Life, Love, and laughter

Yesterday was my last and final day of Optical School!!!!! I took my final and passed first try!!! Yee Haw! Joey had been in training for the last week and had taken his final and got off early and was already at home and showered when I got there. My teacher had let me leave early, which was nice since they were just watching a movie, and we decided to do something fun and out of the norm. We have been so wrapped up on trying to act like adults and get things done like responsible people, and its been work, work and no play for awhile and it was showing!! We have been up tight and boring to put it simply....Jo had me close my eyes and let him drive, which was so nice....we pulled up to Miwalk Park and I guessed first try =) We had such a blast!! We swung on the swings, ran through the tunnels and slide down ropes, did a few monkey bars which proved more than we wanted to know, and got great shock on the slides we actually fit down! Then after all the excitement we went for a beautiful walk by a small stream and just enjoyed each others company and the excellent weather! It was so nice to just walk and talk with my best friend and make yet another wonderful memory!

AIN'T....................

He was just a little boy,On a week's first day.

Wandering home from Bible school,And dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes into the grass;

He even found a caterpillar.

He found a fluffy milkweed pod,And blew out all the 'filler.'

A bird's nest in a tree overhead,

So wisely placed up so high.

Was just another wonder,

That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zig zag course,

And hailed him from the lawn;

Asked him where he'd been that day

And what was going on.

'I've been to Bible School ,

'He said and turned a piece of sod.

He picked up a wiggly worm replying,

'I've learned a lot about God.'

'M'm very fine way,' the neighbor said,

'for a boy to spend his time.

''If you'll tell me where God is,

I'll give you a brand new dime.'

Quick as a flash the answer came!

Nor were his accents faint.

'I'll give you a dollar,

Mister,If you can tell me where God ain't.

'Have a great week!

Its Official...

On Thursday, May 21st 2009.....

I will marry my dearest & best friend.....

Christmas Eve 2008

Well, I have alot to fill in from my last post till now, but I'll only go over the demanding details ;)!

I flew out of Calgary on Monday, Dec 22nd and arrived in Springfield, Missouri late that evening. Wednesday afternoon everyone, which included Joey's parents-Alvy and Norah, Joey's brother and sister in law-Ben and Lauren and their two children-Sariya and lil Josh, and Joey's sister- Sarah, went to Jordan Valley Ice Park to ice skate. We skated around a few times and then Joey got off the ice. I waited for him but he continued to stand and talk with his dad, so I miss impatient just turned around and decided to continue skating without him.

Moments later he was behind me.

Joey: "I'm so sorry everyone is so stressed."

Me: "Its okay."

Joey: "My parents are really stressed, I'm sorry."

Me: "Joey, its okay, I understand, It's Christmas, don't worry."

Joey: "Well they are stressed for a good reason."

Me: Sarcasticly "Oh really and why is that?"

Joey: Grabbed my arm and spun me around " Cause I wanna ask you to marry me!"

Me: "WHAT???!!!???!!!"

Joey: Hands me the below locket

Me: "Oh my word, are you serious Jo?!"

Joey: with tears forming in his eyes, flips the locket over "Will you Marry Me?!"

I began to cry and then laughed and then just hugged him and cried/laughed some more.

Joey: "Well.........."

Me: "Yes, Yes!"

Everyone was watching from the side, so when we skated over the family said, "Welcome to the family Angel!" And I just cried! =)

Front of locket

Back of Locket

Inside of Locket-I opened it on the ice and the picture dropped

Signing in from beautiful Canada!!

Yesterday I flew into Calgary, Alberta and was welcomed with -22 degrees C and a warm hug from my butterfly Angie! I was rushed over to Merrily's house by Momma Holmes where we surprised Courtney completely!!!! After moments of her just standing there with her hand rubbing her cheek, she finally wrapped me in a HUGE hug and just sobbed and sobbed....It was the most incredible experience and I am so thankful for "family" that has helped to make this moment possible! Ang, Court and I talked Johnny into letting us use his truck=) and we spent the evening freezing at the Festival of Lights walk-crazy person who suggested that one lol...then we headed over to the Chocolate Bar for hot coco and ice cream! lol Ice cream in - 20 weather which is like -1 degree F for you American folks! Crazy as we are!
It was an awesome day and I am having a great time!!!

PS. I MISS YOU JOEY!!! and Jackson!!

The Purple Iris

I got this the other day and thought instead of forwarding the message....I'll post it!

There comes a point in your life when you realize:

Who matters,

Who never did,

Who won't anymore...

And who always will.

So, don't worry about people from your past,there's a reason why they didn't make it to your future.

Give these flowers to everyone you don't want to lose in 2009, including me, if that's what is in your heart.

My Thanksgiving Story

This year at Thanksgiving, my sisters and I went to our mothers house for the traditional feast. Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to play a trick. She told my sister that she needed something from the store. When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, and inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey. She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven. When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird. With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, "Tamsen, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry. It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!

lol Though this story is not completely true, it is so funny! Sorry Tammi I had to pick on you-cause you're the cutest blonde ever!!!

My New Baby!

Jackson is a 3 year old 1/2 Toy Chihuahua and 1/2 Chihuahua and weighs in at just 4 pounds!

I love him to pieces! I was surprised with him on Friday afternoon in honor of my last day of school! =) Yeah!

Disco Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Old Fashion Christmas

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

A family Howedown

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

We're at it again...

Ayla, Tamsen, Joey and I are heading up to Keno/Klamath Falls, Oregon for the holidays. This will by my first Thanksgiving spent with my mother in 10 years!!! Crazy! I'm looking forward to the snow and the time we'll spend together but I'm not looking forward to the drive.....=) mark that down as yet another road trip for the Lombardo's! he he Please keep us in your prayers as we travel, the roads are slick and there are crazy drivers out at this time of year! Have a wonderful Gobble Gobble day and remember to be Thankful for HIS Many Many Blessings!

Things I am truly thankful for this year:

• The Faithfulnes of my God
• The love of my family
• The support of my church and ministry
• New friends
• Joseph Ladd ;)
• Breathe
• Life
• School ending in 5 days!!!!!
• A roof over my head
• Food to eat
• A car to drive
• Wise parents
• A job
• okay so I could go on and on.....
• Thank you Jesus for my health and the health of my family. Continue to keep us in your ever loving arms. Guide us direct us in the path you have chosen us to follow! I love you with all my heart! Thank you for being my protector, my shelter, my peace, my comfort, my very very best friend!

An evening at the water store....

NOTHING tastes as good as Water From the ROCK.....

Step #1. Fill all empty bottles with crisp clean Water From the Rock.












Step #2. Screw the beautifully colored caps with seal.















Step #3. Place bottles in cold fridge and step back and admire your work! =)





There you have it...my evening at work =) Lovely isn't it!

What a friend we have in Jesus....

and in Ashley.....

and in Joey....silly me.....

oh WOW....what a Night! lol

Friday Night Fun

I thought I was supposed to be attending our church Plan Night, but ended up babysitting my brothers instead, soooooo that meant Fun Fun Fun! Last night the downtown Ice Skating rink opened!!!!! Yee Haw!!

We had an absolute BLAST!!!!!!! I didn't get any pictures though :( sniff sniff....We packed out our "bus" of a van and headed downtown around 7pm. You should have seen the staff when all 16 of us came scamblin in through the gate with the hugest grins on our faces! :) Alot of the staff remembered us from last year so we got to chitty chat with all the head people :) I'll def be getting some pictures within the next few months,

so if you don't hear from me for the next few weeks don't stress I'm probably out enjoying my favorite sport,

Ice Skating!!!!

I'm Late, I'm late....

Okay so its been a whirl wind around here....block finals, a live recording, life, Disney on Ice, church, iceskating, rain and a holiday! whew I'm just about worn out....NOT! Actually these past few weeks have been extremely busy but fun! At this moment, this day, this very hour I have 18 more days left of school! =) I can not believe it....6 months has flown by so quickly!

Well I've done some home work over the past couple of days....checking up on everyones blog and I've seen many many pictures and have truly enjoyed the laughs. It looks as if everyones Halloween was a blast! Well I had a great time as well! Just about everyone at school participated and what imaginations I tell you....We had a pumkin carving contest, a scream contest, and a costume contest. I of course, the big mouth that I am(sometimes) won a $25 giftcertificate as the #1 screamer in the school! LOL it was great...and to make it even more interesting no one expected it to come from cute me....I didn't win the costume contest....no one seemed to know who Pippy Longstocking was, except my principle who deemed me her absolute favorite lol....

Joey brought me lunch and then stuck around for me to do a few procedures on, *patterns, cutting lenses, Keratometer* after school I worked and it was the LONGEST 3 hours of my life. It Rained and Rained and Rained, so it was really slow at the shop. By the time I got off I was not in the mood for any parties =( So I just let my hair down and relaxed =) I worked all day Saturday, which was slow cause it....Rained again =) Joey, Cody, Ashley and Bubbles came over and we played a little RISK which was an absolute BLAST! The boys didn't think us girls would enjoyed it and so they were a little hesitant at letting us join but little did they know that 3 hours later we would eliminate them from the board! HA HA HA well not Joey but Cody we did! Great game guys!

Well, there you have it life in 2 paragraphs...yesterday was election day and though I am very disappointed at who our country has voted into office I am not disappointed in the one who has given me today. When I trust in the Lord and lean not on my own understanding, but look to HIM who is the my hope, my refuge, my protection, my strength, and my future. I have a peace that all things are in His precious hand. I need not fear of tomorrow, the terror by night, nor the destruction that wasteth at noonday. For in Psalm 91 it states There shall NO evil befall thee, and he will keep me in all my comings and goings. Because HE has set His LOVE upon me, and He will deliver me. In knowing this how can I NOT trust Him with everything?

When the future of my country is uncertain, I am certain of this

HE IS COMING SOON! And oh what a day, what a Beautiful day that will be!!!

16 Years and Still in LOVE

I just wanted to say...

Happy Anniversary

to the most incredible parents in the world!

I love you two Love Birds!

You're AWESOME!

Life in the Fast lane

Have you ever felt like you were going 100 MPH with no way of slowing down? You look in the distance and its just as busy and crazy as the present! Its October 17th already! Where did the beautiful months of spring go? It seems like yesterday I was skating on a frozen Canadian lake and ringing in the new year...I can't say that this last year hasn't been eventful and exciting, but it all came so quickly! I began my schooling June 2nd of this year, and 24 weeks seemed like an eternity away, but as I sit here today, having completed my 3rd 6-week final, I can truly say it hasn't been but a moment. I am so thrilled to see all that I have learned in the last 5 months. I've climbed many mountains, and crossed many streams, I've found a new depth in Jesus and I wouldn't give up anything to change it all.

But with the rush, rush, study, study, practice, practice, I've finally collapsed-I can't go and do all that I used to do...and though I've tried, I've found myself ill the next day unable to keep up with school and work. So I will publically appologize to all I haven't emailed back, C & C events I've failed to attend and youth services I've missed out on....I've taken the advice of my elders and stayed involved as best as I could, but I needed to focus on this season of life and stay afloat.

I've come to love my evenings of doing just about nothing =) at least once a week at my parents, my house, or at a friends, I just snuggle into a chair and enjoy the hug of a blanket. I miss doing something on every night of the week, it makes me feel young, but since I've stepped down from a few things I've excelled academically. I'm top of my class and can't help but brag just a little. My whole being feels restored and I can't WAIT to get back into sunday school, bus ministry and College and Career! 6 more weeks, a HUGE State ABO testing and then....Graduation! yeah!!!(though the ceremony isn't until June, my certificate will be in hand ;-)

*For those that made it this far and are still reading, Lord Bless you =) Please say a prayer for me. I take my State ABO testing on November 16th,which is with the American Board of Opticianry. I decided to skip my NCLE (National Contact Lens Examiners) until next year, I only need one stressful test a year lol! I appreciate you all and pray God Blesses you richly!

sincerely yours,

arose 2008

W.O.R.D. Conference

WE JUST HAD THE MOST INCREDIBLE LADIES CONFERENCE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!

Woman Of Radical Devotion! I will not waste my words on fiddle stick comments....this Ladies Retreat has CHANGED my view of God, my Prayer life, and my self respect forever. I am a WOMAN OF GOD and I am LOVED beyond words....The place I laid prostrate on my face in the carpet, with tears uncontrollably running down my face, was the moment in time that will FOREVER be imprinted into my present and my future. This weekend was my altar, laying behind the past and resisting to rely on my own understandings, and learning to TRUST 100% in MY GOD!!! We pleaded the Blood of Jesus upon our families, our homes, our futures, our finances, our lost loved ones, etc, and there is NOTHING that the devil can do, no watered down worldly confusion can wash away that anointing!

The Holy Ghost was AMAZING and you DO NOT want to miss next year,

OCTOBER 9-10th 2009!

IMPACT MINISTRIES

Saturday evening our drama team had the privilege to minister in Rancho Cordova @ Rock Tabernacle with Pastor Deathridge.

Click on this link for a video recap of " I Believe"