooding and our sump pump has not failed. Many folks in our township and townships around us have had to deal with severe flooding. We just had so much snow this winter and then many days of rain that the ground cannot take anymore.

We had an earthquake this week. This is the second one since we have lived here. Neither have caused any damage since they were centered so far away, but we could feel the shaking of the bed. Kind of interesting.

Jake is in the final stretch of his Cycling Merit Badge. He has been on several rides including a 30 miler yesterday. It has taken a lot of work but he has stuck with it. He has three more rides over the next few weeks and will then have a 50 mile ride on Memorial Day weekend. Oh, did I ever mention that he passed his swim requirements that were making him so nervous? He passed and is moving on to bigger and better things. He took a two day trip to Springfield, IL this week to learn about state government, Honest Abe, etc. He had a great time.

Hannah enjoyed her two days with no Jacob. She completed her AWANA book this week (6 weeks early, she'll remind you) and has been helping her two friends pass their sections. She is becoming such a social butterfly. We are having to keep our eyes on her and helping her tip-toe through the minefield that makes up 5th grade friendships.

Lily has been enjoying the nice weather. She has been playing outside everyday and is ready for school to be over (I'm a bit nervous that she is sick of school and she is only in pre-K). She just this minute walked in the door upset that the neighbor boy just decided to leave and go play with the other neighbor. She slammed the door and said "I am so upset. Kobey doesn't want to play with me and that hurts my feelings!". Everything is the end of the world. If this is her at 5, I hate to think about age 15!

Kermit had Assistant Scoutmaster training this weekend. He is now officially 'Trained'. He is glad to hear that as it took a lot more training than he anticipated.

I celebrated my 10 year anniversary at Hewitt this week. That is not said to highlight me, but to say I am daily grateful and awed at how God has provided for us through a job that I had no background in, was never qualified for and never had to interview for. He truly is Jehovah Jireh, our provider. His faithfulness in spite of our daily struggle to live for Him is truly amazing.

Kermit and I completed our Crown Financial bible study this week. It was great. The neatest thing was to see how God works. Kermit and I have talked about introducing this study to our church for about three years but things never quite worked out. As we started it 10 weeks ago it was obvious that God's timing is perfect and there was a reason he waited until now for us to all take the course. It was amazing to see how God could completely transform hearts and lives in a short 10 weeks. Ain't God Good?

A few prayer requests -
Pray for my grandmother (Mary) - she has been really sick over the last two weeks. On top of that she found out that her sister (my Aunt Myrna) has breast cancer and that her brother (my Uncle Herschel) has leukemia. Then, this last week, my late grandfather's grandson, Jason (from his first marriage) was put in the hospital due to a pancreatic infection. He has had to have several surgeries and they still don't know whether or not he will pull through.

So, please pray for my grandmother, my aunt, my uncle and my cousin.

Spring Break

2008-03-27T21:43:00.002-05:00

So it is spring break week. I took off the week hoping to spend some time with the kids and do some spring cleaning. Well, my sister's sitter for the week fell through so I have had her kids (4 under the age of 11). Then, my brother's sitter fell through as he is in the last two days of building his new house. So...I also have had his kids (3 under the age of 8). I have spent my spring break with a total of 10 children. Needless to say, I did not get my spring cleaning done! But, it has been a good week and I have been glad to help them out.

Kermit spent Easter weekend the way he normally does...helping out with out church's tomb reenactment. I'm not sure if I have blogged about it before or not, but our church does a reenactment each year of Christ's tomb. We begin at sundown on Friday and go through sunrise on Sunday. There is a 'tomb' set up on the corner of the church lot (on a busy corner) with two 'roman soldiers' standing guard. We have 2 guards on duty around the clock and open the tomb with bright light shining out at sunrise on Easter morning. Now, for all you theologians out there, we know that Friday burial and Sunday resurrection is not accurate, but work with us here. We have been doing this for about 8 years and have had a huge response from local community and beyond. Each year we have dozens of folks stop and provide our guards with hot chocolate, cookies, Whoppers, etc. We have believers stop with encouraging words and folks honk their horns to let us know they have noticed us. But most importantly, we have the lost stopping and asking questions. Some out of genuine curiosity and some to try to prove that we are wrong in our beliefs. We welcome them all and thank God for the opportunity to share the TRUTH of Christ with them. We have received letters from as far west as California, as far north as Canada and as far south as Florida. Sometimes the little things we do can make a difference.

Oh yeah, I said all that to tell you about Kermit's weekend. He took off on Friday to help build the tomb and stack the firewood. He had signed up for several guard shifts over the weekend. Little did he know that we would have a snow storm on Friday (10 inches) that would keep a few of our men from getting back to town to take their shifts. So, Kermit ended up taking a few of those shifts to help out (as did a few other men, thanks Dennis and Ed!). This meant that Kermit ended up working from 6-10:30 on Friday night and 6am to 6pm on Saturday. Now, during those times he had a variety of different people standing shift with him (including Jake), but Kermit did the full 12 hours. Needless to say he was beat. He was tempted to grumble a bit, but then a woman and her son drove up and said 'We look for you every year. We were sure you wouldn't be here because of the snow!" He quickly decided it was all worth it.

Jake has had an interesting week. He has had to deal with our ever changing plans (since we can't go anywhere with 7 extra children) and he spent two days at the orthodontist getting braces. Yes, we now have to brace faces in the house. He has top and bottom and has a pretty sore mouth. He has also had to deal with 'the cousins'...namely Simon and Caleb. These are the only two male cousins that live in our vicinity. They are 5 and 4 and they think Jacob is just about the neatest thing on the planet. I'm sure I don't have to explain how 13 year olds feel about 4 and5 year olds that follow them everywhere calling their name (Jake calls it stalking). I have been really proud of how he has tried to include them and play with them. His biggest challenge this week has been having to help clean house. It's supposed to be spring BREAK, don't you know.

Hannah has had a fun week with the cousins (since they are almost all girls). They have played and she has started trying to teach them all how to play piano. She did a bit of complaining earlier in the week when we cleaned her room (including under the bed). It took awhile but she saw the value once it was done. She has not wanted to help clean it up since then. Today she woke up with a fever and the aches (it started with achy eyelids). She spent most of the day sleeping.

Lily LOVES having the cousins over. She enjoys having everyone over to boss around...oh, I mean play with : ) She is so sensitive and cries every time Gracie (brother's daughter that is 8 days older than Lily) tells her "you're not my cousin anymore". She also insists that no matter what, she did NOT make the mess (everyone else in the world did) so she should not have to help clean up.

With everyone grumbling this week, we are all learning a new verse (really learning it, not just paraphrasing it). I pray the Lord will write it upon our hearts and that we can make it the true test of our attitudes about work and serving others.

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men...It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Colossians 3:23,24

BEST DAY EVER

2008-03-16T19:58:00.002-05:00

Cold but GLORIOUS!

2008-03-16T19:27:00.006-05:00

This weekend, Jacob and I went on a camp-out with the Boy Scouts for the annual "new Scout" camp-out (where the rookies get to work on rank requirements). We didn't leave until 6:00 pm on Friday (just in time for the temps to start dropping) and got to the campsite at about (Jacob's guess because I didn't pay attention) 6:30-6:45 ish. The mini-mountain that we were camping on top of had been covered with snow and ice until.........about 23 kids and 5 Leaders showed up and had to go up and down over and over and over and well, you get the idea. The temps on Saturday hovered right around 35-38 which means that NOTHING, not even mud, stays frozen. Saturday night the temps dropped to around 25 or maybe lower. Sunday morning's flag ceremony (12 rookies each practicing raising and lowering the flag) in the wind {temps around 25 before figuring wind-chill} was COLD!!!

Now for the glorious part. Both nights, there was a definite lack of cloud cover mixed with a half moon with about a million stars thrown in for good measure. It was ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!!
Then, on Friday night as everyone was TRYING to stay warm and get some sleep, there was something that kept on making a weird scream-type call (I thought maybe a cub was calling its mom){I then remembered the hibernation rule} which the Scoutmaster (Forest Preserve Patrol Officer){Game Warden for you Southerners} told me it was a variety of owl.
Saturday night was a replay of Friday night but with a distinct WHOO-WHOO-WHOO of yet another owl. I thought that it was such an awesome thing that God created such beauty just for us to enjoy.

Heat Wave...Briefly

2008-03-03T06:13:00.002-06:00

We had a heat wave on Sunday. We actually hit 55 degrees! I am not kidding when I tell you that our neighbors were outside in their shorts and t-shirts playing basketball. It was strange seeing them playing ball in their shorts with snow all around. By the end of the day our 3 feet of snow was a good bit of the way melted. We were able to leave the house with not coats for the first time in months. Of course, the weather today is starting as rain and then the temp will drop to 30 degrees and we will get about four inches of snow. I guess the groundhog was right.

All the temperature changes have been having their toll on Lily. She has had the sniffles and a sore throat.

Happy Birthday Lily!

2008-02-24T20:52:00.002-06:00

Today is Lily's 5th birthday. We celebrated with the whole family yesterday and she spent the evening begging to log onto the web so she could play with her Webkinz (her very first). This morning she got up and begged to wear her new dress and then received her favorite gift...something she has been asking for so she can be just like Jake and Hannah...her very own Bible. Her face lit up and she ran to tell Granny and Papa thank you. She was so proud carrying it into church and would not let go of it for anything. If only she could read more than basic words!

After church we let her pick a place to eat which was pancakes at Walker Brothers. She then asked that we go to the YMCA to swim...so we did. It is now the end of the day and we are all pooped! It will be interesting to see what the next few days hold. Lily decided that 5 year olds should not suck their thumbs. We are cautiously hopeful : )

Happy Birthday, Lilbit!

Snow, Snow and MORE Snow!

2008-02-08T15:54:00.000-06:00

This has been a CRAZY winter. We have been 65 degrees one day and three days later we are at -2 degrees. We have had rain and then the next day snow. This week was no exception. Last week on Monday and Tuesday it was in the 40's. On Thursday we got 8 inches of snow. The weekend was fine, but come Tuesday night into Wednesday we got 14 inches! This was not a light fluffy snow.....it was the heavy wet stuff. The snow was coming so fast that my office actually closed at 12:30. That might not sound like a big deal to some of our family and friends down south, but around here nothing closes because of the snow. The kids get out of school on occassion, but not that often. The snow piles are crazy high! But...lest you think I am complaining....I LOVE THE SNOW!! It has been so incredibly beautiful! I cannot even begin to find words to express how beautiful the trees have been. The heavy, wet snow has clung to every single branch and twig of every tree. The bushes look like fluffy white poms. Even the kids have commented on God's amazing creation. I love the verse of scripture that talks about how creation itself declares the reality of God. He is truly AMAZING!

Kermit has been busy with the snow. He has been busy with our yard and with my grandmother's yard. He's such a good guy (but don't tell him I said so!). He really doesn't mind because he gets to play with his toy...the snow thrower. 5.5 horsepower of snow throwin' fun. He even let Jake use it the other day. I could almost hear them grunting Tim Allen style as they cleared the drive with their power toy. It's amazing how fathers and sons can bond over power tools.

Jake has been working hard to get all his work in at school. He is trying not to have any missing work this semester. He is also gearing up to start on his Cycling Merit Badge. This is a biggie that ends with a 50 mile ride in May. We'll keep you updated.

Hannah has been preparing for her first solo & ensemble competition this weekend. I'm sure she will do great. She made honor roll again this semester and is shooting for high honor roll next time. She has been adjusting to her braces and recently got her ears pierced for her birthday.

Lily has been Lily. I took her to the dentist last week. The dentist called me back and started by telling my that Lily was quite a little adult. I asked her what she meant and she explained that while she was checking Lily's mouth that Lily was so good that they told her 'Lily, you are being so good' and Lily responded 'Yes, and I'm smart too!'. Yep...that's Lily! She has started reading a bit lately and tries to sound out every word she sees. She is definitely keeping us on our toes.

Kermit and I just started a new Bible Study with a small group from church. It looks to be pretty challenging, but also rewarding, I'm sure.

I went to my sister's house in North Carolina a few weeks ago. It was her baby shower so me, my mom and my grandmother flew out to surprise her. She was definitely surprised. It was great to see her and I can't wait for her to deliver her newest little one. When the baby arrives, she will have an 18 year old, a 7 year old and a newborn. YIKES!

Oh...we also joined the YMCA so that we could have more activities to do as a family. The kids have enjoyed going to the pool and Jake and Kermit are enjoying the weight room. It has been a lot of fun.

Closing for now...I'll try not to wait another month to post!

Tin Grin - Metal Mouth - Tin Teeth - Brace Face - Quick Silver

2008-01-04T22:11:00.000-06:00

Hannah got braces this week!

She actually only had to get them on bottom which was a big surprise. She was thrilled because the original plan was to pull four teeth (because they never developed adult teeth) and then put braces on top and bottom. BUT...when we got to the orthodontist, he did another x-ray and discovered that the top two teeth finally started developing adult teeth over the last year. So, we got away with half the braces (and half the cost!). She was very happy not to have teeth pulled. She was even more happy to get to choose the color of her braces (purple) and was excited that she will be able to change the color almost monthly.

Jacob and Kermit were trying to list off all of the foods she cannot eat. Jake said "I know one thing she can't eat...tin foil!" We all cringed at the thought of tin foil touching our fillings. Yikes, it gives me shivers even now!

Anyway, Hannah is feeling fine. Just a few twinges of pain here and there.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2007-12-29T12:51:00.000-06:00

Ok, so it's a little late for the Merry Christmas, but we still have the 'Christmas Spirit', so I can get away with saying it a bit late! This month has been crazy with all of the holiday preparations, church services, piano parties, Scouts, etc. We have also all been battling a cold that settles into laryngitis. Imagine our house full of people who can't talk!

The weather cooperated for Christmas as we have been white all month. It seemed like it was all going to melt before Christmas, but we still had enough around. Yesterday was another snow day with about 6 inches. It was the type that clings onto every single branch and twig of every tree. Absolutely gorgeous!

We all had a fantastic Christmas Eve/Day. Christmas Eve Candy's brother and his family and her sister and her family came over along with her Grandmother. We all ate, then went to church and then returned home to open presents. It was a great night of family fellowship. On Christmas Day, the kids awoke to find that Santa had visited and brought them things that they never expected to receive. It was a fun day of relaxing and playing with the kids.

Jacob was excited this year to receive a Playstation 2 and the Lego Star Wars game. He never expected to receive this as he knows we are pretty strict about how much time he spends on electronic entertainment. He also got the Nerf Longshot (that thing hurts!) and a Lego set that he has been wanting. He was also excited about the cash and gift cards he received.

Hannah received her very first (and probably only!) American Girl Doll. Candy's brother in law was working in their call center over the holidays and was able to get a hefty discount : ) She also got the Spot Maker that she has been asking for. She was probably most excited about the iPod Shuffle she received from Candy's sister.

Lily was delighted that Santa brought her the Belle Tea Party doll. This doll sips pretend tea with you and sings an annoying song over and over about how you are invited to have tea with her. Did I ever mention that I don't like toys that sing? Anyway, she also got her own sleeping bag, art supplies and Barbie. She was actually just as excited about the clothes she received (she is very fashion conscious and is particular about matching her clothes, etc.). She also learned that Santa does not always bring what you ask for. She insisted that she was getting the Dora the Explorer Kitchen because it was on her list. We had many conversations about not needing another kitchen because she already had one. She felt like Santa would take her old one to a little girl that didn't have one and give her a new one. I guess sometimes we have to learn lessons the hard way!

We have both taken off a lot of time over the last two weeks to spend time with the kids. It has been so great to just play with them and not have to worry about homework, bedtimes, etc. They are a lot of fun (most of the time!).

We pray that you have all had a fantastic Christmas Season and that you have a blessed 2008!

Thanksgiving Morning

2007-11-22T09:02:00.000-06:00

Laying in bed and trying to sleep at 6am on Thanksgiving morning we are greeted by Lily bursting into the room and yelling,"Happy Thanksgiving!! It's still snowing!"
We are very happy to see how excited she gets at the Holidays.

FYI, Snow total accumulation: 1/6 inch HAHA

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God!

2007-11-17T19:49:00.000-06:00

Today, Hannah participated in a Clavinova festival where she played a Yamaha Clavinova which her teacher helped her program to sound just how she wanted it to.

Oh, and FYI, Hannah would really LOVE a Clavinova for Christmas (starts at $2500).

Lily's Turn

2007-11-16T21:52:00.000-06:00

I guess it's only fair that I put this one up for Lily. She was so proud of herself for getting this. (Click on the certificate for larger view)

Hannah's Honor Roll

2007-10-31T21:41:00.000-05:00

**WE'RE PROUD OF YOU HANNAH!!!**

I think that just about covers it!

Oh wait, WE'RE PROUD OF YOU HANNAH !!!

Hannah On Stage

2007-10-25T20:03:00.000-05:00

Tonight was Hannah's night. We all attended her 5th grade concert at school. They sang several songs and Hannah had a solo. She had a speaking part in a song about a fish. Her line was "No, no, no. It's humuhumunukunukuapua'a. It can only be found in Hawaii, it's their unofficial state fish". That was a mouthful!

I will add pics of Hannah's big night as soon as they are developed. Great job, Hannah Banana!

TEENAGERS!!

2007-10-24T22:38:00.000-05:00

Boy oh boy, it is my hope and prayer that parents of all kids have the kind of week that we have had so far. I mean one day our son turns THIRTEEN and the VERY next day turns around and get himself CPR Certified! I mean he could have dyed his hair purple, pierce (or at least try to) his ears, or other stuff. But no, he does something like this!I truly hope that all parents have to worry about their teens (yes Brian, that includes you twice)doing the same thing. VERY PROUD of Jake.

Jacob decided to attend the certification class that was offered by the Boy Scout troop that he is with and he passed.

Way to go Jake. I am so VERY PROUD of you for stepping up and doing this.

Happy Birthday, J-Man!

2007-10-23T08:48:00.000-05:00

Yep...can't believe it, but it's true. Jacob is 13 today! He will be spending his day at school and then at scouts. Happy birthday, Jake! We love you lots!

Round Two

2007-10-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

Ok, here's round two of pictures from Jacob's summer camp adventures.

This is what it looks like trying to get the Scouts and their gear all ready for a road trip. Let's play a game of "Where's Jacob?".

This is the only mode of transportation they allow for daily activities. Jacob told us that the classes he had taken were always so far apart and that they had to hike a long way just to get to the dining hall. I guess after walking that far, you might as well eat what they give you.

Jake did tell us that there were some advantages to being out in the wilderness. For Example:

He also got to see a GIANT Eagle's nest as well as lots of other deer (too bad it wasn't hunting season).
There were aslo other things to see and AVOID!!!!! Such as:

Of course, wherever, whenever he gets the chance, Jacob will throw in some kind of silliness.

As hard as it is to believe, he even put silliness in swimming:

They did get a chance to go to the "TRADING POST" and spend whatever money they had. Jacob enjoyed the slushies and various other snacks. He aslo got to have a little fun with the Marshmallow Shooter. Brian, do Brandon and Caleb have one yet?

Jacob later found out that they shoot NERF darts as well.

All in all, Jacob had a great time, but was VERY glad to get back home and sleep in his own bed. Lily was also very glad to have her big brother back. Truth be told, Candy and I were glad to have him back as well.

OK, that's all.

No need to try scrolling down, there's nothing there.

Quit staring and get back to work.

Chuck Norris loves Jesus and so should you.

Seriously, this is the last line.

You just had to look didn't you?

Summer Camp

2007-10-11T21:26:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know that Jacob went to summer camp with his Boy Scout troop in JULY, but we just recently got our hands on a copy of the picture CD so we can now (finally) put a few shots of camp life up for all to see.

So this is how they "lived" for a short period of time. Not exactly the comfort and style.

This looks like it could be dangerous. However, the danger is yet to come.

Now that is some mighty fine dining.

Not-so-itsy-bitsy Boyscout climbiming up the wall....

DANGER! WILL ROBINSON! DANGER!

Ok, that's all for now. I'm tired and it's late. There will be more pictures and laughs to come.
For an idea of what the Troop is up to and to see more pics of other events, check them out at the Troop 85 website

Family Campout

2007-09-30T22:45:00.000-05:00

So, last weekend was our family camp out with Jake's troop. We loaded up the van on Friday after work and headed for the camp. We spent Friday night and Saturday night in the tent, under the stars. Friday night rained on and off and the wind was crazy (so Lily said), but on Saturday night, the most disruption we had was the scouts playing capture the flag until 1:30 am (in the dark - no flashlights allowed). We had so much fun just hanging out together.

The highlight of the camp out was the Saturday evening Court of Honor and bonfire. This was the time set aside to present all the merit badges and awards that the boys had earned since April. This is also the time when all the patrols have to present a skit for everyone to enjoy. Jake's patrol decided to do a skit about Chuck Norris. He was Chuck and everyone was supposed to be afraid...be very afraid. In actuality everyone laughed because when he tried to do his karate moves, he looked more like a robot. It was too funny.

Jake earned five badges - Weather, Archery, Metal Working, Citizenship in the Nation and Space Exploration. He also received patches for summer camp and a special one for the help he gave to the Cub Scouts at their annual 'Weeblos Woods' camp. But, he was most proud of earning his Tenderfoot and Second Class ranks. He is ready to go with First Class as well (which is half way to Eagle), but he has to be able to swim quite a distance first and he is just not quite there yet. It will happen soon, though. He is also currently working on his Personal Fitness badge which is requiring him to have a 90 day fitness plan that he has created on his own and that he carries out on a daily basis.

Hannah enjoyed the camp out because she met a new little girlfriend there. It was pretty funny, though. While we were there another mother sat down with Hannah and french braided her hair. Awhile later the mother said "wow, she sure can talk!" I just smiled.

Lily enjoyed being outside all weekend, but she did not like the mosquitoes and she did not like the wind on Friday night. But it was hilarious as she screamed to Jake receiving his awards "I believe in you Chuck Norris!"

Kermit had a great time and afterwards decided to sign up as a leader. So, after his training this month, he will be Assistant Scoutmaster Ruoss. I love a man in uniform : )

I really enjoyed being with the family without the rush of life in the background. My favorite part of the weekend (besides seeing Jake get his awards and learning how to cook on a camp stove) was learning the beaver song. It's hard to explain, but basically you steal the beavers from the zoo, roast them over and open fire and then eat them. I know, doesn't sound appetizing but it's great fun to sing about. Maybe that's because they are so close to weasels : )

Couple prayer requests:

My dad - had to go back for a third surgery this week. I haven't been posting about him but he has been having some setbacks with his leg (was back in the hospital for a week, bad infection, etc.). This week they put another drain back in his leg because the infection and swelling were getting worse. He is pretty tired and not able to do much. Pray that he will be healed and that he would follow doctor's orders about resting, etc.

Our friend Amanda's mom Diane - Diane had a small stroke this week. I am not sure of all the details but I am 100% sure that this is not the progress they were hoping for during her recovery from her heart surgery and other issues. Please pray for Diane's complete healing and that the Lord would refresh her mind, body and spirit.

Tina and Daniel - they are still waiting to find out about heading back to the Fayu. Pray that they will receive a response soon.

Oh..and here's a shout out to Kristy and the man crew! We miss you terribly, but are praying for you in your new home.

Air Show

2007-09-08T21:29:00.000-05:00

So today was a busy (but fun) day. Kermit and Jake started the day by leaving the house at 7am to pick up the tent for our church picnic and then going to the church to set it up. Hannah, Lily and I met them at the church at 10am for an AWANA leader's meeting. After the meeting, we all went home for Kermit and Jake to shower (trust me, they needed it!) and to each lunch. We then headed for Waukegan to see the air show. It was SO COOL!. It is a small airport so no Blue Angels or Thunderbirds, but definitely enough to keep us watching. My favorite was the WW2 Corsair. That baby could fly! We all enjoyed, except Lily...she did not like the noise.

Jake has been working hard to have a good year at school this year. He is enjoying Spanish a bit more (un piquito)but is still not convinced he will ever need it. If he ever wants to order at a fast food place around here...he better get to learnin'! He is looking forward to the Scout's family campout later this month. We have a huge bonfire, court of honor (where they present merit badges) and camp out (including capture the flag until midnight). Last year it rained on our heads all night and we accidently rolled up a small garder snake in our mattress pad (stinky!)...so we are hoping for a better year this year. Oh yeah...we also go to the orthodontist on Tuesday to find out if he needs braces.

Hannah is thrilled to be back at school and back in band. She just loves everything about school and can't imagine why Jake dislikes it so much. She is looking forward to AWANA starting this Wednesday. She played the piano for the church on Sunday. Not like a special, but she actually led the church as they sang. Our regular pianist was out and our backup just moved to New Mexico, so Hannah got the opportunity to play. She did fabulously! She made one mistake but did the right thing by just keeping playing and not letting on that she messed up. Even Jake complimented her at the end of the day : )

Lily went back to pre-k this week. She really enjoys going and learning but she does not like the homework. Mind you the homework is usually coloring, but she still doesn't like to be bothered. Oh, I must not forget to tell you that she did let me know that she has decided what she wants to be when she grows up. We were flipping channels the other day and passed something that caught her eye. She said "wow, that's what I want to be when I grow up!". I said "what is that?". She responded "A juggler! Not just any juggler, but a girl juggler!". I laughed so hard I almost cried. She just looked at me and I realized she was dead serious : )

Quick prayer request - Please continue to pray for my dad. He was put back in the hospital on Wednesday. He was running fever and the back of his leg (where they stripped the muscle) was hard and red. They found out he had a huge abcess that they had to drain, etc. They then found that the abcess was a staph infection and that he has two places of staph on his skin graft as well. On top of that he pulled the hamstring in his 'good' leg and possibly separated/fractured a rib while trying to get up. He's not feeling so hot, so please keep him in your prayers. He will not be able to come home until at least Monday.

Pics of the Kids

2007-08-29T19:50:00.000-05:00

I got some film developed this week (yes, still in the 35mm dark ages). I pulled these pictures of the kids because they really show their individual personalities. Enjoy!

This is Jake acting silly. I know, I was shocked too. He is such a serious kid and never acts crazy : )

This next one is of Hannah at her piano recital. She really enjoys playing. She will actually be playing during this week's worship service at church.

This last one if of Lily showing Kermit her hands after eating bing cherries. She is such a wacky nut! It's the Ruoss genes...she can't help it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

2007-08-28T08:18:00.000-05:00

Ok, Kermit's turn to give the shout out.
HAPPY 35TH BIRTHDAY to a very sweet and wonderful wife.
Of course, I am talking about Candy. Too bad she has to waste her special day at work instead of out having fun.
Anyway, Happy Birthday with lots of love.

We Had a BLAST!

2007-08-21T20:13:00.000-05:00

First...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, K-MAN! 38 and still young (very young!) at heart!

So a few of you knew that we were going on a family outing on Sunday. Yes...we really did it. We went to see Weird Al!!

I wish I were a good enough fibber to get you all to believe that we only went for the kids....but you wouldn't believe that even if I tried to convince you : )

We had a FANTASTIC time. It was even better than we expected. It wasn't just a good show, but it was also pretty clean (only one spot that got a little too adult). There were numerous costume changes (Jake's favorite was the heart boxers with the pink tutu) and a good mix of his old and new material. Our faves are below.

Jake was very excited when he sang The Saga Begins. The song came complete with Darth Vader and Storm Troopers dancing back up.

Hannah really liked I'll Sue Ya. His suit on this one was a bit hard on the eyes (shiny silver), but it is a great song lamenting the stupidity of our nations facination with litigation.

Kermit and I agreed that our favorite was Albuquerque. Where else can you hear a song that talks about saurkrat, hermaphrodites, snorkels, donuts and weasels? Folks, it doesn't get much better than this!

Anyway, it was a great time and well worth the investment for 2 1/2 hours of show. If he comes to a venue near you, take the time to go. You won't be disappointed!

Another Month Gone

2007-08-13T21:48:00.000-05:00

Where does the time go? My mom laughs at me. She always told me that the older you get, the faster it goes. She wasn't kidding and she laughs at me whenever I mention it.

Update on my dad - He finally got over most of the ordeal of his surgery, only to find out that he has to go back this week for another one. Apparently part of the skin graft is dead or overgrown (or something gross like that) and they have to remove that small part and do another graft. Not a huge deal. It will be outpatient and he shouldn't have any set backs from it. I am glad to report that his leg is looking more like it should now. It no longer looks like 'a puss covered pancreas stapled to his leg' like Jacob said it did. Nice, I know, but remember, he's a 12 year old boy.

Speaking of Jake, he had a great time at camp. He got his Weather, Archery, Metal Works and one other merit badges. He has a few more requirements to complete on Pottery and Environmental Science. He also just has to go shooting one more time to complete his rifle. He really enjoyed learning how to shoot but said it was much more difficult than he thought because they have to do it the old fashioned way (no scopes, etc). At the end of the month he helped out with VBS at church. He was the teacher's helper for the 1st and 2nd graders and presented their missions lesson each night. He is NOT looking forward to starting school next week.

Hannah has been practicing her piano and has most recently learned to play 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' and (as a tribute to Napolean Dynamite) "The Rose". She has also been helping me out around the house and still learning to cook. She has also learned a few new card games that she loves to teach to anyone that will give her half the chance. She CAN'T WAIT for school to start next week.

Lily is glad to have her Papa back taking care of her. She loves her Ms. Kristy (our former nanny that watched her while my dad was off his feet), but she and Papa are buddies and she was getting a bit off kilter without him. She has been full of herself lately and has been going through a band-aid phase. If you even look at her wrong she will need a band-aid for the damage you caused her. She also bit Hannah the other day. Mind you, the child is 4 years old and has NEVER bitten anyone in the past. I just attribute it to all the upheaval with my dad and everything that is normal to her being turned upside down.

Kermit starts school next week. He took the spring semester off, so he is really ready to get back into things. He has also been pretty busy at church. This past weekend he was helping to pour a foundation for a new shed. Oh yeah...I never mentioned how he did with leading the VBS songs....FABULOUSLY! The music this year was really good and he really got into it. The kids really respond to him because he doesn't feel the need to be 'all grown up'. They had a great time following along with him. Thanks again, K-Man!

I have been working and doing church 'stuff '. I am currently on a committee that is rewriting the church constitution and bylaws. I will really be glad when this is complete! I was also directing VBS, so that took up a good bit of time. Now it's time to switch gears to AWANA. Seems like it never ends, but I wouldn't have it any other way : ) Oh, yeah! And I just found out that my older sister is pregnant and due next March! When the baby arrives she will have an 18 year old, a 7 year old and a newborn. We are thrilled!

Some other updates:

Kermit's step-dad, Jim - has found a job! It is 45 minutes closer to home than the one he lost which is a huge blessing. Thank you, Lord!

Daniel and Tina - were able to return to the US with their new son, Justice. He is such a doll! They are enjoying spending time with family while waiting on news of whether or not they can return to Irian Jaya. Please pray for their swift return to the people they love so dearly.

Diane (my friend Amanda's mom) - was finally able to leave the hospital. It was really touch and go for awhile and she was in the hospital for several months. She is now recuperating but is still in need of healing (as far as I know still on the wait list for a kidney). Please continue to pray for her health. Also pray for Amanda as she cares for her mother and for Brian as he holds things together at home while Amanda is away.

Matt and Lina - ok, so this one is not an update but a new prayer request. Matt and Lina are some friends of mine that I met at work. They are married and have two little sweeties Samuel and Rebecca. They have committed to going to the mission field in Mexico and are in the process of raising funds to go. Please pray that the Lord will help them 'discover' the needed resources so they can begin the work of spreading the Good News!

Kristy Meyer and Family - alright, this one is new too. Kristy is one of my close friends that will be moving to New Mexico next week. Please pray as she and her family move to a completely new area where they don't know anyone. Please especially pray that she and her family will quickly find a bible preaching church to plug into so that they can have the support they need. I love you Kris and will miss you terribly!

Ok, that's it for now. I guess if I would update this thing more than once a month I might not have to put so much in at once...but I am not promising anything!

Update

2007-07-08T21:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all those who have contacted me about my dad. He had muscle flap surgery last Monday where they took a long strip of muscle from around his ankle, sliced all the way up the back of his leg and around to the front. They had to leave it open to keep an eye on the color, etc (yuck). On Thursday they let him know that his labs had come back and that he had MRSA (this is the same strain of Staph that my grandfather had last year). They are pretty convinced they can get rid of it and went ahead and did his skin graft on Friday. That's when things started getting interesting. Friday evening my mom noticed that he was bleeding a lot. They called the nurse and they sent him back to surgery thinking he just needed a few more stitches. Well, turns out that wasn't the root of the problem The real problem was that the doctor had given incorrect Rx instructions and had him on two blood thinners at the same time (Heprin and Plavix). This is obviously not good! So, they have been working ever since to get him back on track, get his platelets up, etc. He is pretty week, but other than that, doing ok. Of course, the morphine drip helps : )

Jake left for Scout camp this morning. He was really excited about a few of the merit badges he would be working on this year. He is doing both archery and rifle (among others). Jake with a gun scares me a bit, but they assure me this is a right of passage for all young men. We'll see.

Hannah is looking forward to two weeks without her brother. She and Lily tend to get along a lot better when it is just the two of them, so we will see how it goes.

Lily has been pretty sassy over the last week. Since my dad is in the hospital, she has been staying with our old nanny (SHE'S not old...maybe I should say former nanny). Anyway, she has been having to get up with me at 5:30 and it has taken its toll on her. Hoping she adjusts better this week.

We have finished our bathroom!!! Well, all but the doors, but we knew those would come later. It is much improved over the old one and Kermit is THRILLED to have it done. Now on to the next project!

Please continue to pray for my dad as he is trying to recover. Also pray that he is able to be a witness to those he comes in contact with. His surgeon is not a believer so we are praying that he will see undeniable proof in my father that there is a God and that he comes to salvation.

Also, please pray for Kermit's step-dad, Jim. He lost his job a few weeks ago. Please pray that he finds something quickly and that it is a much better paying job and that it is close to home.

More later!

Summer is Speeding By

2007-06-25T19:13:00.001-05:00

Wow! I cannot believe it is the last week of June already! It has been a great month and Kermit and I have enjoyed the kids and not being on the time restrictions that come with school.

Jacob is gearing up for Boy Scout camp. Since this is his second year in Scouts, he will be gone for two weeks beginning July 8. He is excited but also a bit nervous about being gone for two whole weeks. We are really proud of him. He has earned/collected all of his money for camp this year. He collected alluminum cans (earned about $50) and has done some extra work around the house. He is now our main lawn mower and has done a lot to help out my grandmother with yard work. We thought it was time he started learning the value of a dollar and he has stepped up to the challenge. He's such a great kid (I'm not at all biased!). He has also enjoyed some new found freedoms this summer. He is able to ride his bike in some areas we didn't allow before and we will let him go to our local beach with his friends without us. He is most excited to be helping with VBS this summer. His first ever time to help instead of just attend.

Hannah has been spending her summer reading and practicing her piano. She is currently reading the Little House series and is on the second book. She has been working very hard on her piano pieces. She asked her teacher for something a bit more challenging and then surprised her teacher by being able to play it (Fur Elise - the easy version). She is all about being recognized for her accomplishments, so she is working her fingers to the bone. We are really proud of how well she is doing. She has also been working around the house and helping my grandmother. Most of all she has been excited to be learing how to cook and sew with mom. It has been a lot of fun for me, too!

Lily has been enjoying having Jake and Hannah home all day. Well, mostly she has enjoyed ganging up with Jake to pick on Hannah. Her latest is to act like a chicken. She watched an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in which Donald Duck traded his pet 'Boo Boo Chicken' for some magic beans. Ever since then she has been walking around going 'baulk, baulk, baulk'. When you talk to her she responds like a chicken. Jacob was throwing grapes on the floor and she was crawling over to them and pecking them like a chicken. When Kermit put her in bed the other night, she was saying her prayers and stopped in the middle and said "Wait, chickens don't talk! Baulk, baulk, baulk". She is a total LOON!

Kermit has been working like a madman. He has been working regular hours, working in my grandmother's yard, putting the finishing touches on our bathroom remodel (very nice work, Kermit!), overseeing projects at church, etc, etc, etc. He has been so busy that I was stunned when he offered to help with VBS. Well, not that he offered to help, but what he offered to help with. He was already doing games, but he offered to handle the songs, too! I can't wait to see this. I'll try to post video : )

I have been working and prepping for VBS. Yep, that's all.

Couple of prayer requests and praises.

First, please pray for our friends Brian and Amanda. Amanda's mom, Diane, has been in hospital for several weeks with complications from heart surgery and kidney failure (she has been on dialysis for several years). She is doing a bit better but has a long way to go. Pray for Diane's health and for Amanda who has been staying with her through her ordeal. You can also pray for Brian who has been holding down the homefront while she has been away. Hang in there guys!

Next, we received the very exciting news that the adoption is final for our friends Daniel and Tina! Justice is finally theirs! They have been in Guatemala for the last several months waiting for everything to be finalized. They will now be heading back to the states to then try to get back to the mission field. Praise God for their new baby but then also pray for them to be able to return to the mission field. They are having some issues with their visas because the area they serve in is trying to limit the number of 'religious' visas that they issue. Daniel and Tina's have dedicated their lives to service in this mission field. Please pray that they can return quickly and without incident.

Lastly, please remember my father (John). If you remember, he had a staph infection in his leg last October. The spot has never healed so they are having to go in and do surgery on Monday 7/2. They have already told him that if they get in and cannot do the surgery, they will want to amputate directly above the knee. Although this would not be the end of the world, it would present some challenges for him physically (can't do a prosthetic and left arm doesn't work so can't do crutches). We are praying and trusting that the doctors will be able to do what needs to be done and that he will heal quickly.

Well, enough for now. I'm sure you are tired of reading : )

Catching Up

2007-05-12T22:19:00.000-05:00

So it has definitely been awhile. We have had so much going on that we have not taken then time to write. I figured I couldn't put it off anymore!

We had a great time on our trip South. The first two days we were able to spend time in Birmingham with our friends the McGraw family. We first met them when we lived in Marietta. We like to say they were our first adult friends. Anyway, it had been years since we had seen each other so it was great to catch up. They had two boys that we had never met in person and they really got along well with our three hooligans. We can't wait until we get a chance to see them again. Brian and Amanda, thanks for you hospitality, we can't wait to do it again. We love you guys!

On our way from Birmingham to Mississippi, we made a short stop in Carbon Hill to see my best friend Michelle. I say best friend because she has been my best friend since 8th grade. Even though we have lived hundreds of miles apart for the past 12 years, we can still pick up right where we left off whenever we talk. She knows me better than just about anybody. She and her husband Shane have a beautiful daughter Lauren that I got to meet for the first time. Michelle, we have to make sure it is not so long until the next time!

We then spent several days in Mississippi with Kermit's mom and sister. His brother's family came up for a day, too. We had a great time visiting and catching up with everyone. By the time we left we had worn Kermit's poor mom out and she got sick. While we were there, Jake got to go to an arena football game. He had pictures taken with some of the players after the game. He was pretty grossed out because they were so sweaty and put their arms around him to get pictures made. He had a lot of fun. Thanks, Grandpa J!

Of course, we also went to Kermit's reunion. It was interesting seeing folks we had not seen in so long. Some looked exactly like they did in high school (big hair and all) and some you would have never recognized. Everyone commented on how grown up Kermit looked. I have to say, I had forgotten what a baby face Kermit had in high school. They quickly had us remember, though, by giving him a name tag with his senior picture on it. I'll have to get it posted soon and let it speak for itself. But I digress...We had a great time and were glad we took the time to go.

Since we have been home, we have been working on our bathroom remodel (STILL!) and hope to have it finished soon. We have also been pretty busy at church. Kermit is the chairman of the facilities committee. We were having new carpet laid in the church so he had to oversee the men of the church pulling the old carpet out and then the new carpet getting put down. It looks fantastic, but was a long, tiring process for the K man. Next weekend he gets to oversee the youth painting the fellowship hall....have fun with that!

Hannah had another band concert this week. She had another solo and did fabulously. Next week she has her very first piano recital. She is really excited about it. She will be playing 'Ode to Joy' and 'Holy, Holy, Holy'.

Jake started and finished track. He decided he likes running short distances and the longer runs are just too hard. He enjoyed the experience and hopes to do it again next year. He will be going on a camp-out next weekend with the Scouts. He should be able to finish up two pesky requirements that have been keeping him from advancing in rank for the last six months. He is excited about the chance to finally be Second Class.

Lily has been enjoying the warmer weather. She has been playing outside everyday with the neighbor kids. That child can get dirty faster than any other kid I have ever seen! She is like a dirt magnet and it always gets attracted to her face. If people didn't know us better they would think we didn't have running water.

Anyway, going to wrap up. Tomorrow is Mother's Day. I need to get in bed since we will be going to church with my grandmother tomorrow. I'll try to get some pictures from our trip up soon.

Spring Break

2007-04-01T17:43:00.000-05:00

The kids had spring break last week. We didn't do much. I was able to take off work on Monday and Tuesday and Kermit took off Monday. We spent some time with my grandmother and then pretty much just hung out. Hannah is ready to go back to school. Jacob, of course, is not.

We have had a lot going on over the last few weeks. We started a bathroom remodel project. Hoping to have it finished soon. We finally have the walls up and the tub in. We are doing it ourselves and have learned a lot. When I say ourselves, I must mention that my brother is helping. He is a carpenter by trade, so he is making sure we are building something that will not fall down six months after we complete it. Our goal was to have it done before we went south. Our trip is coming in 10 days....I don't know if we are going to make it.

We took the car in for some routine work last week. It was all things that Kermit could do himself, but he has been so busy with the remodeling that we decided to go ahead and pay someone else to do it. Our check engine light had also come on so we needed to get that checked out. YOUCH!! Turns out we had a coolent leak at our intake manifold. I was not happy to pay that bill, but I was thankful to be able to. Guess the Lord knew it needed to be taken care of before our trip.

Speaking of the Lord, we got quite a surprise today. Kermit got an email from his classmate that is heading up the reunion. She asked Kermit to say the prayer at the reunion. This may not sound like much, but if you knew Kermit in high school, you would know he is completely different now. Well, maybe not completely different...he still can't sit still and is constantly telling corny jokes...but now he tells clean jokes and without the bottle of Jack and the cigarette. Anyway, he was excited at the opportunity. Thought it was neat.

No Coincidence, I'm sure

2007-03-11T14:16:00.000-05:00

So right now I am pretty involved at church. I'm teaching the women's Sunday School class and I am also on the Natural Church Development Committee. That may not sound like much, but both are requiring a LOT of time and effort. Don't misunderstand, it's positive effort, but I definitely hope it eases up a bit before VBS season starts!

Anyway, all of that to say this. Right now our women's class is working through the 'Disciple's Prayer Life' workbook. If you have never done this study, I really recommend it. It really brings you back to the basics - back to the foundational truths about why we pray, how we pray and why we should/can expect a response from Almighty God. At the beginning of the study, one of our ladies passed out a listing of the names of God and talked about how she has started realizing the power in praying the names of God.

Then, last week the study actually was focusing on the names of God and how/why we should use them in our prayers. It was really powerful to read the different names of God and really dig into what those names say about the character of God. All the while explaining how we should use that knowledge to enhance our prayer life and help us better understand our standing with Him.

So, this week as I was focusing on the names of God and His awesome nature when I got the newsletter from our good friends Tina and Daniel. If you don't know, they are missionaries in Iran Jaya. They are home on furlough, right now, but are going back soon. In their newsletter, they were talking about their pastor challenging them to begin praying the names of God and how much of a blessing it has been for them.

All of this could not be a coincidence! So, I will be going into this next week asking the Lord what it is He would have me to learn about the many facets of His nature. I encourage you all to start exploring the names of God. Sometimes it is the basic, foundational things that we learn the most from!

Hannah's Party

2007-03-05T20:14:00.000-06:00

As mentioned earlier, I am posting a couple of pictures from Hannah's birthday party. She had such a great time. You'll notice Hannah's crazy hair. I tried to get her to leave it this way...but she wouldn't.

Gotta Get Back on Track!

2007-02-22T21:05:00.000-06:00

So it's been a little while since we posted. Ok, it's been more than awhile! So, sit back because this is going to be LONG.

I keep intending to post, but I wanted to have pictures developed so I could post them out here for you to see. But...I still haven't remembered to get the film developed. Yes, we are still in the stone age...we use film. Hopefully that will change this year, but until it does, we are stuck waiting for me to remember to take the film to Wally World when I shop.

If I had remembered to get them developed, I would be posting a few things including Hannah's 10th birthday slumber party. Yes, Hannah turned 10. It just does not seem possible that she (or I) could be that old! My gray hair reminds me that it is true : ) She had a great time. 9 of her friends from school came. I only expected 5 or so out of her class of 16 girls. I thought I could manage 5 and it would be an intimate little get together. Boy was I WRONG! I never knew girls could be so loud! I guess on some level I knew, but experiencing it was unreal. But it was fun. They had a great time. They did each others hair, ate pizza, laughed, decorated cupcakes, played Dance Revolution (or whatever the one we own is called) and laughed some more until about 1am. Hannah really enjoyed herself. I was thankful when it was over. Kermit just hid the whole time.

Speaking of birthdays, Lily will be 4 in two days. She is very excited because once she turns 4, she can turn 5. That is her whole goal in life...to turn 5 so she can then turn 6. The other day she was making me a pretend meal. She asked what I wanted and I said chicken. She said she didn't have any chicken and that all she had left was weasels. For those who don't know, the Ruoss Crew are all Weird Al fans. Weird Al has an affinity for weasels in his songs (strange but true). So it was funny to see her carrying on the tradition. It was even funnier when she turned around to make my 'food'. As she was 'cooking', Kermit and I heard her making squeaking noises (like a weasel). She then brought me a box that she assured me was full of weasels. The box was jumping and tipping because they were trying to get out (wouldn't you?). As I opened the box, she let me know that the weasels were eating my face (as she made crazy, wild gnawing noises). She is a riot. Well, maybe not to everyone, but if you share our unique and rare sense of humor...she will make you pee your pants!

Jacob is heading off on another Boy Scout campout this weekend. He is working on his 1st Class requirements for cooking. That means he has to plan, shop and prepare the entire menu for the weekend....for the whole troop! Well, not the whole troop (65 kids), just those on the campout (which will be about 30). He is really looking forward to it. He is enjoying Scouts and it has really been good for him. It is hard for mom to let him do some of the things they do (fire, knives and other hazards that boys adore), but he is usually pretty responsible with it, so I hold my breath and turn my head.

Oh...did I mention that we have snow? Well, had snow. The weather has been crazy! For three weeks we didn't get over 10 degrees and dropped to 15 below at night (with wind chills day and night at -30 degrees). We had about a foot of snow during that time. This week we hit 40 degrees two days in a row and all the snow melted. Kermit didn't mind the snow this winter. We finally broke down and bought a snow blower (only took 9 years!). Now when it snows it's like a play day for him because he gets to use his new toy. He has even taught Jacob how to use it (which, once again, terrifies a mother!). I keep reminding him not to put his hands, feet, scarf, head, etc. ect. etc. near the auger. He keeps reminding me that "he knows!" and he is being careful. Once again, I just hold my breath and turn my head. It should comfort me that he only uses it with Kermit's supervision, but, come on now, this is Kermit we are talking about. I still have to remind him not to get too close to the auger. Maybe I am just a control freak....someone may have told me that once before : )

Kermit is reading over my shoulder right now. I told him to stop and to leave the mouse alone. He said I am a total control freak(between my control issues and my perfectionism he often calls me Andria Monk).

Well, I guess that's enough for now. OH, one more thing. Plans for our trip in April are coming along. We will have very limited time but sounds like we are going to be able to see some old (Kermit said this means Brian) friends we haven't seen for awhile, see some family, see our old alma mater and...once again...eat some fresh fried pork skins : )

Last thing, I promise (Kermit said don't believe it because I am a preacher's daughter and the words "one more thing" usually mean 20 more minutes). We have a friend that is currently in the hospital in Charlottesville, VA. She just had the first of two brain surgeries to try to cure her epilepsy (very severe case). She went into the hospital two weeks ago and will be in at least until the middle of March. Please pray for her and her family. They have great faith in the GREAT PHYSICIAN and are keeping their focus on Him, but they could use more prayer and encouragement. I have added her blog to my links on the right. Hers is Krissys Journey. Feel free to drop in and leave her a note of encouragement.

Oh yeah, one more thing...just kidding : )

Strike Up The Band

2007-01-18T20:23:00.000-06:00

Today was Hannah's first band concert at school. She proudly played her trumpet with the other fourth graders and then in a duet and a solo. She really enjoys playing and has no problem playing in front of so many people.

Kermit got a promotion this week. He was really excited at the new opportunity and the change of pace.

Other than that, things are finally getting back to normal...busy, hectic, chaotic, noisy....but PREDICTABLE!

We started planning our trip south. Lord willing, we plan to be in Mississippi April 12-16. We will be attending Kermit's 20th reunion and enjoying the Amory Railroad Festival (you have to be from Amory to understand!). The kids are very excited because it has been three years since they have been south. Have to admit, we are pretty excited too : )

Back to Normal

2007-01-09T21:52:00.000-06:00

We have spent this week trying to get back to normal. No more overnight visits at the hospital or my grandmother's house. It's back to work, school, etc. Things were so crazy that we didn't even get our Christmas decorations down until Sunday afternoon.

Today was Lily's first day of pre-k! She was very excited about riding the bus. She helped me pack her backpack and insisted on carrying it even though it weighed as much as she does. I went to the school to be with her for awhile but left after just a few minutes. She was completely comfortable and didn't need my support at all. When the bus dropped her off, she ran to me and gave me a hug and immediately looked up at me to tattle on her teacher. She said (with tears in her eyes) "Mom, they took all my stuff out of my backpack!" Of everything that happened in the day, that was the most memorable and traumatic for her. She was very upset that she would have to share her Disney Princesses box of Kleenex with the rest of the class.

Jacob has been working on his 'Citizenship in the Nation' merit badge and had to write an Illinois senator about an issue and wait on the response. Senator Obama has been very slow moving. We'll see how long it takes.

Hannah has been practicing for her first band concert which is next week. She's doing great, but I must admit I have tired of hearing Jingle Bells played multiple times a day!

During all the commotion of the last few weeks, my older sister was able to come in from North Carolina for the funeral. It was so great to see her. The last time we saw each other was about 18 months ago when I went to see her get her Masters of Divinity (with Distinction, I might add). Despite the circumstances we had such a great time laughing and teasing. If you are reading this, Mary....LOVE YOU!

Thank You!

2007-01-03T18:48:00.000-06:00

We had the funeral for my grandfather today. It was a difficult day, but we were so glad that this long journey is over. Not only was the illness, hospital stays, etc. long, but the wait to have the closure of a funeral was long, as well. Not only did we have to wait because of the long holiday weekend, but there was also a coroner's inquest to determine if his fall at the nursing home contributed to his death in any way. We haven't hear from the medical examiner yet, but I feel confident that they will say that it was not a contributing factor.

Thanks, so much, to any of you reading this that sent cards or called. It really has meant so much to my family.

We now look with anticipation towards the new year and what the Lord has in store for us in it.

Sad Day

2006-12-27T17:18:00.000-06:00

At around 4:45 pm, Candy received the news that her grandfather Malvis had passed away. We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and concerns during the past few weeks during his illness. I know that this is a sad time for her and family and we ask that you continue to lift them up especially her grandmother Mary. We know that Malvis is now standing in the presence of Almighty God and is no longer suffering.

Once again, thanks to all for your prayers and concern.