Just do it.

I lost all my phone photos a few months ago.  The pictures I put on Instagram or on Flickr are safe.
But the pictures between 2012 and 2015 are gone.

My phone died and when my husband tried to get it restarted, everything was wiped out.
I did, however, have a back up from 2012.    SO.




I gained some pictures I thought were lost and lost some very precious pictures.  You know.  Like babies being born!

That firework picture above is a favorite of mine.  The thing is I took a dozen that night and I liked many of those too.  BUT.  This is the only one I have left.

It's really a bummer.  So the moral to the story.
Put your pictures on your computer, or in the cloud, or print them.

It's important.


Miz Boo says back up!


Encourage one another,
Donna

In LIving Color

If you are older you will remember that saying...it was NBC's motto.
They would show the peacock and then say 'In Living Color'.  I think they were proud of the change from black and white to color.

When I look at these pictures of Katie, I think.... 'in living color'.

pinks and greens

I think.  I would never want to see her in anything else but color.

Until she makes this face and then I know....this one needs to be black and white.

But gosh.

The colors are just bursting out of these pictures.  They make my eyes happy.

Encourage one another,

Donna

Twinkle lights.

For Emma.

Who loves twinkle lights.

xoxo
Mom

Middle Child Love

As you can see we brought Ginny along on our trip....

it was a terrible decision.

She is smiling like a nut in this picture but she was unsettled the whole time.

Malachi liked her but she scared Ezekiel.  Just by being big I think.

I tried to get a dog sitter too late and she did not have an opening....and actually I thought Ginny would have fun...

but she didn't.  

Fun game with Emma!

Again.

Again.

Again.

Malachi touched Emma's tattoo and then looked at his finger to see if the color came off.

I like his hands in this picture.

Middle Child Love.

Malachi called both Patrick and I "Yaya".

How cute is that?

Thanks for all the nice comments on the last post.  

Love

Donna

The relatives came.

We went to visit Matthew and Melinda and the boys over the weekend.

It's been very hard to find a weekend that worked for all of us. (Emma, Patrick, Katie and me) Unfortunately, Melinda's work schedule refused to cooperate so we didn't get to spend as much time with her as we would have loved...but we made sure to fit in a photoshoot.

Here is a peek into our busy, exhausting, sweaty, wonderful time together!

Emma and Asher

We went to a College World Series game on Friday. 

This is Malachi who turned two in May. And Ezekiel behind Malachi.  He kept his hat on which was a tremendous feat for a seven month old.  :o)

I have not seen Ezekiel since he was born!  He is on the move and sweet and content.  His eyelashes remind me of a cartoon character.

I tried so hard to get a good family picture.  These two will have to do.

I think this one is the best of the bunch.

Gosh.  They are beautiful.

so cute

Melinda is just remarkable!  She is not afraid to work hard for her family and her dreams.

Trying to catch up on the Ezekiel baby pictures :o)

I love this one!

So very proud of Matthew.  He is the best dad I know.

I have more pictures to edit.   I'll post more tomorrow.

Love wins. 

Donna

Summer's coming! Windows are rolled down.

Summer makes me sigh.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Worst event photographer ever. Stepping Heavenward.

I'm not always the worst event photographer.

But I was on Saturday.

By the time the Graduation party started I was physically spent and then came to socializing.

There was no time to be on the ball.

This is why you should not be your child's wedding photographer, I guess.

On the menu was Lou Malnati's pizza and their famous Lou's salad.  It was SO good.

Drinks were BYOB and I picked up some Spotted Cow in Wi. to bring down for the disadvantaged Chicagoans.    We also had Coke, Diet Dr. Pepper and Diet Squirt.  

Katie thought I was goofy to buy Squirt...but it was a hit :op

I threw a few bags of chips on the table and we are all set.

For dessert, Emma's dear friends Megan and Whitney made banana pudding.  I loved the addition of the blueberries and strawberries and raspberries.  

It was really a great little party.

Mary Z and Kathyb were lovely to come to the party!  

Thank you dear friends.

My niece Lindsay and her little girl Kate came celebrate with Emma!

Thank you Lindsay!  What a delight to have you at the party!

I was happy to meet many of Emma's friends from her internship at Trilogy and from her counseling classes.  

The sun shone bright and hot from 2:00 til 6:00.

The rain and thunder rolled in at 7:45 and the guys who were still at the party brought everything in for us.  It was perfect. Thanks guys.  

Stress be gone!

******

Dear Elisabeth Elliot died yesterday.  She taught me many things thru her radio ministry, books and tapes.  

She is home.

  

My little blog tribute to Elisabeth Elliot from 2008

*****

Encourage one another,

Donna

Because of Elisabeth Elliot I started this blog in 2004.

She said that older women should encourage the younger women to love their husbands and children.  (Titus 2)

She encouraged me to encourage.

Rest in beautiful, perfect peace dear Elisabeth.

In which Emma gets her Master's degree from DePaul University.

My little red headed homeschool graduate now has a Master in Education.
Her field is Counseling, but that program is in the Education school.
I just thought it was pretty funny....
I don't know.  Is that ironic?
ha.

The effort to accomplish this feat was huge.  She was cruising along pretty well...
until last fall.  When the seizures started, everything became so much more difficult.
With 'only' nine months to go Emma did not want to quit.  She wanted to finish.
We have learned what a determined, strong, hard working person she is this year.
She's always been remarkable...but this year has been the Super Bowl of effort...
and she WON!

I truly am in awe.

And Emma is happy, happy, HAPPY  to be done.

Emma Boucher M. Ed

name pronounced correctly

on the big screen

photo by Katie Boo

photo by Katie Boo

We are all so thankful to the many Chicago friends who helped and loved and fed and cared for Emma as she got back on her feet.  She is surrounded by a bunch of darling angels here on earth...

it is hard to express how full our hearts are with gratefulness and love for every 'helper'.

But they are...super full.

XOXO

Proud mom