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Long time no see.....

Yes, yes, I know. I've been gone for a very very long time. Life has been crazy - what an excuse!

I have many many pictures to share with all of you! Pictures of Mom and Dad's 25th anniversary party, Nikki's 11th birthday, and our trip to Kentucky. Right now, I don't have time to post them, but I thought I would let you know that I am alive and well! =)

And by the way, there's nothing like a few comments to give me some motivation! =)

To my readers....

I hope everyone had a nice Memorial Day weekend! Ours was very relaxing - going camping, playing ultimate frisbee, and grilling out/playing games with friends. It was wonderful to have an extra long weekend! The sad part is that no pictures were taken! =(

This Friday is the Gaither Homecoming concert (I got tickets for my birthday)!! I'm taking my dad with me - it should be a blast - and there should be plenty of pictures about that!

I have something to ask of all of YOU! Towards the top of my sidebar, I have a poll that I would like everyone to vote on. I want to know what you would like to see more of on my blog. More family photos and random happenings in our lives.....revival updates and photos.....passages of Scripture and quotes.....more recipes from Tori's Tasty Tuesdays.....or do you have another suggestion? I want to know what you think! If you select other, please leave me a comment letting me know your idea. So head on over to the poll and cast your votes (you can select more than one)!

Chicago and Sidebars

This is a picture of the gorgeous skyline of Chicago - we took it last March when we were there and I am extremely excited because we are going back in two weeks!! I love it - it was so beautiful and I loved all the excitement and the hustle and bustle!

So, this is a rather random post, because no camera + no exciting events = no pictures.

So keeping that in mind, I would like to do something I've never done before. I don't know how many of you have ever browsed through my sidebar, but I wanted to highlight some of the things that are on there.

I'd like to encourage you to visit our ministry website: www.delrittgersministries.com . It's full of things to look at - including our ministry schedule, more photos, and a guestbook you can sign! =)

The "Followers" section of my sidebar I'd really like you check out! If you are not yet a follower of my blog, please become one!

Check out the "Fireproof" movie website - they have so much to offer there!

Be sure to look at all the blogs on my blogroll - they are all fabulous and are fun to look at!

If there is one thing I would really encourage you to look at, it would The Rebelution website. It is full of amazing things - I encourage all teenagers, in particular, to read "Do Hard Things" by Brett and Alex Harris, the founders of the The Rebelution. It's an amazing book!

I just recently added the search engine to my sidebar - if there is a certain topic you want to read about on my blog, just search it, and all posts that had to do with that topic will pop up!

Be sure to check out my Playlist - those songs on there are some of my favorites!

At the bottom of my sidebar, there's a place where you can subscribe to my blog! Subscribe today! =)

So that's basically what I wanted to highlight - of course check out the rest of the sidebar (favorite websites, archives, and etc.)!

This may have been a pointless, boring post, but I hope somebody enjoyed it. I promise an exciting post really soon! =)

Y-M-C-A

This past week, our family applied for a membership at the local YMCA and have been utilizing it quite a bit! It's wonderful to have a place to go where we can work out!

So, mom and I decided to head to the gym to try out the equipment. We went strutting in there like we knew what we were doing - but we quickly found out we didn't. We had NO idea how to start the treadmills! We finally had to ask this lady how to start it, which was kind of embarrassing. We quickly found out that we had nothing over all of those other young girls there - we're over here walking on our little 3.5 speed, sweating and ready to get off, while everyone else is jogging at a 6.5, at least! Finally, I got up my courage to try jogging, but that only lasted about a whopping 2 minutes.

Yesterday, dad and mom took me with them to the Y and taught me how to play racquetball! It was quite an experience! I couldn't quite get the hang of serving and kept forgetting one of the top rules of the game: never look behind you! I also felt the pain of getting hit with the ball when I hit myself (yes, myself) in the stomach.....I wouldn't recommend doing that.

So, needless to say, today I am sore. Very sore. My arms, shoulders, back, legs, and feet are aching. I cannnot believe how out of shape I am! But all the more reason to keep working out!

I am now off to hum my now favorite song!

Y-M-C-A, it's fun to stay at the Y-M-C-A........

I'm an Ingrid

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are an Ingrid!

You are an Ingrid -- "I am unique"

Ingrids have sensitive feelings and are warm and perceptive.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Give me plenty of compliments. They mean a lot to me.


• * Be a supportive friend or partner. Help me to learn to love and value myself.


• * Respect me for my special gifts of intuition and vision.


• * Though I don't always want to be cheered up when I'm feeling melancholy, I sometimes like to have someone lighten me up a little.


• * Don't tell me I'm too sensitive or that I'm overreacting!

What I Like About Being an Ingrid

• * my ability to find meaning in life and to experience feeling at a deep level


• * my ability to establish warm connections with people


• * admiring what is noble, truthful, and beautiful in life


• * my creativity, intuition, and sense of humor


• * being unique and being seen as unique by others


• * having aesthetic sensibilities


• * being able to easily pick up the feelings of people around me

What's Hard About Being an Ingrid

• * experiencing dark moods of emptiness and despair


• * feelings of self-hatred and shame; believing I don't deserve to be loved


• * feeling guilty when I disappoint people


• * feeling hurt or attacked when someone misundertands me


• * expecting too much from myself and life


• * fearing being abandoned


• * obsessing over resentments


• * longing for what I don't have

Ingrids as Children Often

• * have active imaginations: play creatively alone or organize playmates in original games


• * are very sensitive


• * feel that they don't fit in


• * believe they are missing something that other people have


• * attach themselves to idealized teachers, heroes, artists, etc.


• * become antiauthoritarian or rebellious when criticized or not understood


• * feel lonely or abandoned (perhaps as a result of a death or their parents' divorce)

Ingrids as Parents

• * help their children become who they really are


• * support their children's creativity and originality


• * are good at helping their children get in touch with their feelings


• * are sometimes overly critical or overly protective


• * are usually very good with children if not too self-absorbed

Tagged Twice

My two friends, Olivia and Lacey, tagged me in a picture tag! Here are the rules:

1. Choose the 4th folder where you store pictures on your computer.

2. Select the 4th picture in the folder.

3. Explain the picture.

4. Tag four people to do the same.

5. No cheating (cropping, editing, etc.)

This picture was taken two years ago while Nikki played Minor League softball. She's the one at the pitcher's mound (standing next to the pitching machine).

I tag:

Abby

The Chmelar Family

Sasha

Suzanne

Megan

Then I was also tagged by Suzanne and Nikki for a different tag entitled "Remembering 2008"

The rules for this tag are:

1. Fill in your memories of 2008

2. Link my blog to yours

3. Tag others and comment on their blogs so they know they've been tagged.

Remembering 2008.....

A good book I read: There are too many to narrow it down to one (I looove to read), but I really enjoyed 'Faith of My Father', book 4 from the Chronicles of the Kings series by Lynn Austin. I would definitely recommend this series (and any by Lynn Austin or Beverly Lewis).

Great film/movie I watched: Fireproof

A new place I visited: Downtown Chicago (so pretty!)

An inspiring verse or quote I read: "But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;"

~ Isaiah 43:1-3a

Discovery I made: The joy of driving!

A new skill I acquired: Playing pool and ultimate frisbee

A lesson I learned: That God's grace and love supersedes all earthly devastation and that He always provides.

A moment I will always remember: Shaking Sarah and Todd Palin's hands!

For this one, I tag:

Lacey

Megan

Anna

Jenna

Under Southern Skies

Have fun!

SOLD!

After a year on the market and being through a flood, our old home has finally been sold! Praise the Lord! Thank you to all who were praying along with us concerning this!

a random post

Since I'm having issues posting any pictures, I thought I would post this fun little thing until I can get it working the way it's supposed to. :) I found this on Happenings - feel free to copy the list, highlight the things you've done and copy it onto your own blog. Let me know if you decide to post it on your blog!

The things that I've done are highlighted! :)

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland/world

8. Climbed a mountain

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang/played a solo

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb

26. Run a Marathon

27. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

28. Seen a total eclipse

29. Watched a sunrise or sunset

30. Hit a home run

31. Been on a cruise

32. Seen Niagara Falls in person

33. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

34. Seen an Amish community

35. Taught yourself a new language

36. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

37. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

38. Gone rock climbing

39. Seen Michelangelo’s David

40. Sung karaoke

41. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

42. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant

43. Visited Africa

44. Walked on a beach by moonlight

45. Been transported in an ambulance

46. Had your portrait painted

47. Gone deep sea fishing

48. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

49. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

50. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

51. Played in the mud

52. Gone to a drive-in theater

53. Been in a movie

54. Visited the Great Wall of China

55. Started a business

56. Taken a martial arts class

57. Visited Russia

58. Served at a soup kitchen

59. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

60. Gone whale watching

61. Gotten flowers for no reason

62. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

63. Gone sky diving

64. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

65. Bounced a check

66. Flown in a helicopter

67. Saved a favorite childhood toy

68. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

69. Eaten Caviar

70. Pieced a quilt

71. Stood in Times Square

72. Toured the Everglades

73. Been fired from a job

74. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

75. Broken a bone

76. Been on a speeding motorcycle

77. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

78. Published a book

79. Visited the Vatican

80. Bought a brand new car

81. Walked in Jerusalem

82. Had your picture in the newspaper

83. Read the entire Bible

84. Visited the White House

85. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

86. Had chickenpox

87. Saved someone’s life

88. Sat on a jury

89. Met someone famous

90. Joined a book club

91. Lost a loved one

92. Seen the Alamo in person

93. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

94. Been involved in a law suit

95. Owned a cell phone

96. Been stung by a bee

Fireproof

Our family had the amazing opportunity last night to go and support an incredible movie, Fireproof! Made by Sherwood Pictures (who also created Flywheel and Facing the Giants), this movie is for the entire family. It tells the story of a struggling couple who are find themselves on the brink of divorce - and how God changed their life and their marriage. It gives a realistic view on marriage and it shares the plan of salvation. It also stars Kirk Cameron (Growing Pains, Left Behind) - who does an amazing job!

This is a must-see - especially for all Christians! We need to make sure that we support this Christian film - they are rare these days!

To visit their website - where you can watch the trailer - click here!

I've been tagged...again!

I was tagged by a blogging friend of mine, Alyssa Scott!

Here are the rules:

~Link to the person who tagged you.

~Post the rules on your blog.

~Write six random things about yourself.

~Tag sixish people at the end of your post.

~Let each person know he or she has been tagged.

~Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

1. I want to name all of my children Bible names

2. I had to get stitches on my chin when I was around 6 or 7, after smacking it on the side of our public swimming pool during swimming lessons while doing "bobs"

3. I have to take my driving permit test soon, and I am scared to death

4. I am the only one in our family to ever break a bone - I broke my wrist when I was 7

5. I advanced to state competition 2 times for piano

6. My beloved hamster, Emily, drowned in our sump pump after escaping from her cage

7. My neighbor friend and I used to sell "pet rocks" to our neighbors - A.K.A. rocks with eyes glued on to them

So there you have it! I also did one of these a few months back, so click here to read my answers from then.

I tag:

Anna at Hope Road

Under Southern Skies

Rebecca at Happenings

Deborah at Hawaiigirl

Megan at Aiming for Perfection

Nikki at Nikki's Notes

Christina at Christina's Photo Display

I look forward to reading your answers!

A bad case of....

....writer's block. That is what I have diagnosed myself with. In case none of you have noticed, there haven't been too many exciting posts lately. So since I have nothing better to post, I'll give you a small update on life.

First, I should ask: what do you all think of the new background?

Our fall slate has been filling up - in fact, Deanna and Dad are currently in Newton, Iowa, for a revival. This Friday we are off to Goodland, Kansas - please pray for safe travels as it is a long drive!

Please take a look at our current schedule on the right side of the page - this fall we will be traveling to a couple of different states, including Illinois, North Dakota, and Kansas. If any of my blogging friends are anywhere close to where we will be, feel free to come and see us! I would love to meet you!

So, that's about all I have to say. Comments, anyone?

Getting to know me

~ WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
No

~ DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Sometimes

~ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
Either smoked ham or turkey

~ DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
No

~ IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Maybe.... :-D

~ DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
I most certainly do!

~ DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes, I do!

~ WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Never in a million years!

~ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
This is hard! There are too many to narrow it down to just one!

~ DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Never - it takes way too much time!

~ DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Well, I like to think of myself as strong, but in reality, I'm probably not

~ WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?
Cookies n' Cream

~ WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Their clothes and hair

~ RED OR PINK?
Red

~ WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
None at the moment. White socks.

~ WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Wheat Puffs cereal

~ WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The TV

~ IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
A peachy sort of color or hot pink....then I could color beautiful sunsets!

~ FAVORITE SMELLS?
Cucumber melon, pizza, a hockey arena

~ WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
I honestly can't remember - I terribly dislike talking on the phone

~ FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Hockey, football, baseball/softball, volleyball

~ Hair Color?
Dark brown

~ EYE COLOR?
Blue

~ DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes

~ FAVORITE FOOD?
Black olives, pepperoni pizza, and black jellybeans

~ SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
Happy endings!

~ LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
The Princess Diaries

~ WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
A black t-shirt with a gray zip-up hoodie

~ SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter

~ FAVORITE DESSERT?
Oh, I LOVE dessert!! Hard decision.....brownies, probably

~ WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
A missionary book about Africa

~ WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Raindrops with a purple backdrop

~ WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
We were kind of switching from channel to channel.....so a variety of things

~ FAVORITE SOUND?
Music - people laughing and having a good time

~ WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Probably Colorado

~ DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I like to think so!

~ WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Iowa

Hope this helped you get to know me better! Feel free to take the quiz yourself and post your answers in a comment! I would love to read them!

New Blogger in the Family.....

My younger sister, Nikki, has started her own blog: Nikki's Notes! We invite you to browse around and please leave a comment! She would love to hear from you!

How fast are you?

82 words

Announcement

Our internet should be officially up and running on August 8th! We have our regular computer set up and ready for internet.....once this happens, I will have pictures and more posts! One more week! [smile]

Flooding....

Hello to all of my blogging buddies! Sorry this won't be a real exciting post, but I just wanted to update you a little bit. We had a wonderful week during Holiness Camp, but Mom and Dad had to leave Monday because we got word our house was going to be flooded and we had to evacuate. So, they rushed back home to clean out our basement, while Deanna, Nikki, and I stayed there to do the youth services for Dad. So, in a nutshell, our house was majorly flooded (got all the way to the main floor), and our town was flooded so badly, it looked like a war zone. Our grandparents and aunt and uncle were also affected by this flood - all of us live a few blocks from the river.

The water has receded a lot so far, but this entire area has been really affected - in fact, many of you have probably seen coverage on TV and such - it's made national news. It's been pretty devastating for many many people - our family was fortunate because we didn't lose very much - there were many people who lost everything.

So, basically, sorry that I haven't been keeping up on your blogs and posting on mine! Where we are staying does not have internet, so I have to come to our church in order to check mail and look at blogs. We don't know when we will get internet again, so please bear with me. I have many many pictures of the flood and from Holiness Camp that I will post as soon as possible.

So, please keep us and all of Iowa in your prayers! Iowa has been hit hard this last month with tornados and floods. Our family has a huge task ahead of us because we have to clean our house out, so please keep us in your prayers!

Even in the midst of all of this, we are still praising God for protecting us and for how much we were able to salvage. We truly are very fortunate! I would like to end this post with a verse of a song we sang in church this morning that so fits our situation! It's the third verse of "The Solid Rock":

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay!

(Chorus)
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your prayers!! We are so grateful to everyone who helped us move out of our house, who helped sandbag, and whatever else they may have done. It is so greatly appreciated! Like I said, hopefully pictures of the flood and Holiness Camp will be up soon.

Bubble Blowing

We are in Des Moines for Deanna's graduation this weekend - it has been a lot of fun! I have many pictures to post from the ceremony today, but I'll do that later. Right now, I wanted to post pictures from last night when we went out to eat at the Sugar Shack, a cool '50s restaurant we found in the town we're staying in.

:Getting ready for bubble blowing!:

:We were struggling to get a good bubble....:



:Or at least a picture of a good bubble:

:Go Tori, go! Blow that bubble!:

:Well, they certainly wouldn't make the record books, but it's the best we could do:



:Go Deanna!:

POP!

:FINALLY! Look at her go!:

:Nikki with her ice cream cone:

:Awww...sisterly love:

:Father and daughter:

As I said, graduation pictures will be coming soon!!

Look who made the front page!

Our little Nikki made the front page of our local newspaper yesterday! She knew she would be in the paper, because the reporter asked for her name and age and said she would be appearing in the paper the next day. But she had no idea it would be so huge and on the front page!! It has been the talk of the day! She is enjoying her moment of fame! :-)

Oh, and mom wants to make sure you recognize her in the background. :-)

Invites and Hamburgers

This has been a busy, but fun week. Between church activities, hockey games and getting Deanna's graduation announcements finished, it has been full. But it has been a profitable week! Here's a recap:

As I said, we were busy getting Deanna's announcements done and folded and addressed and all of that fun stuff. We had a good time though. :-)

Our first playoff hockey game was last night - we had a ball! We got to tail-gate before the game with family and then headed inside where we had a rousing game, and came out on top, 4-1! :-D

It was perfect tail-gating weather!

::Getting everything set up::

::Uncle Bob and Grandpa trying to get the grill going - and having a rough go of it::

::Nikki ready to cheer for her team!::

::Me and Deanna::

::Nikki and Mom::

::Grandpa, Brian and Lindsey::

::Delaine wanted to save a parking spot for my dad, so she set one of our chairs in the parking spot!::

::Deanna and Delaine::

::This added some excitement to our night! We got to meet and get our picture taken with Eddie Olczyk - an NHL sports commentator! How exciting!!::

::Dad and Mom::

As I said, we ended up winning 4-1! So it was an extremely fun evening all the way around! :-D

We'd like to ask for your prayers tomorrow as we head to Nebraska for a revival. Please pray that God will provide us with good weather, safe traveling mercies, that our van will run smoothly, and that those who are in attendance at the services will be challenged, changed, and encouraged!