2011 Oak Apple Run

It was another great time at the Oak Apple Run 10K!

My trainer, Jenna, joined me this year along with her friend Faith.

Carrie was so sweet to get up at the crack of dawn to cheer us on and take some pictures.

Let's get this race started!

 

 Mile 2 - Still Smiling

 Mile 6.2 - Crossing the Finish Line

 Jenna, Tracy, Caren

Carrie, Tracy, Jenna

Afterward we walked to the farmer's market and picked up some local delights!  It was a great start to the day.

10K = 1:08:15 PB (11 minutes miles)

Peter Joseph is Here!

Hello Everyone!
Peter Joseph LeMire is here. Weighing in at 8lbs. 10ozs. and 19 1/2 inches long. He is so cute and healthy looking. Addy is doing well and Addy and Joe are both proud as peacocks. Here are some pictures.

The 1,974,394,589th Reason

I love my Dad :)  Came home to this on my counter.  He sacrificed a Starbucks cup - a beloved object.  He is environmental - reduce REUSE recycle.  He stopped by on his short trip to the Mitten. He closed my garage door on a day that I don't get home until after 11pm.  He even drew me a picture.  So tickled.

Scripture Memorization Challenge - June

Tip #6 Memorize the verse along with someone else. 

June's Scripture theme is Prayer

Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

resource: Topical Memory System by The Navigators

Memorial Day - History 101 - Chattanooga and Chickamauga

On Saturday Emily and I went on a trip to visit the Battlefields of Chattanooga and Chickamauga in Northern Georgia. To refresh your memories these two battles took place in the early fall of 1863. First was Chickamauga which was fought in beautiful rolling wooded hills separated by gorgeous flower filled meadows. After several weeks of intense fighting the Confederates ruled the day and pushed the Union back to Look out mountain in Chattanooga. Only the heroic efforts of General George Thomas prevented a rout of the Union forces. His tenacity and spirit in the face of this onslaught earned him the nickname of “The Rock of Chickamauga” and prevented the Confederate forces from taking Chattanooga. Several months later the Union broke out of Chattanooga and chased the rebels south. This opened the door for General Sherman’s march through Georgia. In this campaign there were 39,000 casualties which made the human toll second only to Gettysburg.

Twenty years later members of both sides gathered to remember their lost friends, honor their gallant opponents and permanently designate the site as one of the first National Military Parks.

It seems like most of the men from the north were from Indiana, Illinois, and Ohio but there were some from Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Iowa. From the south most came from Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama. There were monuments everywhere

We spent several hours touring the Chickamauga site and then went to the Lookout Mountain Military Park in Chattanooga. The view from there was inspiring.

Going home instead of taking I 75 we used the back roads and the new sights were very enjoyable

All in all a great day that we finished up with at our favorite restaurant –Sushi Tomi – sashimi, dumplings, and some very spicy tuna rolls.

Amazing Grace

Hello Nadeau family!

This is my first post on the Nadeau blog - and my first post as a Nadeau! Very exciting :)

I've been wanting to post this for a long time - about a month now. It's been that long since I returned from my trip to South Africa, and it's taken that long for me to even begin to process through the experience. This trip was unlike any other. Even after eight years, each trip brings new challenges and new joys. As some of you know, last year our team experienced two major motor vehicle accidents. No one was hurt (God's grace!!) but one of the trucks used by the missionaries we serve with in South Africa - the Mafus - was totaled and we're still working on getting them a new one. The year before that, the airline "lost" 19 of our bags full of over $70,000 worth of medicine. God provided - just enough - for us to conduct the clinics, and the airlines paid us back for the lost medicine. But the challenges of those trips tested my faith like nothing else I've experienced.

So this year, I had no idea what to expect. Even through all those challenges we saw God working. We knew and believed that following God wasn't supposed to be easy, and that God's grace was wholly sufficient to see us through the most difficult times. And so we decided this year to make "grace" our theme. To focus our study and worship on God's grace - how to accept it, how to be strengthened and renewed by it, how to live in it, and how to share it. If you've never read it, I strongly recommend the book "What's So Amazing About Grace" by Philip Yancey. The team read that book this year while on the trip, and it's one of my favorites.

Where the last two years (or more) were challenge-filled and faith-testing, this year was a year of Jubilee. This year I tasted, and felt, and experienced grace. Grace from God in giving me what I don't deserve (blessings beyond measure, an amazing husband, a wonderful new family, safe travel, incredible teammates, forgiveness of my sins- even the ones I commit over and over again.....the list goes on). Grace from teammates in loving me right where I am, sins and all. Grace from the South African officials who allowed us to come and supported our work. Grace from you all through your prayers, encouragement and financial support. As we worked through the trip, and read through the book, and worshiped as a team and with our South African brothers and sisters, God's grace began to sink in. I still don't fully understand it, nor do I fully live in it. But this trip marked me and my teammates in new and powerful ways and we pray that God will continue to grow us in our understanding of His amazing grace, and empower us to share it with those around us.

Thank you simply is not enough. But I am truly and deeply thankful for you all. What a blessing you have all been to me, welcoming me so warmly and fully into your family. Your support made this trip possible and I cannot thank you enough for that, and for all you've done in the few short months I've known most of you. Ngiabonga kukhulu kukhulu (which is Zulu for "I thank you very, very much").

Here are just a few pics from the trip. More will be posted, hopefully, soon. Perhaps on Picasa. And my beloved husband has helped me create a little slideshow as well so I'll have to share when we all see each other again.

The "waiting room"

Sabelo preaching before a clinic

Sarah at the "pharmacy"

The Team (including my brother Andy (far left), nephew Tony (far left top!), and dad David (bald guy in back ;)

Remember when??

Remember these days??? I can't believe that my little pumpkin princess is going to be 5 soon! I also can't believe that i will soon have another bundle of joy here! We are all so excited! Can't wait to post pictures of him!!

A Little Bit O Music

Pete did a great job playing electric lead at church this weekend.  I was able to worship alongside him at the 9am service on Sunday at Harvest Bible Chapel - Lake Zurich.  It was great fun.  We had been discussing fun bands to listen to and I suggested he check out Leeland.  I just love their sound - totally impressive especially considering how young they are.  Here's a sample of their music - enjoy!

We've had a recent obesession with . . .

Princesses.

Who can blame us with all of the talk of these two?

And after we read this book, we certainly knew it was true - we are royalty :)

All Smiles

It's been a smiley day here in Chicago -

we're enjoying each other's company.

Life of the Beloved - FBC

It's time to hit the bookstore, place an amazon order, or load up your kindle.  Our next book for the Family Book Club is Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen.  This book will be a change of pace from Mountains Beyond Mountains but I believe it will be equally rich in content.  I have run across a ton of passages from his books in my daily devotional (A Prayer Guide For All Who Seek God) and his words resonate in a way that other author's have yet to parallel.  

Lets start in mid June so people have time to pick up the book.  I would like for each person who participates to be "in charge" of a section of the book.  This means you would write a post that reflects on that passage and/or poses questions for us to answer.  It would be good for us to engage in a dialogue through the comments section in response to the posts for this book.  There will be a small tutorial about how to subscribe to the comment feed so that you can be notified when someone updates the comment section.  Please comment in the comment section if you are interested in participating so we can break up the book into sections for each one of us to cover.

-t

We have new babies!

A Mom bird decided this year to build her nest in our wreath on the front door. She was not pleased with our coming a goings but she continued on. She laid five beautiful very small blue eggs. Today they all hatched and now we are redirecting all visitors to our back garage doors. They are beautiful and it has been very interesting to see. Now we get to see them grow and hopefully fly away soon!!!

THREE ROSES

Happy Mothers Day Mom thanks for everything!

We love you

Paul and Emily

Scripture Memorization Challenge - May

Tip #5 Read the scripture in context.  Consider how God's will and your own will need to align in reference to this verse.

May's Scripture theme is Prayer

John 15:7  (NIV) If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.

resource: Topical Memory System by The Navigators