Laminin

I'm not one for commercialized preaching, but a friend sent me a you tube link she thought I need to hear right now! I've been at this place in my life, where I think things are falling apart. She keeps telling, turn to Jesus; he'll help you through this season. This morning as I watched the you tube clip, I cried....wow did I cry! The preacher talked about our bodies being made up of molecules; millions of molecules. One certain molecule called Laminin is a protein molecule that holds the other cells together! He placed a picture of the molecule on a screen; the below picture is what he showed.



This picture represents the molecular structure of one molecule of Laminin. Being a med student, I had to check it out! Very true....then I cried more! On one of the sites I checked, I found this verse....
Colossians 1:17....And HE is before all things and in HIM all things hold together.

WOW!!! I know in my heart, there are many days God is the reason I pull myself out of bed and keep moving. That HE has brought me through the storms of my life and will continue to do so. But I guess when you can see a picture representation and read HIS word....WOW! It just makes it pop!

I LIKE THIS.....NOW I NEED TO BELIEVE IT!

A dear friend sent me this email today; sometimes her timing is just when I need it! That's a God thing, like most things in our lives!

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did. When God takes something from your grasp, he's not punishing you; but merely opening your hands to receive something better.

 'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not

protect you.'

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY....

Sometimes you just have to say......enough is enough!

EARLY CONVERSATIONS

I love sitting back and remembering all the memories stored in the back of my memory bank. I remember my first string of emails from Dan....

Dan: What's your favorite number?
Judi: Why?
Dan: Enquiring minds want to know.
Judi: Who wants to know?
Dan: Enquiring minds
Judi: UMMM...they're not the Enquire magazine! FINE....24 ( not sure why I said that!)

Next day....
Dan: What's your favorite color?
Judi: Why?
Dan: Enquiring minds want to know.
Judi: Who wants to know?
Dan: Don't worry about it, I'll tell you later!
Judi: Red

Couple days later....I didn't like the couple day wait; I was being reeled in!
Dan: What's your favorite flower?
Judi: Why?
Dan: Just answer.....
Judi: Yellow roses

Next day...no email
Next day...no email....Judi's tapping foot wondering what happened to this little game of cat & mouse!

Friday comes....YOU'VE GOT MAIL!!!
Dan: I'm going to Hooters (nice Dan) tonight with the guys I ski with; call if you want to meet for a drink. I'll be there until 6:00 or so....

Judi: HMMMM....should I call him or not?? Lunch time sitting in my office, I hear footsteps coming down the hallway. In front of those footsteps were the most BEAUTIFUL, long stem yellow roses! I know the glow on my face blinded everyone in the room. If only he knew.....if only he knew he put a little hope in my empty heart at that moment. You see, that Friday was the 1st anniversary of my mom passing away. I left work that day knowing that I had to move forward. SO.....at exactly 5:59 I called Dan's beeper! Yes beeper, back then we didn't have cell phones!

We met for drinks that night and I knew something special happened that day. I miss those early email conversations, the silliness of the game, the newness of the relationship. I still get the beautiful flowers and usually when I need them the most; when I least expect it!

BAD KITTIE!!!

I read somewhere if you put tinfoil on the furniture, it would keep pets off. Not our pets, that's for sure! I think sometimes in their mind, they allow us to sit on their furniture!

Gracie made her way past the tinfoil, to the middle of the couch!

Gracie somehow got under the tinfoil and made a little tent for herself!

I GIVE UP!!!!
Any suggestions on how to keep animals off the furniture would be greatly appreciated!

I'M SOOOOO TIRED.....

I'm so tired, I close my eyes; but can't sleep. Too many things haunting my dreams and thoughts. I long for the day when I can close my eyes and really sleep. My body is getting tired too, not sure how much longer this can continue.

RESULTS.....NEGATIVE

One of my greatest fears is not of dying, but of dying from cancer. Watching people you love die of cancer really bites; I've watched it take my mother and good part of her family. It scares the crap out of me; I don't want to go that way! I feel like it's my destiny to leave this world that way & I'm going to fight like crazy for that not to happen!

About 2 months ago, I found a lump in my right breast. I tried to ignore it, but it wasn't going away. If I lay a certain way, I can feel it and it hurts! So I finally decided to get it checked and I'm not sure what hurts more; the lump or the mammogram. I watched the pictures develop on the monitor and saw the shadows; I could see the lump. In one way it was kinda cool and in another it's something you don't want to see. I know one thing, a woman did NOT develop the machine that does mammograms. Testing done....now the dreaded wait! The envelope arrives, you open it....and you cry! Only this time, it's tears of happiness. Results are negative, no cancer! I have to get a follow-up exam and recheck in 6 months.

BUT....the lump is still there and it still hurts! What else is my body trying to tell me? Do I have the medical student disease? Am I going to get the symptoms from every disease I study? Am I going to drive myself completely mad searching for the answers to each pain, lump, creaking noise I hear or feel in my body? I guess only time will answer that question!

Father/Daughter Dance

This past month, Dan & Megan went to the father/daughter dance at school. I think I get more excited than they do, because I can finally dress Megan like a little girl. Normally I get to take Megan out shopping for a frilly dress, shoes, purse...the works! This year, they decided to do a "theme" dance. This year's dance was a western theme.

• No frilly dress; it was replaced with blue jeans & flannel shirt
• No patent leather shoes with lacy socks; cowboy boots and spurs took over
• No up-do with spiral curls and glitter; it was replaced with a cowgirl hat (side note, I still curled her hair and put glitter on the ends!)
  

Dan & Megan father/daughter dance

Daddy's little girl growing up tooo quick!!!

Real Cowboys drive BIG trucks!!!

Megan all smiles for the camera!

Cowgirl up!!!!

The three amigos!!!

Dan and Megan both had a great time at the dance. Megan is in 5th grade this year, so this is the last father/daughter dance for school. It's that transition time from daddy's little girl, young lady. It seems like only yesterday, she was still in pull-ups! I wonder....will the next time Dan dances with his little girl....will it be at her wedding? HMMMM....only time will tell!

LOST, STILL SEARCHING.......

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. Many things have been happening in our lives, I've just been afraid of what I might say! On the outside, you try to keep the appearance that everything is ok; but you're lost on the inside. I've been lost the past couple months, but I'm slowing pulling myself out of the spinning world I live in these days. I'm thinking I can post on here again without worry I might say the wrong thing or let too much of me out!

Christmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with Dan's side of the family. We also invited the Vissers to join us, as they could not make the trip to Ludington due to the weather. Michael & Caley came for dinner; it was nice that they came. Dan's dad had never met her; it meant the world to him. We did not get the younger kids until later in the evening. Dan had to work, so the kids did not come over until later. The kids were sure surprised to see a couple presents under the tree; as we told them it wouldn't happen this year! The excitement in their eyes was probably more than if we bought them 100 gifts like normal!

Do we really have to sit here and wait....take the picture already!

Come on.....what ya waiting for!!!

YEAHHHHHH......we got Rockband! Megan's excited anyways! You'll have to stay tuned for pictures of them rocking out. We didn't have much time to play!

Jesus is the reason for the season!!!

Rock'n Old School

My Aunt Carol and Uncle Rich sent us money for Christmas. Dan & I decided to buy a gift for the family; we decided on Rock Band & Guitar Hero. Those boxes tormented me all day long....open me....open me....the kids will never know....open me!!!! I sat here...staring at the boxes....I can do it; we'll wait for the kids.
I BROKE.....about 8:30 tonight I told Dan we can open Guitar Hero; the kids will never know. So Dan carefully pulled back the tape on the box and in minutes....WE WERE ROCK'N!!!!

Dan's a hot rocker....love those sunglasses...woohoo!!! Rock me baby!

I have to run; I'm ready to battle with Slash! SHHHH....don't tell the kids we were playing with their toys! I'm sure if everyone was honest, they've played with their kids toys too!
Merry Christmas!!!

What goes crash in the middle of the night????

In the Hartung house.....our Christmas tree goes crash in the middle of the night! At 5:00 a.m., Dan & I woke to a CRASH! We went into the living room to find our little tree laying on the floor. Ornaments and tinsel scattered from one end of the room to another. One of my favorite ornaments was destroyed into a hundred pieces. We hadn't planned on putting up a tree, but at the last minute yesterday; I brought up this tiny little tree. I figured it might help get us in the holiday mood! It did....until 5:00 a.m. At first we thought Molly was the culprit; she loves candy canes! But she was laying on her pillow in the entrance way. Lexie was snoozing on the couch, she didn't budge. Finally from behind the chair, appeared Gracie the wonder cat. She had tinsel on her back, around her legs, and hanging out of her mouth! BAD KITTIE!!!!


We tried to put things back in order, but it just doesn't look the same. And I have no intention of taking it apart and starting over. So this year, we'll have a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.

CHRISTMAS COOKIES

What better way to spend a snowy Sunday morning than decorating cookies with friends! Doreen and Chris trucked through the snow-storm to spend the day with us making cookies. And BOY did we make cookies!!! LOTS & LOTS & LOTS of cookies! We started out by Doreen and I rolling and cutting out the cookies; but that wasn't much fun for the kids!

Doreen being domestic; sure glad we have a picture of this one! Those cookies are not from Plumbs!!!!

Dan thinks he's a pro cookie maker; he does ok!

I have no idea what Chris is thinking; but he looks like the cat that ate the canary!

Chris, Megan, and Doreen

Boobug and Dan; she's a daddy's girl!

The kids have taken over; get ready for a huge mess!

Laura, Doreen, and Megan

Chemistry 101; how to mix the proper colors!

Andrew and Chris....you should see those cookies! OMG

There's more flour on Andrew and Chris, than in the cookies. Even Molly helped out; or the kids made her help. I'm not sure what happened here!

I think they had more fun playing with the cookie dough!

Artists at work....I sure hope this is not their goal in life. None of our kids could be decorators; that's for sure!

How many more cookies do we have.....


Drum roll please........the finished products!

I think this was an elephant; Laura's favorite animal!

Andrew made this cookie special for Dan; it doesn't have very much frosting! Andrew didn't want Dan to have a diabetic reaction. Little does Andrew know, while making and eating cookies; Dan's sugar went up to 408. Bad Dan....very bad; normal sugar is 70-120.

This is my special cookie from Andrew, he made me a name bell! AWWWW

We had a great time making cookies, we always have so much fun with the Vissers! Weekends wouldn't be the same without them!

CHRISTMAS TIME IS HERE AGAIN!

This year, I've been in a complete funk concerning Christmas. We haven't decorated the outside of the house, we haven't put up our Christmas tree. All I keep thinking about it is....we're not going to have a Christmas this year. You see...this year there will be no presents under our tree. Dan works in the automotive field; his company laid off 400 workers during the past two weeks. Money is very tight and we have to prepare for the worst! So we're not having Christmas this year.

How stupid does the above paragraph sound...VERY! You see, I fell into the typical commercial Christmas funk. I forgot what Christmas was really about....it's not about presents, decorations, or even a tree.

Christmas is really about the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. We couldn't ask for a better gift than what was given to us before we were born. Now some of the things I'm thankful for this Christmas are my gifts this year...

1. The birth of our Savior Jesus Christ
2. My wonderful husband and kids
3. The fact Dan is still working during these rough times; when so many from his job were let go and he was spared!
4. I passed my iodine sensitivity test, so I can be placed anywhere in nursing!
   
5. Wonderful friends...Doreen, Chris, and Adam
6. We have a house to live in, lights, heat, and food to fill our tummies.
7. We have warm clothes....good thing as I keep the heat on 65 most of the time!
8. I have my Rotties....Lexie and Molly to snuggle with to keep warm; Gracie too!
9. A grumpy dad & Marcia; Dan's dad & Penny

So even though we won't have presents to open Christmas morning; we have many gifts to be thankful for this year! Hopefully the kids will feel the same!

CHILD HAVEN

Last night, I was very blessed to spend the evening with some kids at Child Haven. We played games, had snacks, and tried to get the kids to talk a little. Some of the kids were very welcoming and others had their guards up like you would not believe. You could look into their eyes and see they wanted to be loved on and to have people show they care; but at the same time afraid to let us in. We do not know their stories of why they are there, we do not know the roads they have traveled to get there. But in talking with the few kids I talked to, my heart breaks for them. After we played games, they workers gave us a tour of the facility. The children shared rooms, girls on one side; boys on the other. Looking into the rooms, my heart broke into many pieces. These rooms didn't have personal touches, no stuffed animals or dolls, no curtains, not even a picture on the walls. Yes, these children have a "safe" roof over their heads; but so many things are missing!

When I got home, I went into Laura Rose's room; sat on her bed and cried. I cried because of all we have and yet we still want more! I looked around her room, taking in each inch. Posters on every wall, awards from school, pictures of family, the name plates I made for the girls when they were little, and hundreds of stuffed animals. My mind went back to the rooms at Child Haven and I cried more!
Each night when Laura goes to bed, I give her a hug and kiss; I tell her how much love her. When she was little I would tuck her in....saying...."you're as snug as a bug in a rug" give her a kiss on the forehead...read the blessing of the day....and lights out.

I wonder, did the children I met last night ever have that special moment like Laura & I share? Did someone ever tuck them in, read them a story or blessing of the day?

Dear Heavenly Father
I thank you for all the blessing you've given us. Please work on our hearts not to take those things for granted and to appreciate even the little things. Please send your angels down to the children at Child Haven; let each child feel they are "as snug as a bug in a rug". I pray they come to know you and how much you love them and that you will NEVER leave them.
AMEN

HALLOWEEN NIGHT

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays. We have so much fun dressing up and passing out candy to all the ghosts, goblins, princess's, and super heroes. Tonight we had about 200 kids show up dressed to impress. We had some kids afraid to even walk up our sidewalk. I can't imagine why anyone would be afraid of us. We're just ordinary people have a great time. Check it out for yourself....

Judi putting make-up on Laura Laura's a work in progress

Laura sitting in front of fan, to help makeup dry!


Awww...isn't she just beautiful!!!

Can you guess who's under the mask....I'll give you one hint....Daniel Glenn

Judi playing with her long, silky hair.....I wish!

How pretty is this....

Laura, Dan, & Judi.....we're not the Adams family....we're just the Hartung Bunch

Chris dressed to kill, look at the blood on that knife. Doreen was dressed as a diva witch! We had sooo much fun! I'd have to say, we have one of the spookiest yards in the neighborhood. We had strobe lights flashing, fog billowing from the bushes, torches lit along the sidewalk, not to mention all the candles and pumpkins lining the bricks! Here's our pumpkin creations!

Laura's head-less horseman pumpkin....too cool!

Megan made a black widow spider

Chris's pumpkin said trick or treat, but I think the ants too over!

Dan's evil pumpkin.....

Judi's skull pumpkin

Doreen's pumpkin is named Mr. Egg-head!

What would the end of the witching season be, without a new addition to our holiday fun! We have to welcome our latest find Zelda.....




Zelda had the type of eyes that will follow you when you walk past her. We put a black witches kettle with dry ice, as you can see....gas is escaping! Way cool!!!!
I guess I'll have to hang my broom up until next witching season!