50 Things about MOM!

In honor of Mom's 50th birthday yesterday, I figured I would give a post specifically designated to show her age...I mean, how much we all love her. ;-) Love you Mom!


50 Things said, done, or about Mom

1. "That's like 6 bucks worth of free!"

2. Skip-bo Champ (always!)

3. She and I wear the same clothes...and same size. (which pretty much means she's awesome)

4. She hasn't aged a day, has she?

5. The night I graduated high school, "Christen, I love you, so I'm letting you go so you can spread your wings and fly."

6. R is for Radiant - you're always bright and inviting

7. O is for Obvious - I can always tell how you're feeling because you can't ever hide it

8. B is for Bold - although Mom may not be bold with everyone, she is with me.

9. I is for Intentional - I never questioned my Mom's love for me because she was always intentional about making sure I knew it.

10. N is for nosy - but only when it comes to the happenings in my life. And I don't mind ;-)

(If you couldn't tell...I just spelled ROBIN ;-) )

11. E is for Entertaining - especially in Guitar Hero

12. L is for Lethal - 3 words - "The Mom Look" (its ok - you've passed it down to me.

13. A is for Absent - Not your fault, I moved. Which translates into...I miss you!

14. I is for Integrating - You could always integrate the "the talk" into any conversation when I was 12-14. I think you enjoyed it because you knew how much I hated it. haha

15. N is for Noob aka Newbie - to all the games we're going to teach you in Michigan!

16. E is for Elect - people elect you to things because they know your character

(I have just spelled "Elaine" for Robin Elaine)

17. A is for Awesome - Duh!

18. B is for your Boisterous laugh during Wipe Out

19. S is for shy - until you get to know her...then WATCH OUT! haha just kidding!

20. H is for HOT! I have one HOTT Momma!

21. I is for In-Step - which is where she is with God.

22. R is for Rescuer - she has rescued me from so much. Even the things I didn't do because of her....

23. E is for Example - Mom lives her life in such a way that I know if I follow her footsteps, I'll be ok.

(ABSHIRE)

24. S is for Silly - I think Mom is silliest when she tries to embarrass Hannah. I love it. haha

25. A is for Affirm. Affirm: –verb (used with object) 1. to state or assert positively - I always feel affirmed by Mom.

26. N is for Narly (sp?) I pretty much have the coolest Mom so why not use another word for cool?

27. D is for doctor. Dad sure can't handle blood, so Mom became the one who bandaged :)

28. E is for Excellent cook - I always like what she makes, plus she always remembers the timer... ;-)

29. R is for Ridiculously Good-Looking!

30. S is for the Sacrifices that Mom has done for all of us so many times.

(SANDERS)

31. If you've never seen this woman back up a HUGE school bus down our long drive way and maneuver it in one swift motion into its parking spot...you've missed out. It's incredible!

32. Speaking of Buses...this woman is no pushover or softy - ride her bus sometime.

33. Mexican Train Competitor - she fights to the end!

34. Sassy. Don't believe me? Suit yourself. It's true.

35. Giver. Need I say more?

36. Jugs: joke with Hannah and Mom

37. Brownie Batter...i will always think of you Mom

38. You're such a magnet for baseballs to the head...even though you deny it...

39. I love how when I was really young, you, Dad, and your friends would go out and TP people's houses.

40. "Flock around, Robin's 40" Ya...that was a long time ago. ;-)

41. My Best Friend

42. My Biggest Fan (Imagine me singing the Backstreet Boys song to you)

43. My girly-girl turned (kinda) tomboy. Love it.

44. My favorite person to watch movies with

45. My favorite person to cuddle with...is that wrong?

46. My example of patience

47. The woman who makes wearing football jerseys look good!

48. The woman who possesses the laugh I love to hear in the next room.

49. My faithful reader of this blog.

50. Happy Birthday Mom! Even though you said you don't deserve things, you really do. You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met in my life. So humble, giving, caring, and loving. You're amazing!!!

"My Mom"

In 6 Days my wonderful mother will be celebrating her 50th birthday.

My Mom is not only a mom to Luke, Isaac, Hannah & I, or just a wife to my dad, or a "Memaw" to Brayden, or a mother-in-law to Kristin...My Mom is My Best Friend, My Confidant.

"My Mom"

My Mom is my cheerleader when I need someone to encourage me to make it to the endzone when it seems that their is no way I can win and no one else thinks I can do it

My Mom is my crutches when I need support on both sides because I can't stand without falling.

My Mom is my vanilla ice cream covered in chocolate chips and Nestle Quik powder that I need at the end of my day because she can be either the pick-me-up on the horrible day or the cherry on top to an incredible day.

My Mom is my wheel barrow, she didn't mind carrying me and caring for me, but when she knew I needed to do it on my own, she put me down and gently poured me out because she had confidence in my ability to stand and do it alone.

My Mom is most of all, my example. She is the woman protrayed in Proverbs 31, the woman that I need and want to be as the Bride of Christ.

Proverbs 31:25-31

She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

"Many women do noble things,

but you surpass them all."

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Giver her the reward she has earned,

and let her works bring her praise atthe city gate.

Thanks Mom for being You.

I am proud to call you My Mom and My Best Friend.

I Love You &

Miss Seeing You Every Day!

My New Michigan Family :)

Many have asked the question, "Where are you living?" So not only will I answer that question, I will also respond with "whom" I'm living.

When I came to interview for this Public Relations/Event Coordinating/Church and Building Relationship Development or my "official" title (atleast for the time-being) of "Marketing Coordinator" for the future H.O.P.E. Center here in Warren, Michigan, I stayed with a wonderful couple and one of their daughters for 4 days and 4 nights.

The very first night that I stayed there (and I had been gone all day, so really they were just then getting to know me) Jon Kring told me that he and his wife Beth had been praying about me coming to live with them for an indefinite amount of time BEFORE they had met me and BEFORE I had even been offered the job, and he told me that God had responded with the "thumbs up."

I knew right then that if I were offered the job that Warren, Michigan was where I was supposed to be. In the past couple months my relationship with Christ has not been good. I would go the entire day and realize when I was going to bed that I hadn't even spoken to God even once and attempting to read my Bible was going worse than that, when just 3 months ago I couldn't get enough of reading Scripture. It was so obvious when I talked to the Kring Family that Christ lived in them and his spirit surrounds them.

Beth and Rachel even sat up with me and watched "Survivor" with me, without even knowing that watching it by myself would have probably been a depressing experience because I watched it with my own family every Thursday.

So without further delay...I will introduce you to the wonderful Kring Family...

Jon

Beth

Rachel - a fellow grad from Olivet and already wonderful friend that also likes to stay up late and talk all night.

The Hoxie's - Allen, Erin, and Skylar. If you can't tell by the family resemblance, Erin is the Kring of the family. I don't get to see them much yet, but what time I have spent with them, I know we'll have a lot of fun, especially gaming!

Thank you Krings for making me a part of your family!

From Indiana to Michigan

On Monday I took a huge step towards "becoming an adult" as I moved from my hometown of 22 years to a place that is even colder. Nice one Christen! :-/ Let me tell you...I'm a genius. haha just kidding! Can't fight the will of the Lord can we? I thought I would share with you a photo diary of my drive up to "the land of the hand."

As of Monday, this is my new geographical location:

*I give Rachel the credit for the picture below, she said I'd be a true "Michigander" by pointing out to everyone where I live on my hand!

The sight that welcomed me...not too crazy right? Right.

At this point, this was my view of my new home. Oh, but little did I know of the craziness that was to come.

Still pretty calm, right? Right. As I was driving, I thought I would be coming to a place similar to Indiana...you know, pretty calm, flat, lots of sky...etc.
Well, if you look at my reaction in the next picture, you'll find that it was not all that I was expecting...

Ready for it???













This was my reaction to driving in what seemed to be a NASCAR race! People going 85 miles per hour in 4 lane BUSY traffic. I broke into a major sweat..



Oh, and I was being completely safe taking a picture while driving...I promise!



(This wasn't even the busiest time! - There is no place for a cop car to sit on I-696 so people drive as fast as they want...and as crazy!)

Do I really want to live in Michigan? Well, we'll see...

Me = scared!

Oh ya...did I mention that I saw THREE cars pulled over being searched within about an hour time frame? Only time I had ever seen that was in an episode of COPS!

I guess I've seen it all now.

Updates on Life (outside of the fact that I moved 300 miles away):

1. I may have joined the choir here...we'll see if they keep me around after Sunday.

2. I am training to be a First Responder Chaplain (http://www.firstresponderchaplains.org/) starting tomorrow and Saturday.

Driving Lessons...

1. There are 2 seasons: Winter & Construction

2. The Michigan Left - in order to make a left you have to make a right...I know. Confusing.

3. The ability to turn on flashing red left lane lights - oh and don't forget...flashing yellow lights mean the same thing. Huh?

4. What is a speed limit? - Everyone drives about 10-15 miles over the speed limit. And the speed limits are the highest I've ever seen. I feel like I'm flying everywhere (and still going the speed limit..or UNDER!) or like a grandma getting passed on every side.

5. Watch out for One Way Streets! - They're EVERYWHERE!

6. If you're not still inching forward on a Red Light ready for it to turn Green you might get run over. It's a race to get everywhere!

7. Don't split the township line down the middle of a street...you might get one side paved and one side gravel. Its true. I'll get a picture up soon!

8. There are mile streets that go East and West. For instance, the church sits on 13 Mile Road - that means we're 13 miles from downtown Detroit. But you also have to know that each mile road has another name. Example: 20 Mile Road = Hall Road; 16 Mile Road = Metro Parkway. BUT if when you go into another town...it changes! Beaver Road = 16 Mile Road TOO!

9. I break into a sweat on the interstates. I've never had a problem keeping up to speed with fast drivers before, but "fast drivers" in Indiana or Illinois are NOTHING in comparison with Michigan "fast drivers." They're out of our league.

10. Buy a GPS.


(Having difficulties posting pictures so I will have them up soon. Promise!)

...Crazy Love...

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives.Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our grip of control." - "Crazy Love" by Frances Chan