Packed and Packers

What a packed weekend!  I left early Friday morning for the Youth Winter Retreat that I direct for churches from Northern/Central Ill, Chicago Metro area, Indiana and Iowa!  Teens were scheduled to arrive at around 6 and the rest of the weekend was sure to fly by.  Informative Sessions with our speaker, a great band, The Least of These and fun with Bob was all in the schedule as well as time for Broom Ball, Tubing, Wall Climbing, games, and all kinds of shenanigans with reunited friends and new friends were in the schedule!

The camp we use sure looks different in the winter...it was the coldest weekend of the winter so far with temps around -7 and wind chills near -30.  That wouldn't stop the fun!

    

Games played around a table....



Great time spent in singing and worship!



 

 Eat the napkin race!!!

 

 

Fun and games....

More games...more fun...lots of memories!

Memories with friends.....



time with my girls

 







In 7 months these same chairs will be occupied with students in shorts, swim suit and tank tops....but the smiles, the fun, and the same great fellowship and learning will be there!  Summer's Best Week!!! 

So after a fast and furious weekend with 110 students I headed home to watch the Bears/Packers Game.  Although it was not the outcome I had hoped and even prayed for, it was a good enough game. The game, for the Conference Championship was like a Superbowl for those who are Bears or Packers fans.  We will never play in the Superbowl - so this is it.  We have the longest running rivalry and it is heated!  In the end the Packers won.  We went through 3 Quarterbacks.  Our third string QB, Hanie, did outstanding.  Just too little too late.  At the end of the day I am still a Bears Fan, I still enjoyed the season, I still love watching football...but, my hope is not in the Bears...My hope is a firm foundation....  My ONLY hope rests in Christ. 

Go Blackhawks and Go Bulls and Go Cubs!

 Molly Adore Freemire

1-18-1996

Born 11:56 PM

20.5 "

8.2 pounds

     On January 18th, 1996 my precious Molly Adore was born.  She was an incredible gift to me and continues to bless me, stretch me, challenge me and make me smile...

     Molly's middle name is special to me.  You see, my deliveries of babies are hard...really hard.  Molly was a three (3) day labor.  She was induced.  I went into the hospital on Tuesday. She was born on Thursday at 11:56PM.

    After the 2nd day of labor on Pitocin and all back and leg labor I was discoraged.  I cried out to God for mercy.  I asked a nurse who she would trust for an epideral..you see I had two previous epiderals that went horribly with my first two daughters.  I held out until that anesthesiologist got on duty.
     As the Dr. was doing the epidural I began to sing "Father, I adore You, lay my life before you...how I love you...." I realized I was holding on to things in my life that I wasn't trusting God for...things like my independance, self-sufficiency, pride...things I needed to turn over to HIM!  I pictured myself approaching the Throne and laying those things at His feet.  I substituted these words in the song.  My heart was lighter, I was forgiven, I was before my Heavenly Father....He was giving me the strength I needed.  He WAS my strength.  I ADORE HIM!....ADORE....that song holds so much meaning for me...I used ADORE as her middle name.  I am reminded everytime I look at my beautiful Molly Adore of His love for me and that I need to continually lay my life before HIM and trust HIM.





Molly came home with me...she got Jaundice - a really bad case...She was put under lights - here she is all hooked up to the lights..she was so small she was in a Longaberger Basket all snuggled up.

 
 Molly - 3 yrs old and full of life, love, joy and personality!!  That only increased as she grew...

Molly Adore -

brave, adventuresome, stubborn, sure and strong...sometimes it gets her into trouble...

Molly Adore

She has a servant's heart and cheers for the underdog...here she was serving Tea to us.  She happened to have a REALLY BAD CASE OF CHICKEN POX!!  She was such a trouper through that.  When she felt relief, like here, she was up and enjoying life!

Molly - always ready for a good time and adventure had no fear in so many things....She loved hanging out with daddy and being COOL was her middle name!

My Inspiration and reason I started running!



Our goofy kid!

  



Our Beautiful Baby Girl



Our Crazy out of the box thinker 



Determined and not afraid to face fears                              



She brings joy, love, laughter to my life and is my HERO!

My Birthday Boy

David Scott Freemire

January 15, 1962

He came from humble beginnings.

I hear he was an easy going baby and kid...guess that's where our kids got it from....



Scott and his dad - age 8



How handsome is this guy in High School!!



Scott with his winning ribbon for Horse Rodeo Riding!!



                                                       

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My Man before I met him....



This is the man I fell in love with...he rose above the hardship of many things in his life.  He has seen hard things in his life, been through the fire and rose above it all.  He is known by all who know him as a gentle, wise, compassionate man.  A man who is fair.  A man who listens.  A man who loves to ride his Motorcycle, fish, camp, read, fix things, and build things out of nothing.  He is a self taught man.  He is a genius and one of the smartest men I know.  A man who would rather repair something than replace it.  He has a heart of gold and would give his last penny to help someone else before he would keep it for himself.  If you know him, you are blessed.  I know I am....

Scott with his favorite Uncle Mike and his Dad

Takin it Inside

When its Too Cold?

I've been asked by many of my friends how I ride my bike in the cold dead of winter....

this is how...  It's a bike trainer...its designed to hook your bike up to in order to ride in INDOORS throughout the winter!

There are adjustments to make the tension harder or easier in addition to the gear shifts from the bike that you still can use.

This is what I asked for and got from Scott for my birthday!  I love it!  It has allowed me to keep up with my cross training when it is way to cold, wet, snowy to ride outside.... the drawback??

I have no wind in my face, no cool scenery to look at, no visual interest to keep my mind occupied while I do my miles...I have tried watching TV but it just isn't the same as when I ride around the lake, through the bike trails and into the forest preserves....But, it is serving its purpose!

For you guys, who want to know the mechanics of it and how it's hooked up...here's a little look