a bit about ME...

I'm joining in for the second year with 5 Minutes for Mom's annual Ultimate Blog Party and the party just gets bigger and bigger every year!  Join in!!


I often blog reviews that I do for Gabby Moms, TOS Crew and Tyndale.  Other times I post about my life as a wife, homeschool mom, children's ministry leader, friend, etc.  Most of my posts, though, fall under the category of sojourner... one who is seeking peace and joy as I journey through life with my Jesus.  


Though I often blog in these categories, I've realized that I rarely talk about myself... those things about me that make me... well, me.  For instance, I have discovered that there is no where on the face of my blog, right now, that tells you my name.  So, let's start at the beginning, shall we?


~my name is Heidi... not my favorite name in all the world, but it's worked for the past 42 years and it doesn't seem worn out yet.  

~this is my BFF.  His name is Chad and almost 17 years ago, he made me his wife.  I am so very grateful that he did.  Our life together has been a great adventure!  This picture was taken on one of our amazing camping vacations.  Yep, I love to camp... well, as long as it's in my 5th wheel and not a tent!


In this picture, we were on a boat in the Straights of Mackinac.  I love, Love, LOVE the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan!  One of my "bucket list" things is to live in the UP for an entire year and experience all 4 season up there.  Good thing I love snow!

~these are our 3 E's... Eric, Emily and Ellen.  We are finishing our 9th year of home school this spring.  This winter we did something new (to us, anyway) and put Eric in second semester 8th grade in our local public middle school.  He's athletic and loves football.... kinda hard to find a homeschool football team... Anyway, he's done well and loves school.  Emily will finish 6th grade this spring and our plan is to continue homeschool in the fall for 7th.  She has an amazing opportunity to go to Guatemala in a week with her dad on a medical missions trip (Chad is an RN) for 8 days.  I can't wait to hear all about it when they return!  Ellen finished 1st grade and started 2nd grade this winter.  She has a September birthday and so if she were in conventional school, she would be in first grade.


~I love bookstores.  Especially old, musty, dusty used bookstores!  Another "bucket list" item is to own a old bookstore/coffee house some day.  I keep thinking I should probably get a job at our local coffee house soon so that I can learn how to be a great barista! ... especially considering I don't drink coffee.  I hate the taste of it but love the smell, go figure!

~I also am in a life-long love affair with the Great Lakes... especially Lake Superior and Lake Michigan (in that order).  I think this love affair began when I was 12 and my parents took up on a camping trip that included stops along Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and Lake Huron.  Since we're talking about my "bucket list" I will also add that someday I want to live on the shores of either Lake Michigan or Lake Superior.  


So, I guess I will have to live on the shores of Lake Superior in the UP and run a bookstore/coffee house for a year to compete my bucket list.


~I would guess that the most important thing that makes me... ME is that I am a follower of Jesus Christ.  My love affair with Him has been along longer than my love affair with the Great Lakes or with my BFF.  I strive to be like Him and live my life for Him daily and fail miserably.  But, His great love lifts me up and His death, burial and resurrection cover my multitude of sins.  I am so grateful for His love, His grace, His mercy and can't believe that I get to spend all of eternity praising Him!


...so there you have it... a bit about me.  Care to join in the Ultimate Blogging Party and share a bit about yourself?