"SEEING" the eye doctor

Ken and I had the pleasure of going to Dr. Mark for our first eye exam with our cousin.  Here he is with Rebecca, his assistant, who travels with him to all three sites he covers.  What a nice visit we had with him.  We had a thorough eye exam and he smiled the whole time.

Mailman Madness

Hi Everyone - What do you do when your grumpy old hardworking mailman leaves a notice in your mailbox saying that he won't deliver the mail because he is crazy thinks that you don't put enough salt on the driveway and sidewalk? Mind you, I have shoveled every day that it has snowed and have placed 400 pounds of salt down; enough that the cement is coming loose again on my steps. Mind you, this is the same mailman who felt it necessary that I cut my beautiful pinetree all the way to the trunk so that the branches didn't brush against his delicate handsome postal jacket everyday. Mind you, this is the same mail man who would not deliver because the cement on one of my steps was chipped off because I put 400 pounds of salt down so that he would be safe and sound last year. Mind you, this is the same mail man who illegally left me a gift certificate for ice cream in my mailbox 7 years ago with a sympathy card and a poem about Dante when my sewer pipes backed up into the house. Albeit, very thoughtful, it was WEIRD!!!! So, Any Advice? ps. I filed a complaint yesterday - the lady on the phone was very nice.

Scrabble Champ

Greetings!

As promised here is the picture of us following the great Scrabble game in which Isaac completely dominated and beat both his mom and cousins! This is something he won't forget any time soon!

Look how proud he is ... and he should be!

The Board

I'm looking forward to us all being together again soon and having a rematch!

Love, Joy

Hello from Isaac!

Hello!

It took awhile but I was finally able to load this cute video of Faith. I hope you're able to see it!I'm planning on posting videos of Adam and me too! In February I'm having a band concernt at Wilson Junior High. I'm hoping to post some of my songs I performed! I also just joined Jazz Band. I have my first practice on this Thursday. On Tuesday it is the Inaugeration and our school is going to celebrate the historic event by all wearing red, white and blue. Then when the Inaugeration is on t.v. the whole school will watch it in our class rooms or the gym. I miss everyone and I hope you can visit me soon! Love, Isaac

Marvin - A Tribute

M: Marvelous Grandfather
A: Amazing Carpenter & Avid Sports Fan
R: Ready To Help & Reaches Out
V: Very Kind & Vivid Photographer
I: Inventor & Ishpeming Hematite
N: Never Ceasing Love

Wedded Bliss - 66 Years

What an outstanding example of love, kindness, patience, and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, that Marvin and Evelyn have modeled for all of us.

(picture compliments of Carol)

A Few Poses

One Generation Will Commend Your Works

Over Christmas I took around 500 digital photographs with my camera. Now that they are all uploaded, downloaded, and right and left loaded, there are about 150 that I want to share with you all. Of that 150, however, this is my favorite because when I saw it - it reminded me of my favorite psalms: number one hundred and forty-five. What a blessing it is to be in a family in which one generation will commend the works of the LORD to the next generation. Though Grandpa barely has the ability to speak words right now - his gentle touch speaks endless words of how great our God is. And now, as the psalm states, the LORD is near to Grandpa since he has called His name and as He has always done, God is watching over him - even when we cannot.

Psalm 145

A psalm of praise. Of David.

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you

and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise

his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend

your works to another;

they will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They will tell of the power of your awesome works,

and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They will celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The LORD is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.
The LORD is good to all;

he has compassion on all he has made.
All you have made will praise you, O LORD;

your saints will extol you.
They will tell of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your might,
so that all men may know of your mighty acts

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises

and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD upholds all those who fall

and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you,

and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand

and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The LORD is righteous in all his ways

and loving toward all he has made.
The LORD is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD watches over all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.

Let every creature praise his holy name

for ever and ever.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of my family and friends.

How amazing is the Love of God that He sent is only Son to us.

God is Love.

May He fill your heart with Joy and Gladness.

Love, Tracy

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!

Ready for some sledding fun!

There's Isaac in the center playing his trombone at his first band concert.

Wishing everyone a blessed holiday! We can't wait to see everyone in Michigan!

Love to all!

Joy, Ryan, Isaac & Adam

Happy Christmas!

Paul and I have started our Christmas Journey. We started in Chicago with our Christmas Angel who is currently the Christmas Moose!!!!LOL

WE LOVE LOVE LOVE the pictures of Faith!!!!!!

Emily and Paul

Christmas Cheer

Hi All, Hope you are all enjoying the Christmas season. We have a Winter
Wonderland here in the UP. Looking forward to seeing everyone after Christmas. Here are some pictures of Faith enjoying the holidays!

Snow

Job 37:5-7 (New International Version)
God's voice thunders in marvelous
ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow,
'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower,
'Be a mighty downpour.' So that
all men he has made may know his work,
he stops every man from his labor.

We ushered in the snow today.
I've been praying for snow.
Tim - our hero - shoveled the entire driveway and the sidewalks.
He even distributed salt around the slippery areas.

I sat on the couch and watched local coverage of the snowfall and the auto bailout.
Thanks, Lord, for the snow.
Thanks, Lord, for the loans. I pray we use them wisely.
Thanks,Tim, for shoveling.
Thanks, Tim, for shoveling without me even asking.

So far we've had 5 inches fall and it is still coming down.
It's beautiful.
Did I mention Tim is beautiful? He shoveled.
Did I mention I ate challah french toast for breakfast?
Did I mention I am still in my pajamas?
I love the snow.

Psalm 51:6-8 (New International Version)
Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;
you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Putting Her Lights On!

Every year - no matter what - there is a light issue. This year we ran out of lights because one of the strands had gone bad.

Picking out a Perfect Tree

Thanksgiving weekend always means picking out the perfect tree. Tim and Carrie and I fell in love with this fraser fir. She was a little tall (Tim is our measuring stick - he can touch the top of the ceiling at home). We shortened her up a little bit and brought her home to be decorated.

Tim's Birthday

Tim turned 31 this year! I can't believe my little brother isn't so little anymore. I guess he'll always be younger!! Tim has been super super busy with school. Marching band season has just come to an end, the school musical took place "Pirates of Penzance", two cold and snow parades this past weekend and now Pep band starts for the basketball season. Tim managed to squeeze in a piece of cake or two! I love you Timmy! Happy Birthday.

Smile - You Make Me Happy

i'm not biased - i swear

5 months old - Thanksgiving 2008

Alaina's Baptism

Thank You Lord for Alaina!

Here is the Ceremony:

Welcome all who are present to be witnesses to such an important event in Alaina’s life; for today her parents, Peter and Emily, commit her through holy baptism to the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Peter and Emily, before the thought of Alaina entered your mind, the Lord had already determined that on June 20th Alaina Marie Nadeau would be born and you would become her parents. Alaina’s life, therefore, is an occasion to celebrate and reflect on God’s goodness.

God’s Living Word commands you as parents to teach Alaina about the Lord Jesus Christ. Only then will she be adequately equipped for the challenges of this life and sufficiently prepared to meet the Lord when He returns. Alaina’s spiritual welfare, however, will not be accomplished merely by telling her about Jesus. It is the words of your mouth combined with the presence of the Holy Spirit in your own life that will effectively communicate the message of God’s love and His power to redeem her life; for God paid for ALL of our lives. I pray that Alaina’s life will inspire within both of you a resolve to let Christ shine through you in your intentional pursuit of holiness and the supremacy of God in your home. As written in the Holy Scriptures, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your daughter and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

As Alaina’s Parents, Peter and Emily – do you commit to pursue the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might? If so, please respond “We do”.

We do.

Do you commit to diligently teach Alaina Marie to do the same? If so, please respond “We do”.

We do.

As Alaina’s Godparents, Anna and Maris – do you commit to pursue the Lord with all your heart, soul, and might? If so, please respond “We do”.

We do.

Do you commit to diligently teach Alaina Marie to do the same? If so, please respond “We do”.

We do.

As a family we need to work alongside Peter and Emily in their efforts to portray Christ to Alaina. Will we rise to the challenge of being brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, aunts and uncles, grandmothers and grandfathers, and great grandmothers and great grandfathers who commit to serve as examples of people who passionately pursue Christ and seek to obey His will for our lives? Will we lift up Peter and Emily in prayer as they raise Alaina to be a woman after God’s own heart?

Family – do you commit to this challenge? If so please respond “We do”.

We do

We have the privilege now to hear the letter that Peter and Emily have written to Alaina about their hopes and dreams for her life as a child of God.

Peter and Emily read. . .

God has commanded believer’s to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and although Alaina has not yet made her own public confession of Christ’s role in her life, we proceed in faith, knowing that Pete and Emily long for her to have an intimate relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We will rejoice with her on the day that she fully accepts Christ as her only Savior. Baptism is indeed an act of faith where we allow God to buy our sinful self and cleanse us from our sins and raise us up in a new life which has been offered by God as a free gift. Because of this gift, Alaina forever will walk in the Light of God

We will now light a candle symbolizing the Light of God to remember this day on which Alaina received God’s gift.

Godparents will light Baptism Candle

Peter and Emily to hand Alaina to Tracy for Baptism.

So with the Authority of Christ, we present God’s gift to Alaina and we offer Alaina to God who first gifted her to us.

Alaina Marie Nadeau, chosen daughter of God, by the Authority of Jesus Christ I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. He has washed away your sins and given you a new life.

And with this oil I mark the seal of the cross on your forehead symbolizing the faith we have that you will proclaim Christ as your Savior, God as your Father, and the Holy Spirit as your true Counselor.

Pray according to the Holy Spirit – Allow others to pray - Amen.