For Rebecca: update

Update today: Didi's audition was aired last night and it was incredible. I have watched AI before but never through the eyes of wanting God to get the glory through one of the thousands who auditioned. Last night was a first for me watching the show with tears streaming down my face as I listened to the heart and passion of someone who deeply desires for her friend's story to be told.

(posted yesterday) If you are like me, I don't watch American Idol any more... But tonight I will watch. I urge you to watch also. I following messages are from Rebecca's dear parents.

As many of you know, my daughter (Rebecca Joy Lear) died in a car accident as she returned home from her first semester at college a little over four years ago. My daughter’s college roommate (for that one semester at Belmont University in Nashville, TN) has been selected to have an audition. Her name is Vered “Didi” Benami and her Los Angeles audition will air this next Wednesday night, February 3rd. American Idol has purchased some photographs of Rebecca that a professional photographer took during one of Rebecca’s performances at Borders in December 2004. We know that Didi spoke of Rebecca in her American Idol interview, so we hope to not only see her interview when they air her audition, but also see photographs of Rebecca.

Don Lear

From Susan: Don and I have been really blessed by your friendships and we wanted to share “page 2-from the continuing saga” of life. We have had the privilege of staying part of Didi’s life as well as the lives of so many of our children’s dear friends. I think one of the blessings we have received as parents comes from the amazing relationships we experience with our children’s FRIENDS! “Lagniappe” as they say in New Orleans!

Anyway, in God’s mysterious plan, Didi and Rebecca became fast friends while at Belmont, Didi was encouraged in her love of music by Rebecca’s passion, and after Rebecca’s death, Didi promised us that she would always work to “get Rebecca’s music ‘out there’ as that was Rebecca’s great desire.” Well, I am not one for dreaming quite this large, but Didi has never stopped believing and working on her goals and now she is experiencing some pretty exciting opportunities and we wish her great success! It’s fun and a great reward to us that she has included Rebecca’s love of music as she tells her own story and we wanted to share all that with you because of your many kindnesses to us!

We pray for God’s best in Didi’s life and for the opportunity we have to encourage her and love her!

*Read about Rebecca here

shouldn't be left alone with a paint brush....

I decided to tackle the neglected laundry room this past weekend... this is what it looked like when I moved in. Really the only thing that is still the same is the washer and dryer. everything else is different, the walls, the floors, the doors, the ceiling, everything.

seriously people, sunflowers?!? really.

And now.... there is chocolate brown on the walls (and maybe on one of the cabinet doors, LOVE IT!) The trim is painted, the cabinet doors are painted. The only thing left is cleaning out the cabinets and painting the inside!

I'm still not sold that there are THE curtains, but for now they will do.

favorite moments

Some of my favorite moments recently...

K-State football!!!!

Thanksgiving in Cedar Vale

First ever tacky Christmas sweater party

I LOVE Christmas cards!

Not only do I love this time of year, I absolutely LOVE sending and receiving Christmas cards. I saw this link on my friend Kristin's blog and just spent 30 minutes looking at so many fun Christmas cards. Some of you received this in the mail but for those of you who didn't, here is what the 2009 version of my Christmas card looked like!

Merry Christmas sweet friends!

little decisions...

I am borrowing this from my friend Jill's blog.

"Twenty years from now, it won’t matter if your shirt was ironed or your house was spotless. But what will matter are the little decisions you made every day to invest in the people around you, to give without regret, and to love until it hurts."

I have been thinking a lot lately about the people in my world and how I am truly blessed by each and everyone of them.

Let's face it, I'm an extrovert. I am energized by people. I am challenged by people. I need pepole in my life. When I moved to Wichita in January 0f 2005 a friend of mine called me a starving extrovert. At the time, I don't think there was a more accurate description. I needed that time of "starvation" to really appreciate the friendships that would come. Now almost 5 years later, I can confidently say that this once starving extrovert is no longer starving. There are people in my life who know me, who really know me and are okay with that. There are people in my life who I see everyday who don't know me and are okay with that. There are students in my classroom who know me for a short time and then move on, graduate and who will change the world, or at least the little corner of the world that they will influence. There are people in my life that make me laugh so hard I cry, that let me cry, that ask the hard questions, that listen to me babble for hours about nothing really important, that challenge me to be a better person just by being around them. The people in my life remind me that it's okay to be me, that I am free to be me. Sure there are people who I wish lived HERE but those friendships that have survived the miles hold a special place in my heart. I need people HERE, I need people NEAR, I need people FAR. Really I just need people.

I am thankful that it doesn't matter if my shirt was ironed because if I am completely honest, if something needs ironed then it ends up in the back of my closest. I do love a clean house and having people over to enjoy my clean house but some of the best conversations I've had with people in my little house have taken place when the house on Indianapolis wasn't spotless.

This post is random yes, but for those of you who know me, aren't a bit surprised. I needed time and an avenue to process. Life is crazy busy and I am a victim of God's grace.

I needed to be reminded that the little decisions I make every day matter. The people in my life matter. and for that I am grateful.

mantel metamorphosis

When I bought my house the mantel looked like this. . . blah

I did some painting and usually my mantel looks like this. . .

But now that Christmas season is quickly approaching,

my mantel looks like this.

Defying Gravity

Wicked came to Wichita...

"Let the little girl go! And that poor little dog... Dodo!"

We went to see it...

"Just follow that one road the whole time!...

I hope THEY don't get lost, I'm so bad at giving directions..."

Then ate cheesecake...

"so you lied to them?" "only verbaly."

Because I knew you....

I have been changed for good.